Gildford, MT Hail Storm – July 2025

What Happened

A severe hail storm moved through Gildford, Montana, on July 17, 2025, with verified hail up to 1.75 inches and repeated NWS alerts through the afternoon and evening. The storm produced spotter-confirmed hail reports and radar-derived hail detections across a long-lived warning area.

The first field report came at 3:38 PM MDT, when a spotter reported hail accumulated to 2 inches in depth and estimated stones near 7/8 inch. Minutes later, at 3:39 PM MDT, an NWS alert called for 1-inch hail with radar and spotter verification. A second alert followed at 3:48 PM MDT with the same hail size and confidence.

By 4:05 PM MDT, dual-polarization radar detected 1.75-inch hail. Additional radar-derived alerts at 4:29 PM MDT and 4:34 PM MDT kept the hail threat near 1 inch, then another 1.75-inch detection came at 4:53 PM MDT. The storm held together into the evening. Alerts at 5:38 PM MDT, 6:19 PM MDT, and 7:09 PM MDT continued to show hail in the warning area, with spotter-verified 1-inch hail later in the event.

A second spotter report at 4:13 PM MDT described nickel-size hail and a 52 mph wind gust that broke a tree branch 6 to 12 inches in diameter. The report placed wind and hail impacts in the same storm core during the late afternoon phase.

Damage Assessment

The field reports show a mixed hail and wind event, not just a brief hail pass. One report noted hail accumulation to 2 inches in depth. Another described nickel-size hail along with a 52 mph gust strong enough to break a substantial tree branch. The storm produced both surface accumulation and wind-driven debris in the same general time window.

The hail size in the spotter reports ran below the 1.75-inch radar peak, but the reports still confirm a storm capable of repeated hail production over several hours. The 3:38 PM MDT observation and the 4:13 PM MDT wind report bracket the main impact period in Gildford. That timing matches the sequence of NWS alerts that kept the area under hail threat from mid-afternoon into early evening.

For roofing and exterior inspections, the first pass should focus on north- and west-facing slopes, vents, gutters, window screens, and siding at impact height. The storm produced multiple hail indications, so contractors should expect a patchy damage pattern rather than a single uniform swath. On properties with older shingles, check for bruising, displaced granules, and soft strikes near ridges and edges.

The wind report adds another layer. A branch break of that size points to enough localized force to send debris across yards, fences, and rooflines. Crews should document limb impacts, denting on soft metals, and collateral damage where falling branches may have struck structures, vehicles, or outbuildings. In rural settings around Gildford, outbuildings, grain bins, and metal trim often show the cleanest evidence of the storm path.