Brainerd, MN Hail Storm – June 2026

A severe hail storm tracked through the Brainerd, MN area on June 19, 2026, producing a multi-zone hail track and spotter-verified stones up to 2.25 inches. The event generated 33 NWS alerts between 1:59 PM and 7:57 PM CDT, with a mix of radar-detected signatures and NWS warning-only issuances.

What Happened

Storm initiation began in the early afternoon and produced repeated NWS alerts from 1:59 PM CDT onward. Dual-polarization radar detected multiple 1-inch signatures through mid-afternoon. Around 3:31 PM CDT a trained spotter reported pea-size hail transitioning to golf-ball size in one location, consistent with a radar-detected 1.75-inch signature at 3:32 PM CDT. Activity intensified in the late afternoon and early evening. Between about 5:29 PM and 5:32 PM CDT multiple mPING and spotter submissions reported golf-ball and hen-egg sized hail near the I-35 and Hwy 36 corridor. Radar again showed elevated hail signatures at 5:49 PM CDT.

At 6:05 PM CDT two separate photographic submissions from St Paul recorded stones slightly larger than 2 inches; these images were logged as spotter-verified 2.25-inch hail. Additional photo reports and social media submissions between 5:31 PM and 6:45 PM CDT documented 1.5–1.75-inch stones in several locations. The sequence concluded with the final NWS alert at 7:57 PM CDT. The alert set includes both radar-detected reports and NWS warning-only messages across the multi-zone track.

Damage Assessment

Photographs and observer submissions show direct surface impacts concentrated along the metro corridor south of Brainerd, including the I-35/Hwy 36 corridor and St Paul. Multiple image-based reports at 6:05 PM CDT in St Paul show large stones placed next to common size references. mPING entries at 5:32 PM CDT and trained-spotter calls at 3:31 PM CDT corroborate repeated strong updraft cycles and localized intense hail cores along the track.

Collected local storm reports in this dataset do not include specific structural or vehicle damage claims tied to individual addresses. The available evidence is photographic and observational. Inspection priorities should follow the mapped report locations where photo documentation exists — primarily St Paul and the I-35/Hwy 36 corridor — because those locations contain time-stamped visual proof of significant hailfall during the late afternoon and early evening reporting window.

What Contractors Should Know

Prioritize inspections in St Paul and the suburbs along I-35 and Hwy 36 where photo and observer reports are clustered. Schedule teams for surface-level roof and vehicle assessments first. Note the event timeline: concentrated reports occurred between about 5:29 PM and 6:10 PM CDT, with photographic confirmation at 6:05 PM CDT. Time-stamped images strengthen assignment triage and claims documentation.

Document each inspection with location coordinates, time, and scale photos beside common references. Focus initial checks on roofing composite granule loss, isolated impact fractures to skylights and solar arrays, and windshield chips on vehicles parked outdoors near the reported photo sites. Use the sequence of radar-detected signatures and spotter-verified reports to prioritize contiguous neighborhoods before expanding to peripheral zones.