Clancy, MT Hail Storm – July 2026

A severe hail event moved through Clancy, Montana on July 16, 2026, producing a peak hail size of 3.04 inches and multiple radar-detected hail pulses in the late afternoon and early evening.

What Happened

The storm developed into a multi-cell hail producer during late afternoon and persisted into early evening on July 16. The National Weather Service issued a sequence of 12 alerts for the Clancy warning area between 3:23 PM MDT and 7:02 PM MDT. Dual-polarization radar detected repeated hail cores; one NWS alert was issued as a warning-only report. Key radar-derived detections in the sequence included:

• 3:23 PM MDT – 1.50 in hail – radar-detected
• 3:40 PM MDT – 1.67 in hail – radar-detected
• 3:55 PM MDT – 1.33 in hail – radar-detected
• 4:14 PM MDT – 1.75 in hail – radar-detected
• 4:25 PM MDT – 1.25 in hail – radar-detected
• 4:29 PM MDT – 1.25 in hail – NWS warning only
• 4:44 PM MDT – 1.38 in hail – radar-detected
• 5:02 PM MDT – 1.45 in hail – radar-detected
• 5:23 PM MDT – 2.04 in hail – radar-detected
• 5:37 PM MDT – 1.48 in hail – radar-detected
• 5:55 PM MDT – 1.65 in hail – radar-detected
• 7:02 PM MDT – 1.38 in hail – radar-detected

Radar returns indicate multiple hail cores tracked across the same general corridor through the Clancy warning area. The storm is concluded. Peak hail measurements reached 3.04 inches during the event.

Damage Assessment

Radar-detected hail along the Clancy hail track ranged from roughly 1.25 to 3.04 inches. Hail at and above 2.00 inches was present in the later pulses, centered near the 5:23 PM MDT detection and persisting into the early evening. Hail of this magnitude is capable of producing broken vehicle glass, significant denting to vehicle panels, and loss of asphalt shingles in areas directly under the strongest cores.

Observed radar magnitudes and the timing of the largest returns indicate the highest impact potential in the late-afternoon to early-evening corridor through Clancy. Field inspection should prioritize vehicles parked outdoors, south-facing roof slopes, skylights, and soft cladding materials in the hail track. Photographic documentation tied to location and time will support repair estimates.

What Contractors Should Know

Inspect roofs for shingle granule loss, broken or split shingles, and deformation of flashing. For hail exposures above 2 inches, plan for concentrated hail strike patterns rather than uniform wear. Begin by sampling a representative set of roof slopes and vehicle panels within the NWS warning area to establish scope before full-scale estimates.

Document each inspection with geotagged photos and time stamps. Record hail size observations where available and note correspondence to the radar-detected timeline. Coordinate with property owners to preserve damaged materials for insurance review and to prevent secondary water intrusion before repairs.