July 20–27, 2026 Hail Digest: 15 Events, Four 4-inch Reports

Week in Review

Roofing and exterior contractors: 15 hail events were detected across the United States between July 20 and July 27, 2026. Total confirmed events: 15. Four separate reports reached 4.0 inches in diameter. Two events were spotter-verified in the field. Aggregate addresses flagged by radar-derived address counts: 5,213.

Activity clustered on July 20, July 21, July 24, and July 25. Dual-polarization radar (NEXRAD hail detection) provided the primary detection method for 13 events. Two events combined radar detection with spotter verification.

Summary totals

• Events: 15
• 4.0-inch hail reports: 4 locations
• Spotter-verified events: 2 (Aberdeen, SD and Colo, IA)
• Total addresses affected (radar-derived): 5,213

Notable Events

All detected events for July 20–27, 2026:

Location	Date	Max hail	Addresses	Verification
Aberdeen, SD	2026-07-25	4.00-inch	0	Radar and spotter-verified
Perryton, TX	2026-07-24	4.00-inch	84	Dual-polarization radar (NEXRAD hail detection)
Grygla, MN	2026-07-24	3.00-inch	0	Dual-polarization radar (NEXRAD hail detection)
Colo, IA	2026-07-20	2.50-inch	305	Radar and spotter-verified
Red Lake Falls, MN	2026-07-24	2.25-inch	0	Dual-polarization radar (NEXRAD hail detection)
Wallace, KS	2026-07-24	3.00-inch	33	Dual-polarization radar (NEXRAD hail detection)
Argyle, MN	2026-07-25	2.25-inch	5	Dual-polarization radar (NEXRAD hail detection)
Kelliher, MN	2026-07-24	3.00-inch	0	Dual-polarization radar (NEXRAD hail detection)
Holabird, SD	2026-07-25	4.00-inch	0	Dual-polarization radar (NEXRAD hail detection)
Van Meter, IA	2026-07-21	2.33-inch	3,924	Dual-polarization radar (NEXRAD hail detection)
Dewey, AZ	2026-07-20	2.28-inch	0	Dual-polarization radar (NEXRAD hail detection)
French Lick, IN	2026-07-21	3.25-inch	748	Dual-polarization radar (NEXRAD hail detection)
Young, AZ	2026-07-20	2.16-inch	3	Dual-polarization radar (NEXRAD hail detection)
Bemidji, MN	2026-07-25	4.00-inch	0	Dual-polarization radar (NEXRAD hail detection)
Pine Grove, WV	2026-07-21	2.75-inch	111	Dual-polarization radar (NEXRAD hail detection)

Top items for operational prioritization

• Highest address impact: Van Meter, IA on 2026-07-21 with 3,924 addresses. High candidate for immediate canvass and field inspection.
• Significant multi-address events: French Lick, IN (3.25-inch, 748 addresses) and Colo, IA (2.50-inch, 305 addresses, spotter-verified).
• Four 4.00-inch detections occurred in Aberdeen, SD (spotter-verified), Perryton, TX, Holabird, SD, and Bemidji, MN. Most occurred in sparsely populated areas according to the address counts.

Regional Patterns

Upper Midwest concentration. Minnesota recorded five radar-detected events: Grygla, Red Lake Falls, Kelliher, Argyle, and Bemidji. Two of those reached 3.0 inches or larger. South Dakota produced two 4.0-inch detections on July 25.

Iowa produced two higher-impact events. Van Meter, IA registered the largest address count on July 21. Colo, IA produced a spotter-verified 2.50-inch report on July 20 and affected 305 addresses.

Single-event reports occurred in Texas, Kansas, Indiana, West Virginia, and Arizona. French Lick, IN produced a 3.25-inch detection with 748 addresses flagged. Pine Grove, WV and Perryton, TX each produced multi-address detections at 111 and 84 addresses respectively.

Temporal clustering. Activity concentrated on July 24 and July 25 in the Plains and Upper Midwest. July 20 and July 21 produced notable single-day clusters in the Southwest and eastern Corn Belt.

Verification notes. Two events combined radar detection with on-the-ground confirmation. The spotter-verified Aberdeen, SD event aligned with radar hail signatures. Colo, IA on July 20 was also spotter-verified.

What Contractors Should Watch

Prioritize canvassing and deployment based on address counts and verification status. Van Meter, IA (3,924 addresses) and French Lick, IN (748 addresses) should be top candidates for a field canvass this week. Colo, IA merits near-term crew assignment because the event is spotter-verified and 305 addresses were flagged.

For the four 4.0-inch detections, note location context. Perryton, TX has 84 addresses flagged and should be scoped if it falls inside your service area. Aberdeen, SD is spotter-verified but shows 0 addresses in the radar-derived count. If your territory includes rural routes near Aberdeen or Bemidji, include targeted driving surveys.

Use short-listing logic for route planning. First tier: events with more than 300 addresses or spotter verification. Second tier: events with 50–300 addresses. Third tier: multi-event clusters in a single county or adjacent counties even when address counts are low.

Field safety and equipment readiness. Expect mixed roofing exposure in affected areas. 3.0-inch and larger hail suggests likely shingle or sideline impact on common residential roof types. Equip crews with inspection tools, calibrated measuring devices, and clear photo documentation protocols.

Data handling. Use the address counts to estimate door-to-door effort. Van Meter alone represents the majority of this week’s address workload. Route density will be higher in Van Meter and French Lick than in the MN and SD clusters, which are more dispersed.

Forward-looking note on atmospheric setup for the coming week

Model guidance shows a pattern of intermittent shortwave energy moving across the Plains and Upper Midwest with Gulf moisture returning at lower levels. The combination favors isolated to scattered diurnal storms over the central U.S. into the Upper Midwest. Monitor daily convective outlooks and updated radar hail detections for tasking and repositioning decisions.