Camden, AR Hail Storm – April 2026

What Happened

A severe hail storm moved through Camden, AR, on April 3, 2026, with radar and spotter verification supporting a peak hail size of 1.75 inches. The warning area began at 5:48 PM CDT, and a spotter report from Camden followed at 5:54 PM CDT, describing quarter-sized hail through the city via the 911 call center.

Dual-polarization radar detections matched the timing of the NWS alert and the ground report. The storm was brief but organized enough to produce a hail swath through the Camden metro area during the early evening window.

The 5:54 PM CDT report is the clearest ground-truth note from the event. It placed measurable hail in the city itself, not just along the broader warning area. Radar and spotter detail aligned within minutes of each other.

Damage Assessment

The field reports point to a localized hail impact across Camden rather than a broad, citywide debris event. Quarter-sized hail reached the city center through the 911 call center report, while the radar-derived hail detection extended larger stones in the same storm path.

No storm damage report in the available record describes structural loss or a wide debris field. The evidence instead shows a concentrated hail passage with enough intensity to produce measurable roof, vehicle, and soft-surface exposure across the warning area in Camden.

For contractors, the first pass should focus on roof slopes, gutters, soft metals, and vehicle lots inside the Camden metro area. A 1.75-inch hail core can produce uneven surface impacts, so the most reliable work begins with a block-by-block inspection pattern rather than a single neighborhood assumption.

Check south- and west-facing elevations first if the storm track crossed those sides of town. Then move to ridge caps, pipe boots, vent flashings, and metal accessories. Those parts often show the earliest field evidence when hail moves through a compact city target like Camden.

Crews should also verify window screens, siding corners, and HVAC fins on the same visit. The storm timing in the early evening means some damage may be visible in daylight on the next workday, but smaller impact marks can be missed if inspections stay at street level only.

What Contractors Should Know

This event fits a common Camden hail pattern: a short warning window, a spotter report inside the city, and a radar track that supports a larger peak stone size nearby. That combination often produces scattered but real claim volume across a tight area.

Use the 5:48 PM CDT warning start and the 5:54 PM CDT spotter timing to narrow canvass routes. Properties inside the Camden metro area should be checked first, especially roof systems with older asphalt, exposed metal trim, and vehicles parked in open lots. Keep the inspection order tight and document each elevation separately.