October 8–15, 2026 Storm Activity Digest – Southern Plains Hail

Week in Review

StormSnipe detected 15 radar-confirmed hail events across Texas, Kansas, and Oklahoma during October 8–15, 2026. Total addresses within the reported radar footprints: 1,490. Peak radar-derived hail size: 3.47 inches at Fort Stockton on October 14. All events were detected by dual-polarization radar.

Events recorded

• Spur, TX — 2026-10-13 — 1.82 in — 104 addresses — detected by dual-polarization radar
• Penwell, TX — 2026-10-14 — 2.72 in — 4 addresses — detected by dual-polarization radar
• Odessa, TX — 2026-10-14 — 1.00 in — 0 addresses — detected by dual-polarization radar
• Haviland, KS — 2026-10-13 — 1.25 in — 79 addresses — detected by dual-polarization radar
• Coldwater, KS — 2026-10-13 — 2.69 in — 31 addresses — detected by dual-polarization radar
• Willow, OK — 2026-10-14 — 2.66 in — 0 addresses — detected by dual-polarization radar
• Marathon, TX — 2026-10-14 — 2.78 in — 0 addresses — detected by dual-polarization radar
• Childress, TX — 2026-10-13 — 2.28 in — 1,075 addresses — detected by dual-polarization radar
• Marathon, TX — 2026-10-15 — 2.78 in — 7 addresses — detected by dual-polarization radar
• Fort Stockton, TX — 2026-10-14 — 3.47 in — 3 addresses — detected by dual-polarization radar
• Quail, TX — 2026-10-13 — 2.84 in — 61 addresses — detected by dual-polarization radar
• Dryden, TX — 2026-10-14 — 2.34 in — 5 addresses — detected by dual-polarization radar
• Crosbyton, TX — 2026-10-13 — 2.57 in — 31 addresses — detected by dual-polarization radar
• Marathon, TX — 2026-10-14 — 2.63 in — 84 addresses — detected by dual-polarization radar
• Dryden, TX — 2026-10-14 — 2.44 in — 6 addresses — detected by dual-polarization radar

Total addresses summarized above reflect the number of residential and commercial addresses intersecting the radar-derived hail footprints.

Notable Events

• Childress, TX (2026-10-13): One event with 2.28 in hail and 1,075 addresses reported in the radar footprint. This is the largest address concentration for the week.

• Fort Stockton, TX (2026-10-14): Largest single radar-derived hail size at 3.47 in. Radar footprint intersects 3 addresses.

• Marathon, TX: Three separate radar detections across October 14–15, with maximum reported sizes of 2.78 in on both October 14 and October 15. Address impacts ranged from 0 to 84 per detection.

• Quail, TX and Penwell, TX: Quail recorded 2.84 in on October 13 with 61 addresses. Penwell recorded 2.72 in on October 14 with 4 addresses.

• Kansas cluster (Haviland and Coldwater on October 13): Haviland measured 1.25 in with 79 addresses. Coldwater measured 2.69 in with 31 addresses.

• Multiple Dryden, TX detections on October 14 show two separate radar footprints with 2.34 in (5 addresses) and 2.44 in (6 addresses).

Regional Patterns

• Geographic concentration: 11 of 15 events occurred in Texas. Two events occurred in Kansas and one in Oklahoma.

• Address concentration: One event accounted for 72 percent of the week’s mapped address impact. Childress, TX (2026-10-13) accounted for 1,075 of the 1,490 addresses.

• Hail size distribution: Fourteen of the 15 detections exceeded 1.00 inch. Six detections exceeded 2.5 inches. The largest measured size was 3.47 inches at Fort Stockton.

• Temporal clustering: October 13 and October 14 contained the majority of detections. Marathon produced repeated detections across October 14–15, suggesting a localized storm cluster with repeated hail cores.

What Contractors Should Watch

Prioritization and canvass order

• Highest priority: Childress, TX — 2.28 in on 2026-10-13 — 1,075 addresses. Assign initial canvass and field inspections here.

• Secondary clusters: Marathon, TX (multiple detections on 10-14 and 10-15 totaling three footprints, peak 2.78 in) and Quail, TX (2.84 in on 10-13, 61 addresses). Schedule neighborhood-level canvassing in Marathon and Quail next.

• Tertiary targets: Spur, TX (1.82 in, 104 addresses), Haviland and Coldwater, KS (1.25 in and 2.69 in; 79 and 31 addresses), Crosbyton, TX (2.57 in, 31 addresses), and the two Dryden footprints (2.34 in and 2.44 in; 5 and 6 addresses).

Inspection thresholds and crew assignment

• Prioritize field inspections for footprints with hail sizes 1.75 in or larger. The NWS object scale equivalent: golf ball = 1.75 in. All events at or above that threshold are listed above with dates and address counts.

• Allocate experienced roof assessment crews to detections that exceed 2.5 in. These events this week include Penwell, Coldwater, Willow, Marathon, Quail, Crosbyton, Dryden, and Fort Stockton. Use smaller crews for rapid initial door-knock assessment in higher-address footprints, and reserve full damage teams for confirmed leads.

• Use the event dates when scheduling: most detections occurred on October 13–14. Treat repeated detections in a single community as potential for multiple impact zones.

Data handling and verification

• Cross-check radar-derived detections with local spotter reports and on-the-ground verification before committing full repair resources.

• Log inspection dates and photographic evidence by address to link field findings to the radar-derived footprints for claims support.

Forward-looking note

Forecast guidance indicates reduced convective potential across the central Southern Plains in the early part of the coming week, with upper-level ridging shifting eastward later in the period. Monitor model updates for any late-week shortwave trough that could reintroduce elevated hail risk over West Texas and the southern High Plains.