Mullen, NE Hail Storm – August 2025

What Happened

A severe hail storm moved through the Mullen, NE area on August 3, 2025, with a peak confirmed hail size of 1.75 inches. The storm produced multiple rounds of hail from mid-afternoon into early evening, with radar and spotter verification on several alerts.

The first alert came at 3:50 PM CDT with 1.75-inch hail and radar plus spotter verification. At 4:03 PM CDT, a spotter reported, “There was a lot of hail with drifts,” and estimated 2.25 inches. A second alert followed at 4:13 PM CDT with 1-inch hail and the same verification level. By 4:28 PM CDT, dual-polarization radar showed 1.25-inch hail. Later alerts at 5:25 PM CDT and 5:58 PM CDT each carried 1.5-inch hail estimates from dual-polarization radar, with a 5:28 PM CDT alert in between reporting 1-inch hail with radar and spotter verification.

The ground reports showed hail accumulation in the open country around Mullen and a separate 5:26 PM CDT spotter report of hail in town in Brule, listed at 1 inch. The sequence points to a storm that kept producing hail across the late-afternoon window rather than a single brief burst.

Damage Assessment

The field reports show hail on the ground, drifted hail in at least one location, and a verified hail report in town in Brule. The 4:03 PM CDT report described hail drifts, which indicates enough volume for stones to pile up instead of melting quickly. The Brule report at 5:26 PM CDT placed 1-inch hail in town, showing the storm reached settled areas as it continued east or southeast through the broader warning area.

For property owners, the main concern is impact variation across the storm path. Reports ranged from 1 inch to 2.25 inches, with the larger spotter estimate coming from the same 4:03 PM CDT hail event that noted drifts. Roofs, gutters, soft metal trim, window screens, and exposed vehicle panels in the path of the storm should be checked for strike marks, bruising, and displaced granules.

The radar-confirmed alerts matched the field reports through the afternoon. That combination points to more than one hail core or a storm that rebuilt while moving through the area. The result is a patchwork impact pattern, with some locations seeing measurable accumulation and others seeing lighter but still damaging hail.

What Contractors Should Know

Work the Mullen area and the Brule report corridor as separate inspection targets. The storm produced multiple hail sizes over about two hours, so damage can vary sharply from one property to the next. A roof five miles from the hardest-hit spot may show little more than cosmetic loss, while another property closer to the 4:03 PM CDT report may have heavier surface impact and more obvious accumulation-related clues.

Start with roofs, then move to vents, flashing, gutters, downspouts, skylights, and north- and west-facing slopes where strike patterns often show first. Check soft metals for dents and fresh impact marks. On vehicles, look for broken mirrors, chipped glass, and body panel pitting. Ground-level inspection should include fences, siding, and outbuildings where hail can leave repeatable marks even when roof damage is limited.