Roofs, Siding and Vehicles Damaged Across Salina; Residents Urged to Hire Licensed Repair Crews
Golf Ball-Sized Hail Leaves Trail of Damage Across Salina
Salina residents woke up Monday morning to damaged vehicles, battered siding, dented roofs and broken windows after a powerful overnight storm dropped large hail across the city.
The storm moved through Salina after midnight, bringing heavy rain and hail large enough to damage homes, businesses and vehicles. Preliminary storm reports included hail near golf ball size and, in some areas, hail reported around 2 inches in diameter in and near Salina. Reports submitted through weather reporting systems showed 2-inch hail near south and southeast Salina, along with additional hail reports ranging from quarter size to 1.5 inches around the city.
The National Weather Service in Wichita warned shortly after midnight that a dangerous storm was moving toward the Salina area between 12:30 and 1 a.m., with hail larger than golf balls expected.
By sunrise, the damage was visible across town.
Residents reported house siding damage, roof damage and vehicle damage in multiple neighborhoods. Some vehicles had windows knocked out, while others were left with cracked windshields, shattered side windows and visible body damage. In true Kansas fashion, many people went to bed with a normal driveway and woke up with a deductible.
Several car lots around Salina also reported damage to inventory after rows of vehicles were exposed to the hail. The full extent of those losses was not immediately clear Monday morning, but damage to vehicles on open lots could be significant depending on location, exposure and hail size.
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The storm also created problems for homeowners. Hail of this size can damage shingles, gutters, vents, siding, exterior trim and windows. While some roof damage may be obvious, other impacts may not show up until later, especially if shingles were bruised or loosened during the storm.
For many residents, the first step Monday was documentation. Homeowners and vehicle owners were encouraged to photograph damage before making temporary repairs and to contact their insurance providers before signing repair agreements.
The Kansas Attorney General’s Office has previously warned that storms with hail damage can attract unregistered or dishonest contractors. The office advises Kansans to check roofing contractor registration, request written estimates, check references and avoid rushing into repair contracts immediately after a storm. Kansas law generally requires roofing contractors to be registered with the Attorney General’s Office before soliciting or providing roofing services for a fee.
The timing of the storm could also create a surge in calls for roofers, glass repair companies, siding contractors, body shops and insurance adjusters. Residents with broken vehicle glass or exposed home damage may need temporary repairs first, especially if additional rain is possible.
The storm was part of a broader round of severe weather that moved across Kansas late Sunday and early Monday. While Salina avoided a tornado from this system, the hail alone was enough to leave a widespread cleanup effort.
Salina311 will continue gathering damage reports from residents, businesses and local car dealers as the community assesses the impact.
