Date of Loss Weather Report & Research

What is a date of loss? The date of loss is the day the damage to insured property happened — the date an insurance claim is filed under. For hail and wind claims it is a storm date, so the research starts by listing the days when estimated hail or wind reached the property and comparing them with the policy period.

Two levels, two jobs: the Free Report Snapshot answers YES/NO at StormAuditor's screening thresholds (an estimated gust of 45 mph or more, or estimated hail of 0.75 in. or larger, at the address in the last two years), while the Weather Report lists every date since October 2021 with an estimated gust of 40 mph or more or estimated hail of 0.50 in. or larger, so smaller storms that can still matter to a claim stay on the list.

Check an address free · See storm days in your state · $2.99 Weather Report

How to find candidate storm dates for an address

1. See the storm days in your state — The Date-of-Loss Database ranks candidate storm dates by state from deduplicated NWS warnings, storm reports, and station measurements. The top 5 are free with an account.
2. Check the address free — The Free Report Snapshot gives an instant YES/NO: did estimated wind of 45 mph or more, or hail of 0.75 in. or larger, reach the property in the last two years?
3. List every storm date at the address — A $2.99 Weather Report — included with Pro plans — lists every date since October 2021 with an estimated gust of 40 mph or more or estimated hail of 0.50 in. or larger at the property, each with its estimate.
4. Document the date that matters — An Audit Report shows the instruments, storm reports, distances, and arithmetic behind one date's estimate, so anyone reviewing the claim can re-check it.

Where insurance-claim weather data comes from

Every weather record used in hail and wind claims comes from a handful of public NOAA and National Weather Service sources. Each one is free at the source:

StormAuditor puts these together at one address: the radar hail estimate and the wind analysis at the property coordinates, the nearest station gusts, and the warnings and storm reports nearby — organized by date under the published wind and hail methodologies. Every source is listed on Data Sources.

What adjusters and appraisers look for in weather data

Weather evidence for a claim is read for the same few things, whoever reviews it:

• Distance — How far the nearest measuring instrument or ground report is from the property — a gust measured 2 miles away carries more weight than one 20 miles away.
• Timing — When the peak gust was measured, and whether an NWS warning covered the property at that hour.
• Corroboration — Whether radar hail, ground reports, and station gusts point to the same date.
• Size and speed in context — The estimated hail size or gust compared with typical damage ranges for the roof's age and material — see the hail size chart and wind speed chart.
• Named, re-checkable sources — Every value traced to a public NOAA or NWS record that a second reviewer can pull independently.

Wind damage claims: finding the date and the gust estimate

Wind claims rarely come with a hail-size photo, so the weather file is built from four pieces:

1. Estimated peak gust at the address — The Weather Report lists each storm date's estimated peak gust at the property; the free wind history guide explains how it is estimated.
2. Nearest station gusts, with times — Measured peak gusts at the closest ASOS/AWOS stations and the time each peak was recorded — free with an account, day by day, on the Storm Map Dashboard Stations layer.
3. NWS warnings and storm reports — The severe thunderstorm or high wind warnings in effect and the Local Storm Reports of measured gusts or wind damage filed nearby.
4. The Audit Report — For the date that matters, the Audit Report prints the instruments, their distances and readings, and the arithmetic behind the estimate.

What this research can and can't show

Weather research documents the estimated weather at an address by date. It does not determine:

• Whether property damage occurred.
• What caused any damage.
• Whether damage is covered under any insurance policy.
• Any legal liability.
• The official date of loss for any claim or legal matter.

Those determinations come from inspections, records, and licensed professional judgment; the weather record is one input to them. Values are estimates under the published methodology; resolution, station distance, and reporting completeness are covered on Limitations.

Date of loss questions

What does date of loss mean on an insurance claim?

The date of loss is the date the damage to insured property occurred. Insurers use it to confirm the loss happened inside the policy period and to match the claim to a specific event. For hail and wind claims it is normally the date of a particular storm.

How do I find the date of loss for hail damage?

List the storm dates when estimated hail reached the property, then compare them with the policy period and inspection findings. Start with the Free Report Snapshot for a YES/NO at 0.75 in.; a $2.99 Weather Report lists every date with estimated hail of 0.50 in. or larger at the address, with the estimated size.

What if I don't know when the storm happened?

Start from the storm days, not your memory. The Date-of-Loss Database ranks candidate storm dates for your state, and the Weather Report shows which of them reached the address and how strong the estimated hail or wind was on each.

Can weather data show when my roof was damaged?

It shows the estimated weather at the address by date — which days brought hail or strong gusts. When the damage occurred is established by inspection; the weather record tells the inspector and the insurer which storm dates to look at.

How far back can I look up storm dates?

At-address estimates in the Weather Report go back to October 1, 2021 — more than 5 years. NOAA Storm Events records for every state and 578 cities go back to 2010 on the storm data pages.

Coverage at a glance

Sources: NOAA URMA analysis of record, MRMS MESH radar hail, ASOS/AWOS station observations, NWS warnings and Local Storm Reports, NCEI Storm Events — under the published methodology. Values are estimates; see Limitations.

Related guides

• Hail claim denied as old damage? How to check your storm dates