Hayward, WI Hail Storm – June 2026

A severe hail storm tracked across Hayward, WI on June 24, 2026, producing 2.34-inch stones and generating a long series of NWS warning areas from early afternoon into the evening.

What Happened

The storm initiated in the early afternoon and produced 74 NWS alerts between 1:01 PM CDT and 8:50 PM CDT. Dual-polarization radar repeatedly detected hail cores throughout the afternoon. Early radar detections began at 1:01 PM CDT with near-inch echoes and intensified through mid- to late afternoon. Radar returns showed near-2.0-inch cores around 4:22 PM CDT and 4:42 PM CDT, and additional strong cores were present in the 6:00–7:00 PM CDT window.

NWS warning-only alerts accompanied several radar detections, including two point alerts near 5:57 PM CDT and 6:08 PM CDT that cited 2-inch hail in the warning area. Spotter-verified observations arrived throughout the event. A spotter near Huntly reported 1.75-inch hail at 5:25 PM CDT. A separate spotter verification recorded 1.5-inch hail at 6:03 PM CDT. Multiple mPING submissions recorded half-dollar and quarter-size hail in late afternoon and early evening near county roads and small communities around Hayward. Social media photos and a COOP observer report further corroborated widespread small- to mid-size hail across the warning area.

The storm moved in a generally east-northeast direction across the Hayward metro area. Radar-detected cores and spotter reports clustered along a corridor that included Huntly, Byron, and local roads identified in field submissions. NWS warnings and radar-detected hail echoes continued to pulse through the early evening before the system concluded around 8:50 PM CDT.

Damage Assessment

Field reports and imagery indicate localized surface impacts concentrated near Huntly, Byron, and the Rich Road/Schafer Road area. A social media photo submitted at approximately 12:50 PM CDT documented dime- to quarter-size stones with approximate location and time. A photo shared at 6:26 PM CDT showed multiple nickel-size stones and one quarter-size stone near Rich Road and Schafer Road. Amateur radio and mPING reports around 5:37–5:42 PM CDT relayed quarter-size hail near Byron, with time estimates aligned to radar returns.

Two spotter-verified reports cited larger stones. The Huntly report at 5:25 PM CDT noted stones large enough to dent vehicle panels in exposed parking. The 6:03 PM CDT spotter verification noted similar roof- and vehicle-level impacts. Multiple mPING reports at 4:56 PM CDT and 6:01 PM CDT logged half-dollar size hail in separate locations. The COOP observer PLOW3 logged smaller stones near 6:56 PM CDT.

Damage patterns were patchy. Photographic evidence shows concentrated deposits in short swaths along county roads and at property perimeters where exposure was highest. Radar cores with near-2.0-inch signatures correspond with the larger spotter reports in time and general location, while numerous NWS warning-only alerts document broader areas that experienced smaller, damaging hail. Inspectors in the reported corridors should expect localized shingle granule loss, denting on metal surfaces, and isolated broken vents or gutters where objects were directly exposed.

Hayward, WI Hail Storm – June 2026

NWS WARNING AREAS · 76

What Happened

Damage Assessment

Storm Details

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