How to Document Storm Damage for Your Records
By StormAuditor Editorial Team · Published 2026-08-25 · Updated 2026-08-25
Based on public NOAA and National Weather Service records, published under StormAuditor's methodology and data-source standards. Radar-derived hail sizes are estimates unless attributed to a ground report.
A step-by-step system for photographing damage, building a date-of-loss timeline, saving public weather records, and keeping a file that holds up long after the storm.
Start with the numbers that matter
The National Weather Service calls hail severe at 1.00 inch. For wind, severe means a gust of 58 mph or more. Damage can appear below those NWS lines, which is why StormAuditor screens events at 45 mph wind and 0.75 inch hail — screening thresholds, not severe ones. Documentation is what connects the marks on your property to a dated public weather record. This guide walks through building that file so it holds up months or years later.
Photograph everything before you touch anything
Take wide shots first. Stand back and capture each side of the building, the roof line, and the yard. Context frames matter because they show where every close-up belongs.
Move in close after that. Photograph individual dents, cracked shingles, torn screens, bent gutters, and broken fixtures. Set a coin or tape measure beside hail dents for scale. Shoot in daylight where you can, and keep the original files — their metadata stores date and time.
Video adds another layer. A slow walk around the property, narrated with the date and address, catches details a still frame can miss. Do not discard damaged materials until an adjuster or contractor has seen them, or at least until they are photographed from several angles.
Build a timeline around the date of loss
Write down when you first noticed the damage. Note the storm date itself if you watched it happen. Those two dates can differ, and both belong in your file. Insurers and researchers anchor everything to a date of loss, so a clean timeline is the backbone of the record. Our guide to date of loss weather research covers how to pin that date down.
Pair the timeline with public weather records for the same day:
- Preliminary local storm reports from the Storm Prediction Center
- Reviewed entries in the NOAA Storm Events Database
- Forecast office statements and warnings archived by the National Weather Service
Save screenshots or PDFs with the capture date visible. Public pages change, and a saved copy preserves what you saw.
Keep a running log of costs and contacts
Every receipt counts. Tarps, plywood, tree removal, hotel nights, and emergency repairs all document reasonable steps you took after the storm. Photograph receipts as you get them, since thermal paper fades.
Log every conversation as well. Record the date, the person, the company, and what was said for each call with a contractor, adjuster, or agent. A claim file often turns on who said what, and when. If your insurer asks for a sworn Proof of Loss form, your log and receipts make it far easier to complete.
How StormAuditor estimates it
StormAuditor turns public radar and observation data into address-level estimates. The SAWE-2 wind engine and the SAHE-2 hail engine map storm days to a location and report estimated peak values, with hail sizes given as radar-estimated MESH values rather than ground measurements. How each engine works is laid out on the wind methodology and hail methodology pages.
Organize the file so a stranger can read it
Pick one home for everything — a cloud folder, an email thread to yourself, or a binder. Inside it, keep four sections: photos and video, the timeline, weather records, and costs and contacts. Name files by date and subject, such as "2026-06-14-roof-north-slope.jpg".
Redundancy protects you. Keep at least one copy off-site or in the cloud, because the same storm that damaged the roof can take out a computer. Revisit the file after any repair and add the invoices and after photos. An address lookup run at documentation time gives you a dated estimate of screening-level wind and hail activity at the property to file alongside your own records.
Limitations
Every weather figure in a StormAuditor report is an estimate of the public record, not a measurement taken at your property. Radar-estimated hail sizes can differ from what actually fell, and gaps between report points are interpolated. Your photos show condition, not cause; no document, ours included, can promise how an insurer will decide a claim. Read the full limitations page before relying on any single number.
FAQ
How soon should I photograph storm damage?
As soon as it is safe. Same-day photos carry timestamps close to the event, which strengthens the timeline. Never climb a damaged roof; shoot from the ground or a window.
What weather records should I save with my photos?
Save the Storm Prediction Center's preliminary reports page for the date, the matching NOAA Storm Events entries once published, and any NWS warnings. Reviewed database entries can lag the storm by several weeks.
Do I need a professional inspection to document hail damage?
An inspection helps but does not replace your own file. Roof damage is easy to miss from the ground, so a contractor or adjuster report is a strong addition to your photos.
Can radar data show that hail hit my house?
Radar supports an estimate, not a certainty. MESH values are radar-estimated sizes for an area, and surface conditions can differ. Treat radar output as one dated piece of a larger file.
How long should I keep storm damage records?
Keep them at least until the claim closes and any appeal window passes. Many owners keep the file for the life of the roof, since a past storm date can matter to a future sale or claim.
What if I only discovered the damage months later?
Document the discovery date, then work backward. Public storm reports and a dated estimate can help narrow which past day fits the damage pattern you found.