Weather · Storm tracker

Severe storm tracker for roof owners

Every severe thunderstorm cell that rolls through your area is stress on your roof. Our tracker overlays live radar, lightning density, and NOAA alerts so you know exactly when to inspect.

What the radar colors mean for your roof

Reflectivity radar measures how much energy bounces back from precipitation. Greens and yellows are ordinary rain. Reds and magentas mean very high reflectivity, which often indicates hail rather than heavier rain, because ice returns far more energy than water droplets. When a cell shows a magenta core with a hook or notch on its southwest flank, that is the classic supercell signature worth paying attention to.

Two derived products matter most to homeowners: MESH, the maximum estimated hail size for a storm cell, and rotational velocity. Insurance carriers commonly reference MESH grids to confirm whether hail of a damaging size passed over a specific address on a specific date, which is exactly the evidence a claim needs.

Building a storm history for your address

The most valuable habit after any severe weather is a two-minute record: the date, the alert type, radar screenshots for your location, and ground-level photos of your roof, gutters, and yard. Over a few seasons that file becomes the difference between a paid claim and a denial for pre-existing wear, because it establishes exactly when damage appeared.

Pair the history with your roof’s facts — install date, shingle line and wind rating, contractor, and warranty documents. If you ever sell the home, the same file is a genuine selling point.

When a storm justifies an inspection

Inspect after any hail reported at three-quarters of an inch or larger, any wind gust above 58 mph (the National Weather Service severe threshold), any tornado warning within a few miles, and after the first heavy rain following a long dry spell, which is when existing seal failures finally leak. Between storms, a twice-yearly ground-level look in spring and fall catches the slow problems.

Most reputable roofers inspect at no charge. Get the findings in writing with photos, and get a second opinion before authorizing anything that involves an insurance claim.

Frequently asked questions