Buffalo, SD Hail Storm – July 2025

Buffalo, SD saw a concluded hail storm on 2025-07-09 with a peak confirmed hail size of 2 inches. The event produced multiple warning areas through the afternoon and early evening.

What Happened

The first hail alert came at 2:36 PM CDT with 1.25-inch hail flagged by radar and spotter verification. The storm then intensified around 3 PM. A 2-inch hail alert was issued at 3:24 PM CDT, followed by a 1.5-inch alert at 3:34 PM CDT and another 2-inch alert at 3:39 PM CDT.

Additional alerts followed through late afternoon. Radar-based hail detection showed 1 inch at 4:07 PM CDT, 1.75 inches at 4:14 PM CDT, 1 inch at 4:40 PM CDT, and 1 inch with spotter verification at 4:45 PM CDT. The sequence continued with 1 inch at 4:57 PM CDT, 1.5 inches at 5:13 PM CDT, and 1 inch at 5:26 PM CDT. A final alert at 7:40 PM CDT reported 1.25-inch hail with radar and spotter verification.

The mix of dual-polarization radar detections and spotter-verified reports kept the hail threat in place across several hours. Peak hail size reached 2 inches twice during the event.

Damage Assessment

Hail between 1 inch and 1.25 inches can affect roof coverings, gutters, vents, window screens, and vehicle finishes. Hail at 1.5 inches reaches a level where soft metals, exterior trim, and older shingles often show visible impact marks. At 1.75 inches, broken window screens, dented siding, and more concentrated roof losses become more common.

Two-inch hail is large enough to create clear impacts on shingles, flashing, skylights, and exposed HVAC equipment. Crews should expect mixed surface damage across roofs, siding, and vehicle lots where the hail core crossed the area. Spotter-verified reports at 1.25 inches and 2 inches suggest the event included ground-observed hail, not just radar-derived estimates.

What Contractors Should Know

Field teams should prioritize steep-slope roofs, low-slope membrane seams, ridge caps, vents, and soft metal components. In a storm with repeated hail reports over several hours, damage can vary sharply across short distances. A single subdivision, ranch cluster, or commercial corridor may show a range from cosmetic strikes to functional roof loss.

Start with exterior indicators that align with hail exposure. Check gutters for bruising, downspouts for denting, skylights for cracking, and condenser fins for impact. On vehicles, inspect hoods, roof panels, mirrors, and glass. On commercial sites, document rooftop mechanical units, parapets, and warehouse siding before temporary repairs begin.

For sales and inspection routing, treat this as a multi-pass hail event. The strongest reports came at 3:24 PM CDT and 3:39 PM CDT, with additional hail alerts later in the afternoon and evening. Crews working Buffalo should plan for repeat field visits where initial visual checks do not match the full storm sequence.

Buffalo, SD Hail Storm – July 2025

NWS WARNING AREAS · 124

What Happened

Damage Assessment

What Contractors Should Know

Storm Details

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