Contractor permit intelligence
Best free hail map for roofers (2026)
Free hail maps for roofers compared: HailTrace free maps, NOAA SPC reports and BLDR WRK Storm Gap. Plus which trials need no card, as of October 2026.
Free options only
This list covers tools you can use without paying. Trials are listed separately below, because a trial is not free.
| Tool | What is free | Source |
|---|---|---|
| HailTrace | Free 1-star hail maps | HailTrace plans |
| NOAA SPC | Free public storm reports, including hail | NOAA SPC storm reports |
| BLDR WRK Storm Gap | Free public pages, hourly hail hit pages and a live table | Storm Gap |
Read the map correctly
Hail points are report locations. They are not swaths, and they are not proof that every property nearby was hit.
Measured permit windows count roofing permits filed before and after a storm. A ZIP with few new permits is a place to look, not a list of unpermitted properties.
Live Storm Gap market coverage
72 markets with observed Storm Gap data. The wider BLDR WRK directory lists 143 verified markets across 20 states; those figures describe different coverage. Measured permit windows and hail-only ZIPs are labeled separately.
| Market | Hail ZIPs | Measured ZIP windows | Coverage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annapolis Junction | 2 | 0 | hail-only |
| Arlington Heights | 28 | 0 | hail-only |
| Ashton | 1 | 0 | hail-only |
| Austin | 6 | 3 | Measured permit data |
| Barrington | 20 | 0 | hail-only |
| Bartlett | 29 | 0 | hail-only |
| Brinklow | 1 | 0 | hail-only |
| Bronx | 4 | 0 | hail-only |
| Brookeville | 1 | 0 | hail-only |
| Brooklyn | 2 | 0 | hail-only |
| Buffalo Grove | 23 | 0 | hail-only |
| Burtonsville | 1 | 0 | hail-only |
| Chicago | 24 | 0 | hail-only |
| Clarksville | 3 | 0 | hail-only |
| Cleveland | 17 | 0 | hail-only |
| Colorado Springs | 18 | 0 | hail-only |
| Columbia | 3 | 0 | hail-only |
| Columbus | 7 | 0 | hail-only |
| Cooksville | 2 | 0 | hail-only |
| Dallas | 30 | 0 | hail-only |
| Damascus | 1 | 0 | hail-only |
| Dayton | 2 | 0 | hail-only |
| Denver | 33 | 5 | Measured permit data |
| Des Plaines | 27 | 0 | hail-only |
| Detroit | 5 | 0 | hail-only |
| Elgin | 24 | 0 | hail-only |
| Elkridge | 3 | 0 | hail-only |
| Ellicott City | 4 | 0 | hail-only |
| Fort Worth | 38 | 15 | Measured permit data |
| Fulton | 3 | 0 | hail-only |
| Glencoe | 17 | 0 | hail-only |
| Glenelg | 2 | 0 | hail-only |
| Glenview | 22 | 0 | hail-only |
| Glenwood | 2 | 0 | hail-only |
| Hanover | 2 | 0 | hail-only |
| Highland | 2 | 0 | hail-only |
| Hoffman Estates | 28 | 0 | hail-only |
| Inverness | 24 | 0 | hail-only |
| Jessup | 2 | 0 | hail-only |
| Kansas City | 36 | 0 | hail-only |
| Laurel | 2 | 0 | hail-only |
| Louisville | 1 | 0 | hail-only |
| Manhattan | 3 | 0 | hail-only |
| Marriottsville | 4 | 0 | hail-only |
| Mesa | 14 | 0 | hail-only |
| Minneapolis | 14 | 4 | Measured permit data |
| Mount Airy | 2 | 0 | hail-only |
| Mount Prospect | 27 | 0 | hail-only |
| New Orleans | 4 | 0 | hail-only |
| New York | 3 | 0 | hail-only |
| Niles | 25 | 0 | hail-only |
| Northbrook | 21 | 0 | hail-only |
| Palatine | 25 | 0 | hail-only |
| Philadelphia | 3 | 0 | hail-only |
| Poolesville | 1 | 0 | hail-only |
| Prospect Heights | 27 | 0 | hail-only |
| Queens | 2 | 0 | hail-only |
| Raleigh | 6 | 0 | hail-only |
| Rolling Meadows | 27 | 0 | hail-only |
| Savage | 2 | 0 | hail-only |
| Schaumburg | 28 | 0 | hail-only |
| Sioux Falls | 17 | 0 | hail-only |
| South Barrington | 26 | 0 | hail-only |
| Streamwood | 28 | 0 | hail-only |
| Sykesville | 3 | 0 | hail-only |
| Tempe | 6 | 0 | hail-only |
| West Friendship | 4 | 0 | hail-only |
| Wheeling | 24 | 0 | hail-only |
| Wilmette | 20 | 0 | hail-only |
| Winnetka | 18 | 0 | hail-only |
| Woodbine | 2 | 0 | hail-only |
| Woodstock | 4 | 0 | hail-only |
Trials are not free, but some need no card
Prices are a snapshot recorded October 13, 2026 from each vendor's public page. Check the source before you buy.
| Tool | Trial | Then | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| THOR | 14 days, no card | $34/mo | THOR storm map |
| Overview | 7 days | $149.99/mo | Overview pricing |
| BLDR WRK | 7-day Pro, no card, no auto-charge | From $99/mo | BLDR WRK pricing |
Next steps
Start with the free Storm Gap pages to see hail points next to roofing permit counts in your area. When you want ZIP-level detail, exports and alerts, the trial is seven days on Pro with no card and no automatic charge.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best free hail map for roofers?
Free options include HailTrace's free 1-star hail maps, NOAA SPC storm reports, and BLDR WRK's free Storm Gap pages, which pair hail points with roofing permit windows.
Do hail points show which roofs were damaged?
No. A point is the location of a report. It is not a swath and is not proof that all properties nearby were hit.
Is a low permit count a list of unpermitted roofs?
No. Measured permit windows count filed permits over time. They are not a list of unpermitted properties.
Which hail map trials need no card?
As of October 13, 2026: THOR lists a 14-day trial with no card, then $34/mo. BLDR WRK offers a 7-day Pro trial with no card. Overview lists a 7-day trial and $149.99/mo.
Sources (checked 2026-10-13)
Competitor details reflect the dated source check, not a guarantee of current pricing. Live Storm Gap coverage is read from our database.