La Junta, CO Hail Storm – June 2025

La Junta, CO saw a severe hail storm on June 27, 2025, with a maximum confirmed hail size of 1.25 inches. The event was concluded by late evening.

What Happened

The storm produced its peak hail around 6:08 PM MDT, when dual-polarization radar confidence supported 1.25-inch hail in the La Junta warning area. This was a single-zone event tied to one NWS alert. The alert time fell in the early evening, after a warm-season buildup period across southeast Colorado.

Radar confidence stayed focused on the same hail size estimate through the alert window. No additional alerts were listed for this storm. The concluded status means the hail threat ended on June 27 and no further hail reports were attached to the event after that time.

Damage Assessment

Hail up to 1.25 inches can dent soft metals, scar asphalt shingles, break skylights, and leave impact marks on siding, trim, and outdoor equipment. On vehicles, stones this size often leave visible dents and cracked glass on exposed surfaces. On roofs, the most common findings are bruised shingles, granule loss, lifted tabs, and damage around edges, penetrations, and previous repair points.

In La Junta, the narrow hail size range points to a concentrated inspection need on south- and west-facing roof planes, gutters, downspouts, window screens, condensers, and exposed vehicles. Contractors should expect mixed roof conditions within the same block. Some properties may show cosmetic loss only. Others may show functional damage at flashings, vents, and aging shingles where impact took hold more easily.

Field work should start with the windward side of the structure and move to the roof perimeter. Check soft metals first. Look at ridge caps, valleys, pipe boots, satellite mounts, and roof edges. Note repeated impact patterns on siding and fencing. Match each exterior hit pattern to the storm timing before assuming all damage came from the same event.

Ground-level evidence matters. Photograph impacted window screens, AC fins, patio covers, and vehicles before cleanup. Record the direction of impact where possible. In a single-zone storm like this one, localized findings carry more weight than neighborhood-wide assumptions. Keep measurements, photos, and timestamps together for each property.

What Contractors Should Know

Prioritize inspection routes near the alert window first. This event peaked at 6:08 PM MDT, so late-afternoon and early-evening calls deserve the first pass. Roofs with older shingles, prior repairs, or exposed soft metals should move to the top of the field list. On commercial sites, check roof penetrations, membrane seams, HVAC units, and parapet metal before interior complaints build.

Document every property with the same sequence. Start with the roof, then downspouts, screens, trim, and vehicles. Use close-up photos with a size reference. Separate cosmetic marks from function-related failures. In hail events around 1.25 inches, the repair call often depends on where the impacts landed, how many strikes hit the same surface, and whether the building already had wear.