St. Johns, MI Hail Storm – July 2026

A hail-producing storm tracked through St. Johns, Michigan on July 15, 2026, producing maximum radar-detected stones of 1.58 inches and prompting multiple NWS warnings in the early evening. The event generated a spotter-verified social media photo documenting quarter-sized hail during the warning period.

What Happened

The National Weather Service issued four sequential severe thunderstorm warnings that covered the St. Johns NWS alert area between 6:52 PM EDT and 7:50 PM EDT on July 15. The first warning began at 6:52 PM EDT (22:52 UTC) with an initial hail report of 1.25 inches listed in the warning text and designated as NWS warning only. A follow-up warning at 6:58 PM EDT (22:58 UTC) cited 1-inch hail in the NWS warning only text. A later warning at 7:32 PM EDT (23:32 UTC) again referenced 1-inch hail, followed by a final warning at 7:50 PM EDT (23:50 UTC) that maintained a 1-inch hail reference.

Dual-polarization radar tracked a compact hail swath through the St. Johns area concurrent with the series of warnings. A spotter-verified social media photo logged at 7:19 PM EDT (23:19 UTC) estimated hail of roughly quarter size. That field observation aligns with the warning timeline and the radar-detected hail echoes that persisted across the NWS alert area in the early evening.

Damage Assessment

Ground reports for this event are limited. The single spotter-verified social media photo at 7:19 PM EDT is the only field report recorded in the available local storm logs for the St. Johns area. No additional Local Storm Reports or SPC observer entries filed during this event documented structural failures, vehicle damage, or injuries in the city or immediate vicinity.

Radar-derived hail detection shows concentrated returns over the St. Johns NWS alert area coincident with the warnings. Where the photo was taken, observers described impact on exposed horizontal surfaces and yards, but no formal claims or municipal damage reports tied to this event were published in the available post-storm record. Municipal crews and residents who reported observations described scattered rock-like impacts rather than localized collapse or widespread structural compromise.

What Contractors Should Know

Prioritize inspections for properties within the St. Johns NWS alert area and surrounding parcels where residents reported visible impacts. Start with rooftop surveys from the ground and then ladder-based close inspection where safe. Look for shingle bruising, granule loss on asphalt shingles, denting on metal flashings and HVAC condenser housings, and broken skylight glazing. Photograph each finding with a timestamp and GPS coordinate or clear address reference.

Inspect vehicles, outbuildings, and satellite dishes parked or located in driveways and yards on the south and central sides of town where the radar swath was strongest. Document dent patterns and take a series of high-resolution images from multiple angles. For roofs that show granular loss or bruising but no missing shingles, advise clients on short-term measures to protect underlayment and schedule a warranty-eligible assessment if the roof is near the end of its expected service life.