Dayton, WY Hail Storm – July 2026

Dayton, WY experienced a late-afternoon multi-zone hail event on July 8, 2026, with peak stones measuring 1.82 inches. The storm produced radar-detected and spotter-verified hail across the Dayton metro.

What Happened

Late afternoon convection moved across the Dayton metro and triggered two NWS alerts covering the warning area. The first alert issued at 4:30 PM MDT reported radar-detected echoes consistent with 1.47-inch hail. The second alert at 5:05 PM MDT included both radar detection and a spotter verification of 1.3-inch hail. NEXRAD dual-polarization signatures registered strong hail cores during the alert sequence. The event is now concluded.

Damage Assessment

Radar-flagged hail near 1.47 inches and spotter-reported stones at 1.3 inches occurred within the Dayton warning area. Stones in the 1.25–1.5-inch range have sufficient mass and hardness to dent vehicle body panels, bruise and remove granules from asphalt shingles, and crack softer roof components such as skylights or vinyl siding where impact concentration is high. Local property owners in Dayton should expect isolated to scattered impact marks on exposed vehicles and roof coverings in neighborhoods under the NWS warning area during the late-afternoon passage.

Inspections should prioritize visible denting on parked cars, concentrated granule loss on shingle surfaces, and impact abrasions on outdoor equipment and air-conditioning condensers. Where panels, vents, or thin roofing materials show perforation or fracturing, plan for immediate temporary protection to prevent water intrusion until repairs are completed.

What Contractors Should Know

Scope inspections around the Dayton metro should use a systematic grid to document hail exposure. Start with high-exposure surfaces: vehicle fleets, south- and west-facing roof slopes, and rooftop mechanicals. Record geotagged photos and scale references for each observed impact. For roofing, differentiate between surface bruising and penetrations; bruised shingles may still shed granules and require replacement to restore expected service life.

Triage repairs by risk of water entry and by concentrated damage clusters within the warning area. Provide scope estimates that list quantities of full shingle replacement versus patch repairs, and note items requiring immediate tarping. Include a dated inspection log and condition photos for each address. Communicate clearly with homeowners about typical timelines for insurance inspections and retain copies of spotter-verified and radar-derived data when available.

For precise hail track and the paid damage zone overlay, refer to the Strike Map product for exact radar-derived impact points and the hail swath for Dayton on July 8, 2026.