Hurley, NM Hail Storm – August 2026

A severe hail storm moved through Hurley, New Mexico on August 1, 2026, producing stones up to 1.84 inches and generating a series of radar hail alerts and spotter reports across the late afternoon and early evening.

What Happened

The event began in the late afternoon and produced multiple NWS-issued alerts over a four-and-a-half-hour span. The first radar-detected hail alert issued at 3:27 PM MDT. Subsequent radar alerts were issued at 4:00 PM MDT, 4:23 PM MDT, 4:54 PM MDT, and 6:59 PM MDT. A final NWS warning-only alert issued at 7:53 PM MDT with no radar hail measurement attached.

Two local spotters filed the primary ground reports. Both reported 1.5-inch hail around 3:50 PM MDT, with the time estimated by radar. Dual-polarization radar (NEXRAD hail detection) tracked intermittent returns consistent with hail production as the line crossed the Hurley area. Radar-derived hail values rose and fell through the event, prompting repeated alerts as the storm cells redeveloped and translated eastward.

Damage Assessment

Surface impacts reported to the NWS were limited to the two spotter entries at 3:50 PM MDT. No additional local storm reports or public safety damage reports were filed with the NWS for properties in Hurley during this event. Photographic or municipal claims were not included in the official NWS entries for this storm.

Radar-detected hail alerts indicate the storm produced concentrated hail cores as it moved through the town and surrounding rural parcels. Five of the six NWS alerts contained radar hail detections; the sixth, later warning at 7:53 PM MDT, was issued as a warning-only alert without a radar hail measurement. The pattern of repeated radar alerts with an early pair of spotter-verified reports is consistent with localized surface impacts rather than an extensive, continuous swath of damage across the entire metro area.

No NWS local storm reports linked structural failures, large-scale roof loss, or heavy damage claims to this event. Contractors and loss adjusters should treat the storm as a localized hail event with isolated impacts centered on the areas where spotters were active in late afternoon.

What Contractors Should Know

Schedule exterior inspections in Hurley within 72 hours. Begin with properties exposed to the storm during the late afternoon window centered around 3:30–4:30 PM MDT. Prioritize visible assets: roofing material, roof-mounted equipment, parked vehicles, solar panels, and HVAC units. Use a consistent photographic scale when documenting dents and pocks. Note the time of inspection, GPS coordinates, and a brief description of exterior exposures.

Perform a two-stage inspection workflow. First, complete a surface-level drive-by and photographic triage to identify likely hits. Second, complete a hands-on rooftop assessment where safe access exists, focusing on granular loss on asphalt shingles, impact cratering on metal panels, and fractured seals around skylights. For commercial flat roofs, check membrane punctures and rooftop unit casings. Record serial numbers and take close-up images of suspected hail impact marks with a ruler or known-size object in frame.