Alpine, TX Hail Storm – May 2026

A severe hail storm is tracking through Alpine, TX on May 20, 2026, producing stones up to 3.76 inches and continuing to produce strong radar returns and spotter reports.

What Happened

Dual-polarization NEXRAD hail detections began issuing alerts in the mid-afternoon and continued through the night, with a total of 19 NWS alerts tied to this storm. Radar-detected hail signatures first appeared in the region around 3:08 PM CDT and intensified through the late afternoon into the evening. One NWS warning-only alert was issued at 11:36 PM CDT as the system remained active.

Spotter and emergency manager observations are embedded in the radar timeline. Around 3:20 PM CDT a member of the public sent a photo of a large hailstone near Alpine estimated at roughly ping-pong ball size and verified by a spotter. Between about 4:58 PM CDT and 5:48 PM CDT multiple emergency manager reports documented quarter-sized hail along US 385 and US 285 south and southeast of Fort Stockton, with locations recorded at roughly 16 miles south on US 385 and 21–23 miles south/southeast on US 285. Radar echoes showed repeated hail-producing cores tracking along the same corridor, including several late-evening returns that exceeded 2 inches in diameter.

Damage Assessment

Field reports collected for this event record primarily size observations rather than structural damage. The earliest field submission, a photo near Alpine at 3:20 PM CDT, described a hailstone about 1.5 inches in diameter. Emergency manager reports between 4:58 PM CDT and 5:48 PM CDT repeatedly recorded quarter-sized hail at points along US 385 and US 285 south and southeast of Fort Stockton. The included local storm reports do not list roof failures, vehicle claims, or power infrastructure damage within the compiled submissions for this incident.

Radar-detected hail cores tracked over sparsely populated stretches of highway and desert ranch land south of Fort Stockton before moving toward Alpine's vicinity. Where spotters were present near roadways, observations were limited to gravel-size to quarter-size stones at multiple times in the late afternoon. No additional spotter reports of larger concentrated impact areas were filed in the Local Storm Reports provided here.

What Contractors Should Know

Inspect along the identified corridor. Field reports and radar detections place repeated hail cores along US 385 and US 285 south and southeast of Fort Stockton, with subsequent activity approaching Alpine. Prioritize roof and vehicle inspections for properties and fleet equipment located along those stretches and on ranch access roads within the 16–23 mile bands cited by emergency managers.

Plan for mixed-size damage. On-site observations include dime- to quarter-sized hail at multiple locations and a photographed larger stone near Alpine. Allocate crews and materials that address both cosmetic impacts such as windshield and siding chips and localized denting on metal panels. Factor in travel time on unpaved roads and limited cell coverage in the rural segments between Fort Stockton and Alpine.