WHAT SIZE HAIL ACTUALLY DAMAGES A CAR?

Hail is measured by comparing it to common objects: pea-size (about a quarter inch), quarter-size (about one inch), golf-ball-size (about 1.75 inches), and up to baseball-size in the most extreme storms. As a general rule, quarter-size hail and larger is where meaningful vehicle body damage starts to show up.

Pea and Dime-Size Hail

Hail under an inch across usually doesn't leave lasting dents in modern sheet metal, though it can still be loud, startling, and occasionally chip a windshield or mirror if the angle is right.

Quarter-Size and Golf-Ball-Size Hail

Once stones reach roughly an inch in diameter, they carry enough impact energy to leave visible dimples in hoods, roofs, trunks, and door panels — especially with any wind pushing the stones at an angle instead of straight down. At 1.5 to 2 inches, damage becomes more severe and widespread, often producing dozens or hundreds of dents across a single vehicle.

It's Not Just Size — Duration and Wind Matter Too

A short, intense burst of large hail can do less total damage than a longer, sustained hailstorm of slightly smaller stones, simply because of how much total impact time the vehicle is exposed to. Wind direction also matters: angled hail hits vertical surfaces like doors and fenders that straight-down hail would miss entirely.

What to Check on Your Vehicle After Any Storm

Regardless of the reported hail size, walk the car in low-angle light (early morning, late afternoon, or a flashlight at dusk) and check the hood, roof, trunk, and door tops — the panels most exposed to a storm coming from above. Small dimples are easy to miss in direct overhead sun.