Cimarron, NM Hail Storm – August 2026

A severe hail storm tracked through Cimarron, New Mexico on August 4, 2026, producing 3.08-inch stones during a late-afternoon to early-evening thunderstorm.

What Happened

NWS alerts captured the storm across a three-hour window in late afternoon and early evening. A radar-detected hail report at 3:26 PM MDT noted 1.75-inch hail near the western side of the Cimarron area. Six minutes later, at 3:32 PM MDT, a Local Storm Report from an observer at Philmont Scout Ranch documented 1.75-inch hail on the ranch's southwest property. The next notable alert at 3:58 PM MDT combined radar detection with spotter verification and indicated stones up to 2.85 inches. Subsequent radar-derived hail alerts were issued at 4:56 PM MDT and at 6:21 PM MDT with smaller radar-detected sizes.

Radar reflectivity and dual-polarization data show a concentrated hail swath that moved roughly northeast through rural valley terrain surrounding Cimarron. Spotter verification at Philmont Scout Ranch aligns with the stronger late-afternoon echo core. The sequence of radar and spotter reports indicates a storm that intensified in the mid-to-late afternoon, produced discrete pockets of very large hail within a broader hail-producing structure, and then weakened by early evening as it moved away from town.

Damage Assessment

Surface impact is documented primarily at Philmont Scout Ranch. The Local Storm Report from the ranch at 3:32 PM MDT recorded 1.75-inch hail on the southwest portion of the property. The report does not include a detailed damage narrative beyond location and size.

No additional Local Storm Reports for Cimarron on August 4 identified structural collapses or explicit roof failures. Radar-derived hail detection, however, mapped the heavier echo cores over sparsely populated ranch and county-road corridors south and east of the town. Those radar cores overlapped the southwest quadrant of Philmont Scout Ranch where the observer reported hail.

Inspectors working the site should expect localized impact patterns rather than continuous damage across town. On-ranch observations are the definitive ground-truth for this event. Focused inspections on the southwest ranch property and adjacent rural parcels are the priority. Photographic evidence and time-stamped measurements will be required where insurance claims are anticipated. Note the storm produced concentrated cores of large hail rather than a uniform swath across all of Cimarron.

What Contractors Should Know

Priority areas for field work are the southwest portion of Philmont Scout Ranch and rural parcels directly along the radar-indicated hail track northeast of the ranch. Start with exterior photographic surveys of roofs, parked vehicles, and any exposed equipment or trailers on the southwest ranch acreage. Use a calibrated ruler or scale in photos and record GPS coordinates for each sampled impact.