Clifton, AZ Hail Storm – August 2025

What Happened

A severe hail storm moved through Clifton, AZ on August 21, 2025, with 1-inch hail confirmed in the warning area and a later spotter-verified report near 7:35 PM MST. The storm produced a brief but organized hail threat across the metro area through late afternoon and early evening.

The first NWS alert came at 4:05 PM MST with dual-polarization radar confidence for 1-inch hail. A second alert followed at 7:55 PM MST with radar and spotter verification for the same hail size. The storm remained in play for several hours, with hail threat signals persisting into the evening rather than collapsing after the first round.

Field reports added a more specific surface picture. At 7:35 PM MST, a spotter reported 1/4 mile visibility in blowing dust with a 0.75-inch hail estimate. That report placed a tangible ground impact inside the storm sequence and showed the storm was not limited to a radar-only signal.

Clifton’s storm track on August 21 was not a single isolated pulse. It developed, persisted, and then produced a later verified alert window after the initial radar-detected hail threat. The timing points to repeated hail potential across the same general warning area during the afternoon and evening.

Damage Assessment

The field reports point to a surface impact that was more noticeable than the hail size alone would suggest. Blowing dust reduced visibility to 1/4 mile at 7:35 PM MST, which indicates strong near-surface winds were working through the storm environment at the same time hail was being observed.

The hail report at 0.75 inches did not come from a broad general observation. It came from a spotter in the event window and sits between the two NWS hail alerts. That places verified hail on the ground during the middle of the storm sequence, not just at the margins.

For roof and exterior checks, the focus should stay on the parts of Clifton that sat inside the warning area during the late-afternoon and evening hail periods. Vehicles, soft metals, screens, vents, and older roof surfaces should be checked for impact marks, chipped coatings, and edge damage. Look closely at north- and west-facing exposures where wind-driven hail and dust can combine to mask fresh impact points.

Because the event produced both radar confidence and spotter verification, a contractor should treat the site visits as a hail and wind-dust inspection, not a hail-only pass. Dust-limited visibility can hide scattered granule loss, minor denting, and small punctures that are easier to miss on first glance.

The field reports do not describe a long-duration damage corridor or widespread destructive hail. They do support a localized inspection response tied to the reported timing. That means close attention to homes, outbuildings, and vehicles that were exposed during the late afternoon and early evening hail windows.