Key numbers
77 verified hail storms with stones of 1.75 inches or larger reached Travis County, which includes Austin, from 1984 to 2025 in the storm records we keep; the largest measured 5 inches (softball size) on May 20, 2011 (NOAA NCEI).
| Hail storms by decade, 1984 to 2025 | 1980s: 8, 1990s: 16, 2000s: 24, 2010s: 13, 2020s: 16 Source: NOAA NCEI |
|---|---|
| Largest hail | 5 in. (softball), May 20, 2011 Source: NOAA NCEI |
| Costliest hail storm | $160 million insured losses (2006 dollars), April 20, 2006 Source: Insurance Journal |
A storm counts when NOAA lists a report in Travis County. Each hail size is the storm's largest report in the seven Austin-area counties, which may have fallen in a neighboring county, and insured losses cover every area the storm hit.
The best roof for an Austin home is the one that fits five things in this order: what you can spend and how long you will stay, Austin’s heat, hail and wind, the City’s wildfire rules if your home is in the Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI), your permit and HOA requirements, and finally your style. For most Austin homes that means architectural asphalt shingles or metal; tile and slate suit specific architecture and budgets.
1. Budget and how long you will stay
Asphalt shingles cost the least up front. Metal and tile cost more but last longer. If you expect to sell in a few years, a well-installed architectural shingle roof usually makes the most sense. If this is the long-term house, metal is worth pricing. Our Austin cost guides give the ranges: roof replacement, metal, tile and slate. Financing is available if it helps.
2. Austin heat, hail and wind
Long, hot summers age roofs through sun and heat, and Central Texas storms bring hail and damaging wind. The National Weather Service office for Austin/San Antonio documents events such as the September 24, 2023 hail storm over Round Rock and north Austin, and the May 28, 2025 Austin microburst. Ask about:
- Wind: the shingle’s wind rating and the starter and nailing pattern that go with it.
- Hail: impact-rated (Class 4) products; see our Class 4 shingle comparison.
- Heat: attic ventilation and the color’s solar reflectance.
3. The City’s wildfire rules
Part of the City of Austin is mapped as Wildland-Urban Interface. Under the City’s WUI code, roof coverings in all three zones must be Class A rated, and replacing 50 percent or more of a roof requires replacing all of it. The 2024 code applies to permits submitted on or after July 10, 2025. Check your address on the City’s interactive WUI map before choosing a material.
4. Permits and the HOA
Inside City of Austin limits, a like-for-like shingle reroof is usually exempt from a building permit, but the exemption does not apply in the WUI when 50 percent or more is replaced, and decking over 128 square feet needs a permit. Suburbs such as Round Rock, Georgetown and Pflugerville have their own rules. Many Austin-area HOAs also approve roof materials and colors; get that in writing first.
5. Your style
With the practical choices made, pick the look. Architectural shingles come in many colors and textures, including shake and slate looks. Standing seam metal suits modern and farmhouse homes. Tile fits Mediterranean and Spanish styles. Look at samples outside, in Texas sun.
Then choose the roofer
The material only performs as well as the installation. Read why a local Austin roofer matters and how to check one, and see our Austin residential roofing, metal roofing and asphalt shingle pages.
Integrity Roofing and Painting is veteran-owned and family-run since 1990, an Owens Corning Platinum Preferred contractor with 650+ Google reviews. Our Austin office is at 13341 W US Hwy 290, Building 2, Suite 246. Call (512) 610-5897 or book a free Austin roof inspection; we reach out the same business day.
Sources: City of Austin, Work Exempt from Building Permits and Wildland-Urban Interface Code; National Weather Service Austin/San Antonio, Past Weather Events.
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