How often does it hail near Wichita?
Stormersite compiles Storm Prediction Center hail reports by city. For Wichita, it lists 333 hail reports within 10 miles of the city center since 2004 (stormersite). The yearly counts swing widely:
| Year | Reports | Year | Reports | Year | Reports |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | 15 | 2012 | 50 | 2020 | 1 |
| 2005 | 14 | 2013 | 12 | 2021 | 2 |
| 2006 | 10 | 2014 | 13 | 2022 | 16 |
| 2007 | — | 2015 | 8 | 2023 | 4 |
| 2008 | 20 | 2016 | 40 | 2024 | 5 |
| 2009 | 16 | 2017 | 4 | 2025 | 24 |
| 2010 | 5 | 2018 | 10 | 2026 | 23 (to date) |
| 2011 | 25 | 2019 | 16 |
Source: stormersite, accessed Oct 27, 2026. The site shows no count for 2007; the listed years sum to 333. The largest stone in this list is 4.25 inches. The 7.75-inch stone described below is not among these reports.
Three things stand out:
- The average hides the risk. 333 reports over 23 seasons is about 14 a year. But 2012 and 2016 alone produced 90, while 2020 and 2021 produced 3 combined.
- Quiet stretches end. 2020–2024 produced 28 reports in five years. 2025 and 2026 have each logged more than 20.
- Report counts aren't stone sizes. A year with 50 reports may be mostly small hail. One storm can matter more than the whole tally. 2010 logged only 5 reports in this list, and its giant stone, which NWS said may set a Kansas record, isn't one of them.
The September 15, 2010 storm
The storm that set the local benchmark started as thunderstorms in Reno County just before 4 p.m. A supercell moved southeast "across Maize, Goddard and Western Wichita," then passed near Haysville and Derby. The National Weather Service in Wichita describes "a large hail swath that extended from Goddard to Udall" (NWS Wichita).
Around 6 p.m., near Pawnee and 119th Street in west Wichita, a stone fell that NWS measured at:
- 7.75 inches in diameter
- 15.5 inches in circumference
- 1.1 pounds
NWS notes the circumference and weight were officially measured 15 hours after it fell, so the stone was likely heavier when it landed. At the time, the office said it "may set a record for the largest diameter hailstone in Kansas," beating the 5.7-inch Coffeyville stone of September 3, 1970.
For greenhouse owners in Maize and Goddard, both on that storm's track, this isn't history. It's the design case. See our Maize and Goddard pages for local build notes.
What impact ratings exist — and what they don't cover
You'll see "hail resistant," "virtually unbreakable" and "Class 4" in glazing marketing. Here's what the standards behind those words actually test.
UL 2218 is the "Standard for Impact Resistance of Prepared Roof Covering Materials." It drops steel balls on a 3 × 3 ft sample of new roofing, and rates passing products Class 1 to 4. It covers prepared roof coverings such as asphalt, wood, tile, fiber-cement, plastic and metal shingles (Professional Roofing). It is a roofing standard, not a greenhouse glazing standard.
FM 4473 fires ice balls at rigid roofing — tile, slate, concrete — and also rates Class 1 to 4. The ice ball sizes run from 1¼ inch (Class 1) to 2 inches (Class 4), with target impact energies from 5.0 J to 36.4 J (FM Approvals 4473). It, too, is written for roofing.
If a glazing seller claims a class rating, ask which standard, which test, and on which panel thickness. Neither standard was written for multiwall polycarbonate.
What polycarbonate warranties actually test is far smaller. Here's the math, using ice at 0.917 g/cm³ (our assumption for solid ice) and kinetic energy = ½ × mass × speed²:
| Benchmark | Stone | Speed | Mass | Impact energy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Polygal hail warranty | 20 mm (0.79") | 21 m/s | 3.8 g | ≈ 0.85 J |
| Palram SUNLITE hail warranty | up to 1" | up to 20 m/s | 7.9 g | ≈ 1.6 J |
| FM 4473 Class 1 (roofing) | 1¼" | calibrated | — | 5.0 J target |
| FM 4473 Class 4 (roofing) | 2" | calibrated | — | 36.4 J target |
| Sept 15, 2010 Wichita stone | 7.75" | not measured | 1.1 lb (≈ 499 g) | — |
Worked example for the Polygal benchmark: a 20 mm ball has a volume of 4.19 cm³, so it weighs about 3.84 g. ½ × 0.00384 kg × (21 m/s)² ≈ 0.85 J. That matches the 0.831 J failure threshold in Polygal's warranty test (Polygal).
The 2010 stone weighed about 130 times as much as that 20 mm warranty ball (499 g ÷ 3.84 g). Warranties are written for ordinary hail. Wichita's worst storms are well outside them.
Warranty fine print, side by side
These are quoted or summarized from documents we could read on Oct 27, 2026. Terms change; read the current warranty for the exact product you buy.
| Maker / seller | Hail coverage | Term and proration | Labor covered? | Notable exclusions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Polygal multiwall (warranty) | Loss of hail impact strength, benchmarked to "a 20 mm diameter ice ball at a speed of 21 m/s" | 10 years from purchase; replacement sheets or refund at Polygal's discretion | No — "no liability whatsoever for the cost of removal" or reinstallation | UV side must face out; misuse, improper storage or installation; abrasion |
| Palram SUNLITE (warranty) | Breakage from hail "measuring up to 1 inch in diameter in size, and attaining up to 20 meter/second in velocity" | 10 years; refund 100% through year 3, then 85%, 70%, 55%, 40%, 30%, 20%, 5% by year 10 | No — excludes "costs or expenses of removal or installation" | "Not warranted against breakage due to natural disasters"; must break so water leaks through |
| Gallina panels, via Growing Spaces (page) | "Excessive weathering and hail impact"; test threshold 20 mm at 21 m/s; sheets at least 6 mm thick | 10 years; 100% to year 5, then 75% in year 6 | No — material only; excludes labor and shipping | Claims within 10 days of discovery |
| Gothic Arch polycarbonate (page) | No hail-specific warranty language found; 10-year limited warranty | 10 years | Not stated | — |
What the table tells you:
- "Hail warranty" means small hail. The benchmarks are 20–25 mm stones, roughly penny- to quarter-sized.
- Labor is on you. No document we read covers removing damaged panels or installing new ones.
- Proration shrinks the payout. A Palram claim in year 8 refunds 30% of the material price.
- Severe storms may be excluded outright. Palram excludes breakage from natural disasters.
We'll tell you which panel lines fit your budget and hail exposure when we quote. Warranty terms are written into your quote; ask for workmanship and material coverage in writing.
Does homeowners insurance cover a greenhouse?
Usually, a detached greenhouse falls under the "other structures" part of a homeowners policy, often called Coverage B. The NAIC's consumer guide describes it as coverage that "pays for damage to fences, tool sheds, freestanding garages, guest cottages and other structures not attached to your house." Its typical limit is "10% of Dwelling Coverage Limit," and the guide adds: "Check your policy" (NAIC).
Here's what that 10% means in practice. On a $300,000 dwelling limit, other-structures coverage would be $30,000. That one limit is shared by your fence, shed, detached garage and greenhouse. A single storm that hits all four can use it up.
An attached greenhouse is not a separate structure, so it would generally fall under the dwelling coverage instead.
The Kansas Insurance Department's shopper's guide describes Other Structures as coverage for "detached structures, such as garages and storage sheds," and says most homeowner policies carry a separate wind/hail deductible "generally one to two percent" of the dwelling coverage (KID). On a $300,000 dwelling, that is $3,000–$6,000 before any hail payout. Neither KID nor NAIC names greenhouses, so ask your agent whether your greenhouse is listed.
Questions to ask your agent before you build:
- Is a greenhouse covered as an other structure on my policy, and is the glazing covered for hail?
- What is my wind/hail deductible, and is it a flat amount or a percentage?
- Does my other-structures limit cover what this greenhouse will cost to rebuild?
- If I sell plants or produce from it, does business use change coverage?
- Do I need to schedule it or raise the limit once it's built?
We can't tell you what your policy covers. Your agent can, and it's a short call.
Design moves that limit hail damage
You can't stop the hail. You can make damage less likely, smaller and cheaper to fix.
Thicker glazing. The roof takes the hardest hits. A thicker multiwall panel puts more material between the stone and the inside. Hail-prone sites are where 16 mm triple- or five-wall makes the most sense (Gothic Arch notes thicker multiwall products "are able to resist high winds, hail, and heavier snow loads"). Compare the light and insulation trade-offs on our polycarbonate vs glass page.
Tighter purlin spacing. A panel spanning a shorter distance between supports flexes less when struck. Less flex means less chance a stone punches through the outer wall. This also helps under wind and snow loads.
Roof pitch. A steeper roof turns more vertical impacts into glancing blows and sheds hail before it piles up.
Hail screens or covers. A screen over the roof, or a removable cover for storm season, takes the first hit. It costs some light, so it's usually a seasonal or high-value-crop choice.
Replaceable panels. Design so one damaged panel can be swapped without pulling its neighbors. Use standard panel sizes. Keep a spare or two on hand — after a big storm, everyone in the swath is ordering the same panels.
Siting. A greenhouse on the lee side of a taller building gets some shelter from wind-driven hail. Balance that against winter sun, since anything to the south casts a long December shadow.
Hail and wind often arrive together. Our wind-rated greenhouse design guide covers the anchoring and connections that keep the frame intact when they do.
Frequently asked questions
Can a greenhouse survive Kansas hail?
Most hail, yes, with multiwall polycarbonate. The 2010 storm, with stones up to 7.75 inches, would damage any greenhouse glazing. Design for ordinary storms and plan for repair after extraordinary ones.
What is the most hail-resistant greenhouse glazing?
Thick multiwall polycarbonate — 16 mm triple- or five-wall — is the common choice for hail-prone sites. Glass is the most vulnerable. Poly film tears easily but is cheapest to replace.
Does a polycarbonate hail warranty cover big hail?
Not usually. The warranties we read benchmark hail at 20 mm to 1 inch, at about 20–21 m/s. Larger stones are outside those terms, and one excludes natural disasters.
Is a UL 2218 Class 4 rating meaningful for a greenhouse?
UL 2218 is a roofing standard for prepared roof coverings like shingles. It isn't written for greenhouse glazing. If a seller cites it, ask exactly what was tested.
Will my homeowners policy cover hail damage to my greenhouse?
Often, under other structures coverage, which is typically 10% of the dwelling limit. Deductibles and terms vary. Ask your agent before you build.
How often does Wichita get hail?
Stormersite lists 333 reports within 10 miles since 2004, about 14 a year on average. Counts range from 1 (2020) to 50 (2012), with 23 so far in 2026.
Ready to build?
- Custom greenhouse construction — footprint, foundation, glazing and anchoring designed for your Wichita lot.
- Polycarbonate vs glass glazing — choose and install the right panels for light, heat and hail.
- High tunnel and hoop house installation — film-covered structures that are cheap to re-skin after a storm.
- Commercial greenhouse construction — production houses designed around replaceable glazing and crop protection.
Get a quote
Tell us where you are and what you're growing. We'll recommend glazing and roof framing for your hail exposure and quote the build.