Milnesand, NM Hail Storm – May 2026

A severe hail storm moved through Milnesand, NM late afternoon on May 21, 2026, producing 3.35-inch stones and a sequence of radar-detected alerts and spotter reports. The cell persisted from mid-afternoon into early evening and produced mixed stone sizes on contact with the ground.

What Happened

The storm produced 11 NWS alerts between 3:18 PM MDT and 6:32 PM MDT, with multiple dual-polarization radar detections along a track eastward from Milnesand. Early radar-detected hail signatures appeared in mid-afternoon and increased in intensity through the late afternoon. A 4:43 PM MDT alert was issued based on the NWS warning polygon alone. Subsequent dual-polarization radar returns showed larger hail signatures approaching early evening, with a notable radar-detected return at 5:59 PM MDT and continued detections into the 6:30 PM hour.

Spotters provided ground observations during the event. At 4:15 PM MDT two spotter submissions noted numerous large stone sizes, with the time estimated from radar. Around 6:20 PM MDT multiple mPING submissions reported dime-size stones. These surface reports align with the radar-detected sequence of strong cores moving across rural Roosevelt County near Milnesand.

Damage Assessment

Field reports from local spotters recorded stone impacts but did not include widespread structural damage in the submissions. The 4:15 PM MDT spotter entries described numerous large stones near the initial core passage east of Milnesand. Later mPING reports at about 6:20 PM MDT indicated dime-size hail along secondary cells farther downstream.

NEXRAD-derived hail detections show a concentrated swath of radar returns crossing primarily agricultural land and county routes east and southeast of Milnesand. Roadside and field-level impacts are most likely in those areas based on the radar track and the spotter locations. No Local Storm Report in the dataset documented explicit vehicle or roof failure; claims teams should expect localized impact points where larger stones were observed at the time the radar cores passed.

What Contractors Should Know

Inspect properties along the storm track east and southeast of Milnesand first. Prioritize south- and east-facing roof slopes and exposed agricultural equipment that would have been present in fields during late afternoon. Document every inspection with time-stamped photos and GPS coordinates tied to county routes and known spotter locations to correlate with the radar-detected track.

When assessing roofing and vehicle panels, look for circular pock marks, granule loss in shingles, and concentrated dents on metal surfaces. Perform a walk-around to check gutters, downspouts, and siding for impact points. For crops and irrigation equipment, inspect pivot systems and exposed plastic components for fractures consistent with mixed stone sizes reported during the event.