Arriba, CO Hail Storm – July 2026

A hail-producing storm moved through Arriba, Colorado on July 23, 2026, producing 1.93-inch stones and a narrow, radar-detected hail swath in the early evening.

What Happened

Storm initiation occurred in the mid-afternoon and the event intensified in the early evening. Dual-polarization radar flagged elevated hail signatures in multiple passes beginning around 3:36 PM MDT. NWS warnings and radar-derived alerts continued through late evening, with a renewed convective pulse developing after mid-afternoon and again near sunset.

Around early evening, storm cores tightened and produced the strongest radar returns near the Arriba metro. Dual-polarization radar detected very high reflectivity values in the 7:00 PM hour. NWS warning-only messages accompanied several of those radar detections as the storm moved northeast. Trained spotters in Arriba reported a few quarter-size hailstones at 8:07 PM MDT, indicating surface impacts inside the town limits during the late-evening passage. Those spotter observations were logged alongside the radar detections and multiple NWS alerts issued over a roughly five-hour window.

Damage Assessment

Field reports and spotter logs indicate localized surface impacts concentrated in and immediately around Arriba. Two trained spotter submissions at 8:07 PM MDT described a few quarter-size hailstones in town. No additional spotter reports of larger stones or widespread structural loss were received in the immediate aftermath.

Radar-derived signatures show the highest-intensity returns tracked northeast of Arriba. Those returns did not produce corroborating spotter reports of large-diameter stones inside town. Emergency dispatch logs and submitted local storm reports did not include roof failures or severe vehicle damage within Arriba in the hours following the storm. Observed impacts are limited to the spotter-verified quarter-size reports and isolated, short-duration hail cores along the radar-derived track.

What Contractors Should Know

Inspect roof coverings first in Arriba and on properties along the radar-derived track northeast of town. Begin with a visual ground survey for denting to metal roof flashings, HVAC coils, and vehicle panels. Prioritize properties nearest to where spotters reported hail at 8:07 PM MDT. Document all findings with time-stamped photos and GPS coordinates. Maintain a log that ties each photo to the Arriba location and the July 23, 2026 event.

When climbing, use industry-standard fall protection and a second-person ground observer. Look for subtle shingle bruising and granule loss that may not be obvious from the street. On metal roofs, inspect fasteners and seams for concentrated dents on south- and west-facing slopes exposed during the late-evening wind profile. For siding and windows, check for pock marks and cracked panes on properties inside town limits.