Forbes, MN Hail Storm – July 2026

A severe hail storm tracked through Forbes, MN, on July 26–27, 2026. The storm produced grapefruit-size stones and generated 41 NWS alerts across the metro.

What Happened

The event began in the late evening on July 26, with the first radar-detected hail alert at 7:21 PM CDT. Alerts continued overnight and into the following afternoon. Dual-polarization radar returns and NWS warning-only messages alternated through the sequence, with a concentrated period of strong returns in the mid- to late-morning hours on July 27.

Radar-derived hail indications showed a progressive intensification from spotty 1-inch returns after 7 PM to larger cores after dawn. NWS warning-only polygons appeared repeatedly between the pre-dawn period and early afternoon, while dual-polarization radar flagged multiple 2–3-inch echoes during the mid-morning surge. Spotter reports and broadcast relays aligned with the radar timeline. Observers relayed baseball-size stones via mPING and amateur radio in the pre-dawn hours. Mid-morning social media and broadcast submissions included multiple photos and relays from areas northwest of Gresham and near Algoma, with time stamps near 10:28 AM CDT that match the stronger radar returns.

The sequence generated 41 distinct NWS alerts across the metro. Some alerts were radar-detected, some were NWS warning only, and several were spotter-verified or radar-plus-spotter verified. The mix of sources produced overlapping coverage through the storm's track.

Damage Assessment

Field reports and submitted photographs documented large hail on the ground and photographed stones at multiple points northwest of Gresham and in the Algoma corridor. Media relays and social posts included repeated image receipts around 10:50 AM CDT from the same general corridor. mPING and amateur radio relays recorded stones observers described as baseball-size in the early pre-dawn reports.

The photographic and relay evidence indicates concentrated surface impact along the radar-indicated corridor that passed near Forbes and extended northwest toward Gresham. Images forwarded via WLUK TV and multiple social-media posts showed intact stones collected after the storm. Local storm reports list repeated spotter-verified entries for the morning window, including several independent photo submissions from nearby locations.

At this stage, the observable impacts in field reports are limited to photographed hail and observer relay measurements at specific points. Photographs and relays are clustered in the mid-morning corridor; areas outside that corridor show fewer or no field submissions in the available local storm reports.

What Contractors Should Know

Inspect roofs and exterior equipment first in Forbes and along the corridor northwest of Gresham and toward Algoma. Start with photographic triage of addresses that match social-media and broadcast-image locations with time stamps near 10:28–10:50 AM CDT. Expect localized, high-impact loss where spotter imagery and radar returns overlap. Prioritize shingle granule loss, bruising to architectural shingles, dented metal coping, and compromised skylights in those clusters.