Verified 3.00″ hail in Bristol. Golf-ball hail from Litchfield to New Britain. Here’s what it did to your roof — and what to do about it.
What Actually Fell on July 4 — Town by Town
On the evening of July 4, 2026, between roughly 7:20 and 8:30 PM, a supercell thunderstorm tracked southeast across central Connecticut. These are the measured, verified reports from National Weather Service trained spotters, emergency management, and SKYWARN storm networks — not modeled estimates:
- Litchfield — 1.75″ hail (golf-ball size) as the storm came off the hills
- Harwinton — damaging winds, positioned between two measured hail cores
- Burlington — 1.75″ hail measured at 7:49 PM
- Terryville / Plymouth — 1.75″ hail at the same time
- Bristol — hail up to 3.00″ in north Bristol, large enough to crack windshields; golf-ball hail photographed on Federal Hill
- Plainville — hail that broke car and house windows
- New Britain — 1.75″ hail logged near Shuttle Meadow
- Berlin — hail still falling as the storm crossed at 8:27 PM
- Torrington — damaging winds, with measured hail in neighboring Litchfield and Burlington
For perspective: insurance-industry research treats 1″ hail as the threshold where asphalt shingle damage becomes likely. Every town on this list except Berlin and Torrington took stones at nearly double that threshold, and north Bristol took stones at three times it.
What 1.75″–3.00″ Hail Does to a Roof
Asphalt shingles
Hail this size bruises the shingle mat, crushes the protective granule layer, and fractures the fiberglass reinforcement underneath. From the ground — and often even from the roof, to an untrained eye — the shingles look fine. But every bruise is a point where the mat has lost integrity: granules shed, UV breaks down the exposed asphalt, and leaks develop over the following one to three years. By then, connecting the damage to its cause is much harder. The time to document hail damage is now, while the evidence is fresh.
Slate roofs
Central Connecticut’s historic neighborhoods — Bristol’s Federal Hill, New Britain’s older streets, Litchfield’s town center — carry original slate that took this storm directly. Hail cracks and spalls slate, and New England freeze-thaw cycles widen every crack each winter. Slate inspection is specialist work: walking a slate roof the wrong way causes more breakage. Our slate mechanics inspect from ladders, ridges, and with camera poles, and document slate damage with the detail these materials require.
Everything else on the exterior
Hail that damages a roof almost always marks the rest of the exterior: dented aluminum gutters and downspouts, dinged window wraps and capping, cracked vinyl siding, damaged AC condenser fins. These soft-metal indicators matter twice — they need repair themselves, and they corroborate the date and severity of the storm on your roof. A proper inspection documents the whole exterior, not just shingles.
What to Do Now — Our 5-Step Storm Response
- Free inspection. We inspect the full exterior — roof, siding, gutters, wraps, soft metals — and tell you honestly whether you have storm damage. If you don’t, you’ll get that in writing too.
- Documentation. Every finding is photographed, measured, and written up to insurance-industry standards, tied to the verified July 4 weather record.
- Your decision. The report is yours. If the damage justifies a claim, you contact your carrier — we’ll walk you through what to expect from the process.
- Adjuster meeting. When your carrier’s adjuster inspects, we meet them at your home and walk the roof with them, so every slope, elevation, and detail gets seen.
- Certified repair. Owens Corning Platinum Preferred and GAF Master Elite installation, with manufacturer warranties covering materials and workmanship.
One honest caution: after every major hail event, out-of-state storm chasers flood the area, and some will pressure you to sign paperwork on your doorstep. Take your time. Get the inspection and the written report first — from us or from anyone — before you sign anything.
Schedule Your Free July 4 Storm Inspection
If your home is anywhere in the Litchfield–Bristol–New Britain–Berlin corridor, the inspection is free, the documentation is thorough, and the report is yours to keep. No pressure, no obligation — just a straight answer about what July 4 did to your roof.
July 4 Hail Storm FAQ
How big was the hail in Connecticut on July 4, 2026?
National Weather Service trained spotters measured hail from 1.75 inches (golf-ball size) up to 3.00 inches. The largest verified stones fell in north Bristol, where hail cracked windshields. Golf-ball hail was measured or photographed in Litchfield, Burlington, Terryville, New Britain, and Bristol’s Federal Hill neighborhood, and hail in Plainville broke car and house windows.
Will my homeowner’s insurance cover hail damage in Connecticut?
Most standard Connecticut homeowner policies cover wind and hail damage, subject to your deductible. Coverage details vary by policy, so review your declarations page or ask your agent. What matters most is documentation: a thorough inspection report that ties the damage on your roof to the July 4 storm gives your claim a clear factual basis.
My roof doesn’t look damaged from the ground. Should I still get an inspection?
Yes. Hail damage to asphalt shingles — bruised mats, crushed granules, fractured fiberglass — is rarely visible from the ground and often not obvious even up close to an untrained eye. The damage shortens the roof’s life and worsens with freeze-thaw cycles. Look for secondary clues: dents in gutters, downspouts, window wraps, or AC fins. If your neighbors are getting roofs replaced, your roof saw the same storm.
How long do I have to file a hail claim in Connecticut?
Policies commonly require that damage be reported promptly, and many set specific windows measured from the date of loss. The July 4, 2026 date of loss is well documented in official weather records, which helps — but waiting makes every claim harder. Get the inspection and documentation done now, even if you have not decided whether to file.
Does hail damage slate roofs?
Yes. Hail at 1.75 inches and above cracks and spalls natural slate, and the damage spreads with freeze-thaw cycles over the following winters. Bristol’s Federal Hill and the historic streets of New Britain, Litchfield, and Torrington hold many original slate roofs that took this storm directly. Slate requires an inspector who knows the material — walking a slate roof incorrectly causes more damage.
What does a free storm inspection from USA Roof Masters include?
A full exterior inspection — roof, siding, gutters, window wraps, and soft metals — with photo documentation of every finding, measurements, and a written report prepared to insurance-industry standards. The report is yours to keep whether or not you hire us, and if you file a claim we can meet your carrier’s adjuster at your home to walk the roof with them.