Ramah, CO Hail Storm – July 2026

A severe hail storm tracked through Ramah, Colorado on July 10, 2026, producing 2.26-inch hail and multiple radar-detected hail cores from mid-afternoon into the evening. The event generated a sequence of NWS alerts and spotter reports concentrated east of Ramah near Wild Horse.

What Happened

Storm development began in the late afternoon. Radar first flagged 1-inch hail around 3:06 PM MDT. Intermittent radar-detected hail signatures persisted into the late afternoon and early evening, with additional radar detections near 3:32 PM MDT and 5:13 PM MDT. Between about 5:53 PM MDT and 6:29 PM MDT the NWS issued a string of warning-area alerts that did not carry radar-derived hail size in their text, then radar-detected signatures returned at 6:53 PM MDT and again at 8:47 PM MDT.

Field observers provided ground-truth along the storm path. At 6:25 PM MDT a spotter reported roughly three miles of quarter-size hail near Wild Horse. At 6:42 PM MDT another observer estimated nickel-size hail accompanied by wind gusts near 60 mph. Those spotter-verified observations align with the timing of the NWS warning-area alerts in the early evening portion of the event. Radar detections and warnings together show multiple hail cores moving generally eastward from Ramah during that window.

Damage Assessment

Surface impact reports were limited and geographically focused. Spotters reported concentrated quarter-size hail along a roughly three-mile swath near Wild Horse and isolated nickel-size accumulation alongside strong wind gusts. No large-area structural collapse or widespread uprooted trees were reported in the available field notes.

Vehicle and roof exposure is most likely along the reported swath east of Ramah. The quarter-size hail swath reported at 6:25 PM MDT crosses primarily rural roads and scattered residential parcels. The nickel-size reports at 6:42 PM MDT included 60 mph gusts, a combination that increases the chance of pitting on vehicle paint and localized shingle granule loss on exposed roofing. Inspection priority should follow the ground-truth path and the contiguous radar-detected cores noted in the early evening.

There were additional radar-detected hail signatures earlier in the afternoon and later in the evening that did not generate accompanying spotter reports. Those radar returns indicate isolated hail potential beyond the two spotter locations. Limit initial inspections to the documented quarter- and nickel-size swath, then expand outward where radar-detected cores intersect property clusters or public roads.

What Contractors Should Know

Start field work with targeted inspections along County roads east of Ramah and within three miles of Wild Horse. Collect geotagged photos of vehicle panels, roof edges, and gutters where quarter- and nickel-size impacts are most identifiable. Take close-up shots of pitting, granule loss, and dent patterns against a common scale. For roofing, inspect leeward and windward eaves where 60 mph gusts reported at 6:42 PM MDT would have concentrated impact.