On the afternoon of June 19, 2026, a line of supercell storms tracked across the Twin Cities metro and dropped hail up to two inches across parts of the region — in some neighborhoods, enough to completely cover the ground. The National Weather Service logged three separate storm tracks that day, with hail from one inch up to 2"+ and a second line of damaging wind behind it.
If you live in Blaine, Coon Rapids, Andover, Ham Lake, Lino Lakes, or Anoka, here is the uncomfortable truth: your roof may be damaged even if it looks fine from the driveway. Hail damage to asphalt shingles is usually invisible from the ground. And the clock on your insurance claim started on the storm date — not the day you notice a leak.
This guide walks you through exactly what to do, in order.
First: was your neighborhood hit?
The June 19 storms produced three tracks across east-central Minnesota. The strongest hail — two inches and larger — fell along a corridor through the north and east metro, with 1" to 1.5" hail reported across a much wider area from Wright County through the metro into western Wisconsin. A second line of storms behind the hail brought wind damage, downed trees, and scattered power outages.
Here's what matters for the north metro: hail swaths are narrow and streaky. One block gets bruised shingles, the next block gets nothing. The only way to know for sure is an inspection — and even 1" hail (quarter-sized) is enough to damage asphalt shingles that are more than a few years old.
Why you can't see hail damage from the ground
Hail rarely punches visible holes in a roof. What it does is subtler and more dangerous:
It knocks the granules off. Those granules are the shingle's sunscreen. Once they're gone, UV light breaks down the exposed asphalt, and the shingle ages years in a single season.
It bruises the mat. A hail strike fractures the fiberglass mat inside the shingle — you can sometimes feel the soft spot with your fingers, but you'll never see it from your driveway.
It fails slowly. A hail-hit roof often doesn't leak for 6 to 18 months. By the time water shows up on your ceiling, the damage is widespread — and you're much closer to your insurer's filing deadline.
This is why insurance companies send adjusters onto the roof rather than judging from photos of the yard.
What to do, step by step
1. Document the storm now. Write down the date (June 19, 2026), take photos of anything visible from the ground: dented gutters, downspouts, or AC fins, damaged window screens, hail marks on decks or siding, shredded plants. Dents in soft metal are how adjusters confirm hail size at your specific address.
2. Get a professional inspection before you call your insurer. This order matters. A qualified local roofer can tell you whether you actually have claimable damage. If you don't, you avoid filing a claim that goes on your record for nothing. If you do, you'll have photo documentation from the roof itself before the adjuster ever shows up. Roofs R Us inspects roofs across Blaine and the north metro at no charge.
3. File promptly if there's damage. Your policy's "date of loss" is the storm date. Policies vary on how long you have to file and how long you have to complete repairs — some replacement-cost benefits expire if the work isn't done within a set window. Don't let the claim sit.
4. Be there for the adjuster meeting — with your roofer. Your contractor can point out damage the adjuster might miss and make sure the scope of the estimate is complete. That's normal practice, not confrontation.
5. Repair or replace with a local contractor. Once the claim is approved, you choose the contractor — not the insurance company.
Know your rights: Minnesota law protects you after a storm
Big hail events bring out-of-state "storm chasers" into Minnesota neighborhoods, and the state legislature has responded with real protections. Two laws every north metro homeowner should know:
A contractor cannot pay or absorb your deductible. Under Minnesota Statute 325E.66, it is illegal for a residential contractor to offer to pay, rebate, or offset any part of your insurance deductible to win your business. If a door-knocker offers a "free deductible," that's not a discount — it's a law being broken, and it tells you how they operate.
You can cancel if your claim is denied. Under Minnesota Statute 326B.811, if you signed a repair contract and your insurer then denies the claim, you have 72 hours after the denial notice to cancel in writing. The contractor must return your payments within ten business days.
Beyond the statutes, use the standard checks: verify the contractor's Minnesota license, confirm a physical local address, and be wary of anyone demanding a signature "just to get on the schedule" the same day they knock.
Why act now instead of this fall
Three reasons. First, hidden hail damage gets worse with every freeze-thaw cycle, and Blaine averages its first frost in early October — bruised shingles that survive summer often fail during the first hard freeze. Second, after a metro-wide hail event, reputable local roofers book out fast; waiting until fall can push your project into winter. Third, the further you get from the June 19 date of loss, the harder it becomes to prove the damage came from this storm and not "wear and tear" — the most common reason hail claims get denied.
Frequently asked questions
How much hail does it take to damage a roof? One-inch hail (quarter-sized) reliably damages asphalt shingles, especially roofs over 10 years old. The June 19 storm produced hail at or above that threshold across much of the metro. Smaller hail can still damage soft metals, gutters, and older or already-worn shingles.
Will a hail claim raise my insurance rates? Hail is an "act of God" claim — insurers in Minnesota generally can't surcharge you individually for filing one. Rates rise regionally after major storms whether you file or not. Not filing doesn't protect you from those increases; it just means you paid the premium and skipped the benefit.
What does a hail inspection cost? Roofs R Us inspects storm-hit roofs at no cost and gives you an honest answer either way. If your roof is fine, you'll know. If it's not, you'll have documentation ready for your claim.
My neighbor is getting a new roof. Does that mean I have damage? Not automatically — but it's a strong signal. Hail swaths are streaky, but if adjusters are approving roofs on your street, your roof took the same storm. Get it inspected.
Roofs R Us is a local, Owens Corning Platinum Preferred roofing contractor based in Blaine, serving the north Twin Cities metro. If the June 19 storm passed over your neighborhood, schedule a free inspection — or learn more about our storm damage restoration services.
