Strawberry, AZ Hail Storm – September 2025

What Happened

A severe hail storm crossed the Strawberry, AZ area on September 28, 2025, producing 1-inch hail and three NWS alerts between 2:21 PM MST and 3:14 PM MST. Radar and spotter reports aligned on the storm path through Pine and nearby higher terrain.

The first alert came at 2:21 PM MST with 1-inch hail and radar plus spotter verification. A second alert followed at 2:43 PM MST with the same hail size and confidence. The final alert, at 3:14 PM MST, again carried a 1-inch hail estimate with radar and spotter support.

Field reports tracked the storm as it moved through the area. At 2:38 PM MST, a public report in Pine called out quarter-size hail, a direct match to 1-inch stones. By 3:38 PM MST, reports had shifted from hail to water problems, including overflow along Sycamore Creek near Pine across FR 64. Later, at 5:00 PM MST, reports noted water flowing over Control Road west of Geronimo Estates and about 2 feet of water in Webber Creek at the road into Geronimo Estates.

Damage Assessment

The main impacts were tied to runoff, creek overflow, and road flooding across the Pine and Geronimo Estates corridor. The hail reports were brief and localized, but the water reports show the storm produced enough rainfall over steep, narrow drainages to push creeks and roads out of their banks.

Sycamore Creek overflowed near Pine across FR 64, with repeated spotter entries at 3:38 PM MST. That same afternoon, Control Road had water flowing over it in at least eight locations west of Geronimo Estates. Webber Creek also carried an estimated 2 feet of water over the road into Geronimo Estates. These reports point to concentrated drainage impacts rather than broad wind damage.

The hail itself was verified by both radar and spotters, with 1-inch estimates repeated through the afternoon. The public quarter-size hail report in Pine supports the timing and intensity of the storm core as it moved through the Strawberry area.

This was a multi-zone event. The storm hit different parts of the local terrain at different times. The highest impacts in the available reports were along creeks, low-water crossings, and roadways that sit in drainage paths west and south of Pine.

What Contractors Should Know

Start with the drainage corridors. The field reports point to Pine, Sycamore Creek, Control Road, and the Webber Creek approach into Geronimo Estates. Those are the locations most likely to need windshield checks, roof inspections, gutter verification, and road-access review after a storm with hail and runoff in the same afternoon.

Look closely at vehicles and exposed property where the hail core passed through Pine. A 1-inch hail report can leave roof bruising, soft-metal dents, and damaged vents, but the storm also carried enough water to create access problems. Crews should plan for muddy shoulders, washed-out edges, and temporary closures near low-water crossings.