Key numbers
56 verified hail storms with stones of 1.75 inches or larger reached Pueblo County from 1997 to 2025 in the storm records we keep; the largest measured 4.5 inches (softball size) on July 13, 2011 (NOAA NCEI).
| Hail storms by decade, 1997 to 2025 | 1990s: 1, 2000s: 18, 2010s: 26, 2020s: 11 Source: Storm library: Colorado storm records |
|---|---|
| Largest hail | 4.5 in. (softball), July 13, 2011 Source: NOAA NCEI |
| Costliest hail storm | $321.1 million insured losses (2012 dollars), June 6, 2012 Source: Rocky Mountain Insurance Information Association |
| 769 | NOAA's Storm Events Database logged 769 hail reports in Colorado in 2023, including 154 of 2 inches or larger. Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), 2023 |
| 4.4% | 4.4% of U.S. households reported roof leaks in the 2023 American Housing Survey, down from 7.6% in 1973. Source: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), 2023 |
| $2778.8 million | NOAA lists 'Colorado Hail Storm (June 2018)' (2018-06-18 to 2018-06-19) among billion-dollar disasters affecting Colorado, at $2778.8 million CPI-adjusted ($2223 million unadjusted). Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), 2018 |
A storm counts when the library lists Pueblo County among the areas it hit. Each hail size is the storm's largest report, which may have fallen in a neighboring county, and insured losses cover every area the storm hit.
Pueblo, Colorado gets hail large enough to damage a roof, and you can tell whether your roof needs repair with a ground-level check and a free inspection. On May 16, 2021, NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center logged 11 preliminary hail reports in Pueblo County between about 4:20 and 5:20 in the afternoon, with stones from 1 inch to 2 inches across, and the National Weather Service treats anything an inch or larger as severe. If a storm like that crossed your neighborhood, look for granules at the downspouts and dents in gutters and vents, then have the roof inspected before you file a claim or sign with a contractor.
How big Pueblo hail gets
The May 16, 2021 storm is a good example of what Pueblo roofs face. The Storm Prediction Center’s preliminary reports for Pueblo County that day included:
| Location | Hail size |
|---|---|
| University Park neighborhood, Pueblo | 1.75 inches |
| 2 miles northeast of Pueblo | 1.75 inches |
| 2 miles east-northeast of Pueblo | 1.75 inches |
| 3 miles east of Blende | 1.75 to 2.00 inches |
| 2 miles east of Pueblo | 1.00 inch |
Hail of 1.75 inches is golf-ball size. In our experience, hail that size or larger usually damages asphalt shingles, and older roofs can be hurt by smaller stones.
Check your home from the ground
- Downspouts. Dark granules piling up at the outlets mean hail knocked the surface off the shingles.
- Gutters, vents and metal trim. Fresh dents show where the hail hit and how hard.
- Window screens, the air conditioner and cars. Torn screens and dented fins confirm the storm’s size at your house.
- Ceilings. Watch for new stains after the next rain.
Our guide to what to check after a Colorado Springs hail storm walks through the same ground-level checks in more detail, and hail damage versus normal wear helps if you are not sure what you are looking at.
Get an inspection before you file
An inspection first answers the question that matters: is there functional damage? We get on the roof, check soft metals, ridge caps, valleys and the field shingles, and photograph each hit. Read how a roofer inspects a roof for hail damage to see what that looks like. If we find damage, you file the claim and we can be there when the adjuster inspects, with photos, so nothing gets missed in the scope. The claim stays yours. If we do not find damage, we tell you, and you have avoided a claim for nothing.
Pueblo permits and contractors
For the City of Pueblo, building permits are issued by the Southern Colorado Building Department at 830 N Main St, Pueblo, CO 81003, phone 719-543-0002. Before work starts:
- Ask whether your reroof needs a permit and who will pull it.
- Confirm the contractor is licensed or registered with the building department.
- Get a written contract. Colorado’s roofing contractor law requires a written contract with the scope, approximate dates and costs, the contractor’s contact information, and a 72-hour right to cancel. It also bars any roofer from paying, waiving or rebating your deductible.
Big storms draw out-of-town crews to Pueblo, as they did to Colorado Springs after the July 28, 2016 hailstorm. A local office and a written scope are the simplest protection.
Book a free Pueblo roof inspection
Integrity Roofing and Painting is veteran-owned, family-run since 1990, and an Owens Corning Platinum Preferred contractor with 650+ Google reviews. Pueblo is served from our Colorado Springs office at 115 N Union Blvd. Call (719) 488-2800, book a free inspection, or see our Pueblo roofing page. For storm repairs, see storm damage repair.
Sources: NOAA Storm Prediction Center, storm reports for May 16, 2021 (preliminary; times converted from UTC to MDT); National Weather Service, glossary: severe thunderstorm; City of Pueblo, Building Permits; C.R.S. 6-22-103 and 6-22-105 (unofficial reproduction).
