Middletown, MO Hail Storm – May 2026

A late-evening hail storm tracked through Middletown, MO on May 3, 2026, producing the largest collected stone and multiple radar and spotter reports between 9:38 PM and 12:01 AM CDT. The event produced repeated radar hail detections and several observer submissions across the town.

What Happened

Dual-polarization NEXRAD hail detections first flagged hail near Middletown at 9:38 PM CDT. The radar indicated smaller stones during that initial detection. A second radar-derived detection followed at 10:15 PM CDT over adjacent neighborhoods. An NWS severe thunderstorm warning at 10:38 PM CDT reported larger returns along the storm core. The warning remained in effect and the NWS issued a follow-up warning at 10:45 PM CDT.

Later radar detections resumed around 11:52 PM CDT and continued into a final detection at 12:01 AM CDT on May 4. Those later radar returns again indicated hail within the warning area as the storm exited local jurisdiction.

Observers submitted multiple ground-level reports during the event. An mPING report at 9:55 PM CDT documented a ping-pong ball–sized stone. At 10:58 PM CDT an mPING entry described a golf-ball–sized strike. Shortly after, at 11:00 PM CDT, an emailed photo showed a measured stone placed next to a tape measure. A later emailed field entry at 11:42 PM CDT recorded additional smaller samples. All observer reports were logged to the NWS Local Storm Report system or mPING feed and were time-stamped against the radar timeline.

Damage Assessment

Observer submissions and radar returns indicate concentrated surface impact across central and western Middletown during the late evening window. The largest photographed sample was collected near a residential block and submitted by email at 11:00 PM CDT; earlier mobile reports placed sizable stones in neighborhoods to the north and west of that location. Multiple mPING entries show consistent storm intensity across a roughly 90-minute span that aligns with NWS warning intervals.

Local storm reports did not list widespread structural failures. Field photos and submitted descriptions show intact yard samples and measured stones at individual properties. Vehicle inspections in the areas where observers submitted samples should prioritize hood, roof, and windshield checks. Property-level inspections should focus on exposed siding, skylights, and vulnerable roof flashings in the immediate track of the storm.

What Contractors Should Know

Work teams should prioritize visual surveys in the areas where observers submitted measured samples and where radar detections clustered between 9:38 PM and 12:01 AM CDT. Start with photographic documentation of all damage and of any collected stones placed beside a ruler or tape measure. Record exact addresses and the local observation time for each sample. These timestamps will match the radar timeline and support loss documentation.