Spearfish, SD Hail Storm – July 2026

A severe hail storm tracked through Spearfish, South Dakota on July 3, 2026, producing stones up to 3.18 inches and a series of radar-detected and spotter-verified cells from midday into the evening.

What Happened

Radar first flagged hail-producing echoes over Spearfish near midday. A dual-polarization radar detection at 12:04 PM CDT indicated 1.25-inch hail. Multiple spotter reports followed. A 12:02 PM CDT observer placed hail along Hillsview Road about 3 miles west of Main Street and submitted photos via social media. A 12:10 PM CDT report described dented vehicles on Upper Valley Road.

Through the afternoon the storm complex produced recurring hail signatures and NWS warnings. Between mid-afternoon and early evening the system cycled, issuing 19 NWS alerts overall. Several later cells showed stronger radar returns with spotter verification around 3:20 PM CDT and again near 3:59 PM CDT when observers corroborated larger stones. Some alerts were issued on NWS warning only determinations; others were supported by dual-polarization radar detection and direct spotter confirmation.

Field reports concentrated on the northwest side of Spearfish and the Upper Valley/Hillsview corridors. Early social-media photos noted multiple 1–1.25 inch stones collected and photographed just after the initial radar detections. mPING and local observer submissions provided time-stamped surface observations that matched the midday radar activity.

Damage Assessment

Surface impact reports show vehicle denting and photo-documented hail accumulation in northwest Spearfish and along Hillsview Road. A 12:10 PM CDT field report specifically described vehicles dented on Upper Valley Road. A separate 12:05 PM CDT social-media photo package showed multiple stones in the 1–1.25 inch range collected by residents near Hillsview Road.

Reports do not indicate widespread structural collapse, but several localized impacts were documented. The inventory of ground-truth items includes time-stamped photos and first-hand observer notes of quarter- to dime-sized stones in some spots and larger stones where spotters and radar aligned. The mix of radar-detected signatures and spotter submissions suggests the most severe surface impacts were clustered along the northwest approaches to town and the Upper Valley/Hillsview corridor.

Insurance and repair contractors should expect a geographically patchy loss pattern. Vehicle dents were explicitly cited in the Upper Valley Road report. Photographic evidence submitted via social media and mPING supports targeted surface impacts rather than uniform coverage across Spearfish.

What Contractors Should Know

Start inspections in the northwest quadrant of Spearfish, focusing on residences and parked vehicles near Upper Valley Road and Hillsview Road. Prioritize properties with photo submissions or time-stamped social-media reports. For roofs, look for granule loss on shingle shoulders, bruising on asphalt shingles, and impact marks on metal trim. Document each finding with date- and time-stamped photos and include reference shots that show the street or notable landmark for location verification.