Laramie, WY Hail Storm – May 2025

Laramie, WY saw a concluded hail event on 2025-05-24 with a peak confirmed hail size of 1 inch. The storm produced three NWS alert areas across the metro during the afternoon.

What Happened

The first alert area was issued at 12:35 PM MDT, with dual-polarization radar confidence for 1-inch hail. A second alert area followed at 1:12 PM MDT with the same 1-inch hail signal and radar support. The final alert area came at 1:53 PM MDT, again carrying a 1-inch hail threat, this time with NWS warning-only confidence.

All three alerts pointed to a persistent hail threat over the Laramie metro during the early to mid-afternoon window. The sequence shows repeated hail potential in the same storm family as it moved through the area. The event has concluded.

Damage Assessment

A 1-inch hail report sits at the threshold where exterior damage becomes more likely on vulnerable surfaces. Soft metals, older asphalt shingles, vents, skylights, and thin gauges on vehicle panels are the first areas to inspect.

In mixed residential and commercial zones, field crews should expect uneven impact patterns. One block may show clean shingle bruising and gutter dents while a nearby roof shows little visible loss. Siding, window screens, trim, and HVAC fins can all show localized impact marks even when the roof cover remains intact.

For contractors, the priority is speed and consistency in the canvass zone. Start with roof slopes that face the storm path, then move to downspouts, flashing, ridge caps, and accessory structures. Check soft metal hit points before you climb. That includes drip edge, pipe collars, AC coils, and exposed fasteners on sheds, garages, and metal outbuildings.

Document the condition of each surface before any cleanup or temporary repair. Use close photos of hail marks, granule loss, metal dents, and fractured seals. Separate direct impact from pre-existing wear. A 1-inch event can produce claims that look modest from the street but become more specific once the roof is viewed at slope level.

What Contractors Should Know

Laramie’s afternoon storm track calls for a systematic drive of the metro rather than a broad sweep from one neighborhood to the next. Focus on the addresses most exposed to the warning area first, then work outward. Crews should expect a narrow hail swath in some sections and spotty exterior indicators in others.

Interior damage is less common than exterior loss in a 1-inch hail event, but water intrusion can follow missed impact points. Confirm attic conditions, penetrations, and seal failure where the roof cover already shows wear. Pay close attention to metal roofs, low-slope transitions, and older shingle fields with prior repairs.

Set the inspection pace by surface type, not by block count. Residential roofs, apartment complexes, school facilities, and light industrial structures should all be logged separately so minor damage does not get lost in the larger route. Keep notes on hail size, time window, and visible strike concentration. The Strike Map provides precise hail track data for the event.