Alpine, TX Hail Storm – May 2026

A severe hail storm tracked through Alpine, TX on May 26, 2026, producing 2.74-inch hail and multiple radar-detected hail cores over a broad multi-zone path. The event generated 14 NWS alerts from 6:35 AM CDT to 9:52 PM CDT and produced spotter-verified reports late in the evening.

What Happened

The storm sequence began in the early morning and continued sporadically into the late evening, with NWS alerts issued from 6:35 AM CDT through 9:52 PM CDT. Fourteen separate NWS alerts covered the collection of cells along the track. Seven of those alerts included dual-polarization radar hail detections at various times, while the remaining alerts were NWS warning only products.

Radar returns showed multiple hail cores during mid-morning and again in the late afternoon and early evening. Notable radar-detected returns occurred in the mid-morning and in an evening round that produced sustained cores near Ward County. One ground report came from Ward County. The Ward County Sheriff’s Office reported nickel-sized hail in Monahans at 9:50 PM CDT, with the time estimated from radar. That spotter-verified observation aligns with radar-derived hail echoes in the same corridor.

The event included repeated hail-producing cores rather than a single isolated cell. Dual-polarization radar detections and NWS warning areas moved through separate zones within the aggregate track, producing hail reports across multiple counties during the 15-hour activity window.

Damage Assessment

Field reports for this event were limited and localized. The two spotter-verified Local Storm Reports from Ward County described nickel-sized hail in Monahans at 9:50 PM CDT. No additional NWS local storm reports in this dataset documented structural collapse or widespread tree damage within Alpine city limits.

Radar-derived hail cores show larger stones occurred along portions of the track outside of the documented spotter locations. Where those cores crossed populated routes and roadside property, risk included denting to vehicle body panels, pitting on exposed metal, and localized impact to fragile exterior fixtures. The available ground-truth does not include verified large-scale roof failures or commercial building losses for Alpine in the NWS reports provided with this event.

Survey and claims teams responding in Alpine and adjacent counties should treat reported Monahans impacts as part of the same multi-zone event and expect variability in damage density. Areas that intersected persistent radar cores are the highest priority for on-site verification. Document visible impact on vehicle fleets, solar arrays, skylights, and HVAC housings with date- and time-stamped photos tied to location coordinates.

What Contractors Should Know

Inspect roofs for concentrated granule loss on asphalt shingles and for localized denting on metal panels. Prioritize inventory checks for commercial fleets and farm equipment near the Monahans corridor; nickel-sized hail commonly produces dents and paint damage on unprotected vehicles. For residential work in Alpine, begin with photographic roof scans and gutter-line inspections. Note any hairline fractures in skylights or micro-cracking in PV glass even when field reports are limited.