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Hail damage pictures for East Tennessee homeowners

Real photos of hail damage and labeled illustrations, so you know what an adjuster and a roofer will be looking for on your house. Every photo is public domain or Creative Commons licensed and credited on our photo credits page.

Last reviewed against official sources. General information, not insurance or legal advice.

Quick answer

Hail damage looks like round, randomly spaced marks: dents in metal roofs, gutters and vents, crushed heat pump fins, broken glass and screens, chipped paint and, on shingles, small spots where granules are missing. Uniform wear, algae, rust at fasteners and damage under a single tree are something else.

East Tennessee hail claims involve asphalt shingles, metal roofs on cabins and farm buildings, gutters and heat pumps. These photos show what hail damage looks like, and what is wear instead.

Free-to-use, close-up photos of hail on house shingles are rare, so this gallery uses public domain and Creative Commons photos from FEMA, NOAA, the National Weather Service, the U.S. Air Force and Space Force and independent photographers, plus illustrations we drew and labeled. None are contractor or insurer marketing photos.

Metal roofs, barns and rooftop units

What to look for: rows of dents on metal panels that appear when the light is low, flattened fins on AC and heat pump coils, and dented vent caps. Owners of metal-roofed cabins and outbuildings in Sevier and Blount counties should start here.

A FEMA inspector bends to look along a ribbed metal roof for hail dents after a 2010 storm in Moore, Oklahoma
Sighting along a dented metal roof in Moore, Oklahoma, May 2010. Cabin and barn roofs show hail the same way. Photo: Win Henderson / FEMA, Public domain (U.S. government work). Credit
An inspector walks a hail-damaged metal roof on a municipal building in Moore, Oklahoma, May 2010
An inspector on a hail-damaged metal roof in Moore, Oklahoma, 2010. Metal is slick; leave it to professionals. Photo: Win Henderson / FEMA, Public domain (U.S. government work). Credit
Two men inspect hail damage to a rooftop air conditioning unit and vent stacks on a flat roof
Hail-damaged rooftop AC equipment inspected in Moore, Oklahoma, 2010. Heat pump fins flatten the same way. Photo: Win Henderson / FEMA, Public domain (U.S. government work). Credit
A white church with blue tarps covering its hail-damaged roof
A hail-damaged roof under tarps after the November 2014 Brisbane, Australia, storm. Photo: Shiftchange, CC0 1.0 (public domain dedication). Credit

How shingles get damaged: drawings

Our illustrations show a hail bruise from the side, the random spacing of hail compared with wear, how a test square works and the line between cosmetic and functional damage.

Illustration: cross-section of an asphalt shingle showing a hail hit that knocked off granules and fractured the mat underneath
Illustration: what a hail bruise is. The granules are knocked away and the fiberglass mat under the asphalt is fractured, so the spot feels soft and can let water in later. Illustration by HERE City.
Illustration: two roof slopes side by side, one with random round hail marks and one with even wear and streaks
Illustration: hail hits are random and round, with no pattern. Wear, blistering and algae follow the sun, water flow or the whole slope. Illustration by HERE City.
Illustration: a 10 by 10 foot test square marked in chalk on a roof slope with hail hits circled
Illustration: the 10-by-10-foot test square many adjusters and roofers use. Hits inside the square are circled and counted on each slope. Illustration by HERE City.
Illustration: side-by-side comparison of a cosmetic dent on a metal panel and a functional puncture letting water through
Illustration: cosmetic damage changes how a roof looks; functional damage affects how it keeps water out or how long it will last. Illustration by HERE City.

Windows and walls

What to look for: damage on the side that faced the storm: broken panes, torn screens, chipped paint, cracked or holed vinyl. Spring storms around Knoxville often arrive from the west across the Cumberland Plateau, but check every side.

A second-floor motel window with a shattered pane after a hailstorm
A window broken by hail on the side of a building that faced the storm, Limon, Colorado, July 2010. Photo: James St. John, CC BY 2.0. Credit
A white rendered wall covered in small dark pockmarks from hail impacts
Hail spatter on a wall in Einsiedeln, Switzerland, July 2010. Photo: Chris.urs-o, CC BY-SA 3.0. Credit
An apartment building facade covered with dark hail impact marks and cars with dented roofs below
An apartment facade marked by hail in Požega, Croatia, June 25, 2021, with dented cars below. Photo: Nikola, CC BY-SA 4.0. Credit
Side-by-side photos of a metal-sided building with hail-broken window panels, before and after repair
Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado: hail-broken building panels in July 2016 (left) and the repaired wall (right). Photo: Robert Lingley / U.S. Space Force, Public domain (U.S. government work). Credit

Cars and trucks

Dents on a vehicle parked outside are a record of hail size and direction. Check the house walls and roof slopes facing the same way.

A truck windshield with a large starburst crack from a baseball-size hailstone
A truck windshield cracked by baseball-size hail, about 2.75 inches, in Oklahoma, May 2010. Hail that size has fallen in Knoxville. Photo: Win Henderson / FEMA, Public domain (U.S. government work). Credit
A silver car with its rear window smashed and the roof dented by hail in Missouri
A car dented by hail in Missouri, April 2001. Photo: NWS St. Louis, Public domain (U.S. government work). Credit
Collage of hail damage to cars: broken side mirrors, a cracked headlight and a broken hubcap
Hail-dented vehicles after the July 4, 2010 storm in Limon, Colorado. Photo: James St. John, CC BY 2.0. Credit

Measure the stones

Baseball-size hail has been reported in Knoxville, Gatlinburg and Loudon County since 2006. Photograph the biggest stones next to a ruler or coin before they melt, and freeze a few if you can.

Two hands holding golf-ball-size hailstones at night
Golf ball size hail, about 1.75 inches. Photo: NOAA, Public domain (U.S. government work). Credit
A hailstone next to a ruler, labeled Ada, OK, 29 Apr 78
Measuring a big hailstone with a ruler, Ada, Oklahoma, April 29, 1978. Photo: NOAA, Public domain (U.S. government work). Credit
A hand holding two hailstones about the size of golf balls over hail-covered ground
Golf ball size hail held for scale in Perth, Australia, March 2010. Photo: FCB Excalibur, CC BY-SA 2.0. Credit
A tape measure laid across a carpet of small hailstones
Small hail by a tape measure. Below about an inch, sound shingles usually survive. Photo: Sebbog13, CC BY-SA 4.0. Credit
Large hailstones covering a street and grass at dusk
Hail covering a street after a severe storm, with stones up to about 2 to 3 inches. Photo: NOAA Photo Library / NSSL, Public domain (U.S. government work). Credit
A single very large, spiky hailstone held in a gloved hand
A huge, irregular hailstone with spikes, which can hit harder than a round stone. Photo: NOAA Photo Library, Public domain (U.S. government work). Credit
Archival photo of a 4-inch hailstone with a ruler
A 4-inch hailstone, Washington, D.C., May 1953, from Snowden D. Flora's 1956 hailstorm book. Photo: NOAA Photo Library, Public domain (U.S. government work). Credit
Illustration: circles comparing hail sizes from pea to softball with diameters in inches
Illustration: common hail size names used by the National Weather Service, drawn to scale. Illustration by HERE City.

What is not hail

These photos show aging, drainage wear, algae, installation problems and limb damage. On metal roofs, rust at screws and cut edges and wavy panels (oil canning) are not hail either.

Badly aged brown asphalt shingles with curled, shrunken flaps and exposed nails
Not hail: shingles worn out evenly by age, with cracking across the whole slope. Photo: Dale Mahalko, CC BY-SA 3.0. Credit
Asphalt shingles worn more heavily along the eave below a wall where water runs off
Not hail: wear on a lower roof from water pouring off the roof above. Photo: Dale Mahalko, CC BY-SA 3.0. Credit
Dark vertical streaks of algae on a gray asphalt shingle roof
Not hail: algae streaks, common on shaded roofs under East Tennessee hardwoods. Photo: Mcbooz, CC BY-SA 3.0. Credit
Gray shingles with lifted, misaligned courses on a steep roof
Not hail: shingles that failed from poor installation and age, according to the photographer. Photo: Sandul1234, CC BY-SA 4.0. Credit
Gray asphalt shingles with cracked and broken tabs where branches fell on them
Shingles broken by branches from a nearby tree in a thunderstorm. Photo: Samuel Bolton, CC BY-SA 4.0. Credit

During a replacement

Ask the roofer for photos of tear-off, the decking and the new underlayment, which help with supplements and future questions.

Roofing crew installing new shingles on base housing roofs damaged by a 2018 hailstorm
Re-roofing at Schriever Air Force Base, Colorado, in July 2019 after a 2018 hailstorm. Photo: Airman 1st Class Jonathan Whitely / U.S. Air Force, Public domain (U.S. government work). Credit
Workers on a lift and roof replacing shingles on a row of two-story homes after hail
Replacing an entire hail-damaged roof at Schriever Air Force Base, Colorado, 2019. Photo: Airman 1st Class Jonathan Whitely / U.S. Air Force, Public domain (U.S. government work). Credit
A roofing crew tearing off and replacing shingles on a single-story house
Roofers replacing shingles on a storm-damaged home, Moore, Oklahoma, May 2010. Photo: Win Henderson / FEMA, Public domain (U.S. government work). Credit

Around your own house

Illustration: a house diagram labeling places to check for hail evidence: gutters, downspouts, vents, AC fins, window wraps, siding, fence, car
Illustration: where to look for hail from the ground. Soft metal and painted surfaces show hail first. Illustration by HERE City.

Begin with the storm side: gutters, downspouts, vents, the heat pump, screens, trim, the deck and any metal roofs. Then read how to check your roof for hail and the after-hail steps.

How big has hail been in each Knoxville and East Tennessee county?

Short answer: since 2006, every county this site covers has had hail of at least 1.75 inches, large enough to damage many roofs. The table shows the largest hail on record in each county (the most recent date if tied) and how many reports were 1 inch or larger.

CountyLargest hailWhere and whenReports 1 inch or larger
Knox County2.75 in (baseball)Knoxville, April 27, 201174
Sevier County2.75 in (baseball)Gatlinburg, April 26, 201240
Loudon County2.75 in (baseball)Highland Park, June 7, 200824
Blount County2.00 in (hen egg)Tallassee, May 8, 202548
Anderson County1.75 in (golf ball)Oak Ridge, April 10, 202531

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, 2006–2025. See the full local hail history.

Recent hail reports in the area

WhenTypeWhereReport notes
Hail
1.00" hail		1 W Maryville
Blount County		Report from mPING: Quarter (1.00 in.).
Hail
1.00" hail		2 WNW Clinton
Anderson County		Two separate Facebook reports of large hail in Clinton... no ruler or measurement but both look to be at least quarter sized.

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Frequently asked questions

Can I send these pictures to my insurer?

No. Your insurer needs dated photos of your own property.

Why use illustrations?

Reusable close-ups of hail on house shingles are rare, so labeled drawings fill in.

What should my photos show?

Each side of the house, close-ups with a coin or ruler, the hailstones and the date and time.

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Policies vary. Check your own policy and ask your insurer or agent about anything that affects your claim. Laws and rules can change; this page reflects official sources as of October 29, 2026. KnoxvilleRoof.com is not a contractor, insurer, adjuster or law firm.

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Related guides

Sources

  1. National Weather Service: Hail
  2. NOAA Storm Prediction Center: Hail size as related to objects
  3. IBHS: Hail