Burlington, CO Hail Storm – April 2026

A severe hail storm tracked through Burlington, Colorado on April 26, 2026, producing 1.5-inch stones and delivering spotter-verified impacts in the early evening.

What Happened

Dual-polarization NEXRAD indicated hail along a narrow path through the Burlington metro beginning in the late afternoon and continuing into early evening. NWS alerts were issued at 6:55 PM MDT and again at 7:20 PM MDT for radar-detected hail along the storm track. At 7:27 PM MDT, spotters reported hail from pea size up to larger stones due south of Bethune between County Roads N and P on CR 40. Those spotter observations aligned with the radar-detected hail track through northeastern Colorado and provided surface corroboration for the late-afternoon to early-evening storm pulse.

Damage Assessment

Field reports and radar returns indicate surface impact concentrated along CR 40 immediately south of Bethune, between County Roads N and P. The two spotter-verified reports came from the same location and time window, and no additional local storm reports accompanied those entries. NWS alerting activity brackets the period of strongest radar reflectivity over the Burlington metro and the Bethune corridor, matching the spotter location on CR 40.

No structured damage descriptions were included in the spotter submissions. Where hail struck along CR 40, expect concentrated panel dents on parked vehicles, bruising to exposed agricultural leaves, and localized accumulations in ditches and low spots. Municipal assets along the reported track should be inspected for gutter, skylight, and signage impact. Contractors should treat the CR 40 corridor south of Bethune as the highest-priority inspection band based on the available surface observations.

What Contractors Should Know

Prioritize inspections along County Road 40 south of Bethune between County Roads N and P, then expand outward along the radar-indicated track through the Burlington metro. Start with aerial and close-access roof inspections for denting and shingle loss on south- and west-facing slopes; those slopes received the brunt of hail on similar late-afternoon to early-evening storms in this region. Photograph every affected roof plane with a sizing reference and include vehicle and landscape panels in the documentation set.

For residential claims, verify vehicle locations at the time of the event when possible. Parked vehicles along CR 40 are likely to show the densest panel damage pattern. For agricultural inspections, focus on exposed fields adjacent to CR 40 and on greenhouse glazing if present. Note plant bruising separately from defoliation and capture GPS-tagged photos to align with the reported spotter location.

When preparing estimates, itemize glazing, gutter, and trim work tied to the mapped path. Use measured dent counts and roof-area percentages rather than generic thresholds. Coordinate with property owners to clear gutters and remove hail accumulation before performing temporary patches to prevent water intrusion during the next precipitation event.