Kiowa, CO Hail Storm – May 2025

What Happened

A severe hail storm crossed Kiowa, CO on May 24, 2025, with verified 2-inch hail and a run of repeated NWS warning areas through the afternoon and evening. The storm began producing large hail around 2:29 PM MDT and continued with hail threats into the night.

The first verified alert at 2:29 PM MDT carried a 2-inch hail threat with radar and spotter confidence. A spotter report at 2:41 PM MDT from mPING described hen egg hail at 2.00 inches. That was followed by additional warning areas at 2:49 PM MDT for 1.25-inch hail, 3:47 PM MDT for 1.75-inch hail, and 3:54 PM MDT for 1-inch hail.

The hail threat remained organized through late afternoon. Alerts at 4:18 PM MDT, 4:28 PM MDT, and 4:44 PM MDT carried 1.25-inch, 1-inch, and 1.75-inch hail thresholds with radar and spotter confidence. A second spotter report at 4:15 PM MDT described half dollar hail at 1.25 inches.

Radar-based hail detection stayed active into the evening. At 5:09 PM MDT, dual-polarization radar indicated 1.25-inch hail. Another radar and spotter-verified alert at 5:12 PM MDT showed 1.5-inch hail. The storm continued with 1-inch and 1.75-inch hail signals at 5:41 PM MDT and 5:53 PM MDT, then repeated dual-polarization detections through 6:32 PM MDT, 6:57 PM MDT, 7:02 PM MDT, 7:33 PM MDT, 7:41 PM MDT, 7:56 PM MDT, 8:29 PM MDT, 8:47 PM MDT, and 9:03 PM MDT.

The strongest verified hail size in the event was 2 inches. The warning cadence shows a long-lived hail producer with multiple rounds of larger stones across the Kiowa area.

Damage Assessment

The field reports confirm surface impact in Kiowa, with 2-inch hail reported near 2:41 PM MDT and a 1.25-inch report at 4:15 PM MDT. Those reports align with the warning pattern and the later radar-detected hail signatures. The event produced several thresholds capable of damaging exposed roofs, vehicle glass, soft metals, and outdoor equipment across the warning area.

The report timing suggests more than one hail pulse. The 2-inch report came early in the event, then additional hail indications continued for hours. That pattern points to repeated exposure rather than a single short burst. Contractors should expect scattered impacts across properties that were under the warning area during the afternoon and evening cycles.

No detailed ground survey is included here. The available field reports confirm large hail, but they do not identify a concentrated neighborhood-level damage zone in the public record supplied for this page. Roof, siding, and vehicle inspections in Kiowa should focus on the time windows when the storm crossed and re-crossed the area, especially near the first verified large hail and the later radar-confirmed hail runs.

For roof work, look for collateral indicators. Test soft metals, flashing, and downspout faces for concentrated dents. Check south- and west-facing slopes first if wind direction was variable. On vehicles, inspect hoods, trunks, and roof panels for overlapping strikes and chipped glass. In yard areas, note shredded foliage and broken stems around exposed trees and shrubs where the largest hail fell.