Burlington, ND Hail Storm – June 2026

A severe hail storm tracked through Burlington, ND on June 28, 2026, producing 3.52-inch hail and generating 18 NWS alerts.

What Happened

Initial radar-detected hail signatures appeared at 5:32 PM CDT, indicating 1.25-inch stones in the western portions of the metro. Over the next nine hours the event produced 18 NWS alerts, including 10 dual-polarization radar detections and 8 NWS warning-only alerts. The alert window ran from 5:32 PM CDT on June 28 through 2:53 AM CDT on June 29.

A spotter at 7:42 PM CDT reported hail north of New Salem up to ping-pong ball size and noted sizes ranged from dime up to ping-pong; that same report said there was no accompanying rain or wind. At 8:42 PM CDT a trained observer near Riverdale reported hail to half-dollar size, gusty winds and about 0.35 inches of rain. Riverdale also logged a quarter-sized hail report at 8:54 PM CDT.

Radar cores intensified through the evening, with notable radar-detected hail peaks near 9:50 PM CDT and a cluster of late-night radar detections between 12:24 AM and 2:53 AM CDT. Spotters recorded additional ping-pong ball reports at 12:35 AM CDT in two nearby locations. The sequence shows repeated intense cores traversing the Burlington metro and nearby towns from late afternoon into the early morning hours.

Damage Assessment

Field reports show concentrated surface impacts north of New Salem and in the Riverdale area during the late evening. The trained observer near Riverdale recorded both half-dollar-size hail and measurable rainfall at 8:42 PM CDT, which indicates simultaneous wind and surface-water loading in that location. Spotters at 7:42 PM CDT and at 12:35 AM CDT reported ping-pong ball–sized hail along the storm path, indicating pockets of larger stone accumulation across the metro's northern and eastern approaches.

There were no public spotter reports in the dataset describing collapsed structures or widespread structural failures. Observations instead document localized heavy impacts to exposed surfaces in the reported locations and periods. The radar record shows multiple intense hail cores moving through the same corridors that spotters sampled, supporting a pattern of repeated, localized large-stone strike potential rather than a single isolated pulse.

What Contractors Should Know

Prioritize inspections in the northern and eastern corridors of the Burlington metro, especially near New Salem and Riverdale. Begin exterior surveys at the first daylight opportunity and document conditions with dated photos and GPS coordinates. Check vehicle panels, rooftop shingles and metal roof seams, skylights, soffits, siding panels, and exposed HVAC condenser fins first. The trained-observer report of simultaneous gusty wind and 0.35 inches of rain near Riverdale suggests debris-driven secondary abrasion in that neighborhood; inspect gutter mounts and roof-edge flashings for loosened fasteners.