Hays, MT Hail Storm – September 2025

What Happened

A severe hail storm moved through Hays, MT, on September 12, 2025, with the largest verified hail reaching 1.25 inches. The storm produced two NWS alerts through the afternoon, with the first alert at 3:37 PM MDT carrying radar and spotter verification for 1.25-inch hail.

Field reports supported the early part of the event. At 3:45 PM MDT, a spotter report from the Hays area noted hail up to 1/2 inch on Friday afternoon. That report came shortly after the first alert and placed measurable hail on the ground during the same storm cycle.

A second alert followed at 5:57 PM MDT with 1-inch hail noted in the warning area. That later alert carried warning-only confidence. The storm remained active into early evening as the warning area shifted through another round of hail potential.

The sequence shows a multi-zone hail event rather than a single short burst. The earliest verified phase produced the largest stones, while later alerting covered a broader hail threat across the same general storm path.

Damage Assessment

The field reports point to scattered surface impact rather than a uniform damage field. The only direct ground-truth observation in the record came from the 3:45 PM MDT spotter report, which placed 1/2-inch hail in Hays during the main storm period. No additional local storm reports in the provided record describe broken windows, roof loss, or widespread vehicle damage.

The radar and spotter-verified 1.25-inch alert indicates a stronger hail core passed through part of the warning area earlier in the afternoon. The later 1-inch alert suggests hail remained possible as the storm evolved, but the available ground reports do not show a second confirmed surface report from that later phase.

For property owners, the practical picture is a short-duration hail event with a stronger core early and lighter verified hail at the surface shortly after. That pattern often leaves a mixed footprint across a small town or rural edge, with the most exposed roofs, vehicles, and yard structures taking the first hit.

No damage survey details were provided in the source record. There is no verified report here of tree loss, siding failure, or structural damage tied to this event in Hays.

What Contractors Should Know

This event deserves a close look on roofs, gutters, and soft metals in and around Hays, especially on the side of town that sat under the early afternoon hail core. The first verified alert carried 1.25-inch hail, and the spotter report at 3:45 PM MDT confirmed hail on the ground in the same window.

Crews should expect a narrow inspection path with uneven impact. The available reports support a storm that dropped larger hail in one phase, then continued with a broader 1-inch warning later in the afternoon. That setup can leave one block with obvious bruising and another with only minor cosmetic marks.