McCracken, KS Hail Storm – April 2026

A hail-producing storm tracked through McCracken, KS from April 26 to April 28, 2026, producing 4-inch stones and multiple spotter-verified surface impacts. The event generated 634 NWS alerts and a sustained radar signature across the region.

What Happened

The sequence began April 26 at 8:17 AM CDT and continued through April 28 at 7:51 PM CDT, producing repeated radar-detected hail cores and intermittent NWS warning polygons. Dual-polarization radar flagged dozens of strong hail signatures from mid-morning into late afternoon on April 26, with periods of redeveloping cores after sunset and into the following two days. Local storm reports and spotter submissions tracked the activity across multiple towns and rural corridors north and east of McCracken.

Radar and spotter records show several concentrated surges. Early intensification produced multiple radar-detected 2-inch-plus cores in the late morning and early afternoon periods. Spotters later described large, softball-to-baseball impacts at multiple sites. At 6:35 PM CDT on April 27, spotters reported "numerous hailstones measuring 2-inches by 4-inches." Social media photos and a mPING submission documented stones measured beside a tape measure during the late morning period on April 28. NWS warnings accompanied portions of the event; other periods were identified only by radar hail signatures.

The event footprint extended over a sustained corridor. Dual-polarization radar maintained repeated returns along that corridor, and spotter reports clustered around several discrete impact locations including a public zoo and residential areas north of Versailles.

Damage Assessment

Field reports and radar indicate concentrated surface impact at Dickerson Park Zoo and localized damage in nearby communities. Spotters reported significant damage at Dickerson Park Zoo at 11:50 AM CDT on April 28, noting structural impacts to exhibits and that one animal was killed and another injured. Multiple spotter submissions and off-duty staff measurements documented stones up to 3.25 inches in several reports that included photographs next to a tape measure. A separate late-evening submission on April 26 included an image of 3-inch hail linked to radar timing.

Damage reports are specific to named locations. Zoo staff described damage to outdoor enclosures and evidence of heavy strike accumulation on outdoor surfaces. Off-duty personnel near Versailles corrected an earlier location and reported 3-inch stones about three miles north of Versailles, reinforcing a concentrated swath of larger impacts in that immediate corridor. Where photographs were available, they show shattered glazing, punctured polycarbonate, and dented metal on outdoor fixtures and vehicles. Multiple spotter narratives and radar returns align over these same areas, indicating repeated hail cores rather than a single isolated pulse.

McCracken, KS Hail Storm – April 2026

NWS WARNING AREAS · 632

What Happened

Damage Assessment

Storm Details

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