Guffey, CO Hail Storm – July 2025

What Happened

A hail storm moved through Guffey, CO on July 12, 2025, producing hail up to 1.75 inches and multiple severe thunderstorm alerts through late afternoon and early evening. The first verified reports came in around 3:10 PM MDT, when spotters described hail lasting 30 minutes and measured stones at 1.5 inches.

The storm held together for several hours. Two early alerts at 3:03 PM MDT and 3:32 PM MDT carried 1-inch hail estimates with radar and spotter verification. Later alerts at 4:31 PM MDT and 4:56 PM MDT continued to show 1-inch hail potential from dual-polarization radar. By 6:00 PM MDT, radar detections increased to 1.75 inches, followed by additional alerts at 6:28 PM MDT and 6:55 PM MDT with 1-inch and 1.5-inch hail estimates.

The field reports matched the longer-duration nature of the storm. The spotter account from 3:10 PM MDT points to a sustained hail core rather than a brief burst. That report came during the same window as the first alert pair, which placed the most intense activity over the Guffey area during mid-afternoon.

Damage Assessment

The available ground reports point to a hail event with enough duration to raise surface impact beyond a quick pass. A 30-minute hail report in Guffey with 1.5-inch stones suggests repeated strikes on roofs, siding, vehicles, and exposed outdoor equipment. The duplicate spotter-verified report from the same time window reinforces that the hail was observed directly, not inferred only from radar.

The later radar evolution also matters for field crews. The storm did not remain static at a single hail size. It cycled through several warning updates, then reached 1.75-inch estimates by 6:00 PM MDT before easing back to 1-inch and 1.5-inch hail detections later in the evening. That pattern fits a storm that maintained a damaging hail core over the broader Guffey area for an extended period.

For property inspection work, look first at the surfaces that take repeated hail loading. Roofs with soft metals, older three-tab shingles, gutters, downspouts, and vehicle glass can show the clearest marks in an event with this much duration. Outbuildings and ranch structures around Guffey should be checked with the same approach, especially where the report window overlapped with the strongest radar estimates.

Do not assume the strongest hail fell only once. The report set shows separate alert cycles, and the spotter notes describe hail lasting long enough to create layered impact. Crews should expect mixed outcomes across a short drive, especially in rural terrain where one property can show clear bruising while another nearby location has lighter accumulation or fewer visible strikes.

What Contractors Should Know

This event centered on Guffey and the surrounding warning area, with the first ground report arriving at 3:10 PM MDT and the strongest radar estimate reaching 1.75 inches by early evening. Crews working this corridor should prioritize roofs first, then gutters, window screens, soft metals, and parked vehicles. A long hail duration increases the chance of scattered but repeatable impact marks across multiple sides of the same structure.