Richlands, NC Hail Storm – March 2026

What Happened

A severe thunderstorm crossed the Richlands, NC area on March 16, 2026, producing verified 1-inch hail during a four-hour window from early afternoon into late afternoon. The storm generated multiple NWS alerts and field reports, with the strongest hail confirmations arriving between 1:13 PM EDT and 3:54 PM EDT.

The first alert came at 1:13 PM EDT with a warning-area hail call of 1 inch. By 1:54 PM EDT, dual-polarization radar also detected 1-inch hail. Spotter reports followed at 2:25 PM EDT, 2:30 PM EDT, and 3:02 PM EDT, each again tied to 1-inch hail. A later dual-polarization radar detection at 3:54 PM EDT closed out the sequence.

Field reports added a clearer surface picture. Around 2:34 PM EDT, Dominion Energy reported about 250 customers without power in southern Martin County due to storm damage. At 2:38 PM EDT, Tideland Electric reported a tree on powerlines, with the timing based on radar. Both reports were spotter-verified and placed the storm on the ground in a narrow corridor during the middle part of the event.

The Richlands storm stayed active through the afternoon, but the hail confirmation came in clusters rather than as one isolated burst. The radar and spotter timeline shows repeated hail detection across several hours, with the field reports landing just after the first radar-verified hail signals.

Damage Assessment

The verified damage reports point to localized tree and utility impacts rather than widespread structural loss. Southern Martin County took the clearest hit in the available field reports, where Dominion Energy documented roughly 250 customers without power and Tideland Electric reported a tree on powerlines. Both reports were tied to the same storm window and were consistent with a brief but disruptive severe-weather passage.

The report set includes repeated spotter-verified observations, but the ground impacts stayed limited in scope. No broader collapse pattern, large-volume debris field, or concentrated structural damage appears in the provided field reports. The strongest documented effects were utility interruption and a downed tree on powerlines.

The storm’s hail reports also stayed at the 1-inch threshold. That puts the event in a range that can damage roof surfaces, soft metals, and vehicle exteriors in exposed locations, but the available reports do not show a wider damage survey beyond the utility and vegetation impacts already logged. The field evidence is centered on a narrow band of storm influence rather than a countywide damage swath.

For contractors, the key takeaway is simple. This was a hail-producing storm with verified surface effects, but the documented damage is specific and localized. Roofing and exterior crews should look first at the areas near southern Martin County where the outage and tree-on-lines report landed, then inspect nearby neighborhoods that were in the same storm path during the 2 PM hour.