Fort Morgan, CO Hail Storm – July 2026

Fort Morgan, Colorado recorded a late-afternoon to early-evening hail event on July 9, 2026. Peak stones measured 2.61 inches and the event produced multiple radar-detected and NWS-warning-only alerts across the metro.

What Happened

The storm moved across the Fort Morgan metro beginning in the late afternoon and persisted into the early evening on July 9, 2026. The National Weather Service issued 12 alerts for the event, with the first at 5:26 PM MDT and the last at 9:24 PM MDT. Five of those alerts included dual-polarization radar returns that indicated hail signatures. Seven alerts were issued as NWS-warning-only reports without coincident radar hail signatures.

Radar-detected hail reports included multiple returns above one inch in diameter. Notable radar detections occurred at 5:26 PM MDT (radar-detected 1.25-inch signature), 5:48 PM MDT (1.1-inch), 6:56 PM MDT (1.0-inch), 7:46 PM MDT (1.0-inch), and 8:12 PM MDT (1.53-inch). The alert sequence shows periods of radar-verified hail embedded within a broader NWS warning area that extended across the Fort Morgan metro.

The event concluded the same evening. Local observations and follow-up mapping show a concentrated hail swath through and north of the city limits corresponding to the sequence of alerts.

Damage Assessment

Hail diameters reported or detected during the event ranged from roughly three-quarter inch radar returns up through stones exceeding two and a half inches. Stones in the 1.0- to 1.5-inch range frequently dent metal, crack older asphalt shingles, and damage unshielded vehicle surfaces. Hail exceeding two inches can fracture windshields, severely damage roof coverings, and compromise skylights and exposed mechanical equipment.

Field reports and damage surveys within the Fort Morgan metro should focus on residential roofing, parked vehicles, agricultural equipment, and rooftop-mounted HVAC units along the mapped swath. Photographic documentation and impact-location notes tied to addresses within the NWS alert area will assist claims and repair prioritization.

What Contractors Should Know

Begin with a safety-first roof access assessment. Use fall protection and confirm deck integrity before placing traffic on a roof. Conduct a systematic photo log: global shots showing the property, intermediate shots of building elevations, and close-ups of individual hail impacts and granule loss. Note the time and GPS location for each photo relative to the NWS alert area.

For roofing teams, prioritize systems with visible membrane punctures, fractured shingles along ridges and hips, and concentrated shingle loss on windward exposures. For vehicles and metal panels, document dents and fractured glass separately from roofing. Provide clients with clear scopes of work that separate immediate temporary repairs from full-system replacements. Coordinate with insurers using the photo log and mapped strike locations.