Working outdoors means backup planning and adjusting to weather patterns throughout the year — something roofing contractors are very familiar with.

While hurricane season, which spans six months (June 1 – Nov. 30), affects most of the country’s coastlines — many inland states must anticipate other types of seasonal storms. Any of these severe weather conditions can produce roof-damaging high winds and/or hail, creating an influx of business for contractors.

That’s why Derik Kline built his weather consulting app, HailTrace, which generates hail maps for storms, identifying wind speed and direction, as well as the number of homes impacted by weather events in different areas. In a recent AtlasPRO+™ Webinar, Kline said his company’s goal is to help contractors get to hail damaged areas quicker than their competitors.

Kline’s team of eight meteorologists study storm patterns, looking for similar atmospheric conditions that help to predict future bad weather. Studying past weather patterns allows HailTrace to translate weather forecasts into useful data for roofers.

And it’s looking like 2021 could be one of those years, with at least three billion-dollar hailstorms expected in the U.S., which would make it the third-busiest hail season in history.

By region, Kline predicted hail season beginning in the South around February and late March, with the Midwest, Northeast and Northern Plains seeing hail between April and May. His analysis showed the West Coast would likely see a beginning to the season closer to July.

So, what can contractors do to prepare for these storms? Kline said not to think about the insurance claims that may come from any specific hailstorm, but instead to just track hail damage within neighborhoods with a canvasing map.

“Even if you don’t like knocking on doors, you can still keep track of the homes that need their roofs replaced or that have old roofs,” Kline said. “Track those type of things because they will make your plan better when those storms happen.”

See how HailTrace mapping tools can help your business get a jumpstart on storm season! Visit HailTrace.com or call 888.982.2972.