When a severe hailstorm hits Sydney, photos of golf ball-sized hail, damaged cars and smashed windscreens can quickly spread across social media.
A 2025 UNSW study using climate simulations found increases in hailstone size around Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne and Perth under a warmer climate. The modelling also projected hailstorms becoming more frequent around Sydney, Brisbane and Canberra. UNSW Sites
Earlier research led by UNSW also concluded that Australia's hail threat is likely to increase, particularly across the south-east including the Sydney area, although researchers emphasised that considerable uncertainty remains around exactly how hailstorms will change. UNSW Sites
So while we can't say that every Sydney hailstorm will produce larger hail, research suggests the risk of damaging hail around Sydney could increase in a warmer climate.
Why Does Hailstone Size Matter for Cars?
The larger the hailstone, the greater its potential to damage a vehicle.
The Bureau of Meteorology identifies hail larger than 20 mm as capable of causing vehicle damage, while giant hail greater than 50 mm can cause widespread damage. The Bureau of Meteorology
Depending on the storm, hail can leave dozens or even hundreds of dents across:
Bonnets
Roofs
Doors
Guards
Quarter panels
Boots and tailgates
The severity of the damage depends on factors including hailstone size, wind, vehicle position and whether the vehicle was undercover.
Can Hail Damage Be Repaired with PDR?
For suitable hail damage, Paintless Dent Repair (PDR) — also known as Paintless Dent Removal — can repair dents without fillers, sanding or repainting.
Using specialist tools and techniques, individual hail dents are carefully repaired while preserving the vehicle's existing factory paint finish.
PDR is particularly well suited to many hail-damaged vehicles because a single storm can leave numerous dents across several panels while the original paint remains intact.
However, every hail-damaged vehicle needs to be assessed individually. Severe impacts, damaged paint, badly stretched metal and other factors can affect whether PDR is suitable.
How Long Does Hail Damage Repair Take?
Unlike a single door ding or minor dent, hail damage can involve dozens or even hundreds of individual repairs.
For this reason, hail damage repairs typically take a few days, depending on the number and severity of dents and the panels affected.
Hail Damage Repair in Sydney
Dentless Automotive provides professional Paintless Dent Repair and Paintless Dent Removal throughout the Sydney area, including repairs for hail-damaged vehicles.
With 2,000+ vehicles repaired, we have experience repairing everything from individual dents to extensive hail damage.
If your vehicle has been caught in a hailstorm, PDR may provide a way to restore suitable dent damage while retaining the original factory paint.
Get a Hail Damage Assessment
Has your car been damaged by hail? Complete our Get a Quote form and upload clear photos showing the damage.
We'll assess the vehicle and advise whether the hail damage appears suitable for Paintless Dent Repair.
