Glen Dale, WV Hail Storm – August 2026

A severe hail storm moved through Glen Dale, West Virginia late afternoon into early evening on August 10, 2026, producing a 2.5-inch peak hailstone and a concentrated hail swath across the Mason County area.

What Happened

NWS warnings began in the early afternoon and continued through the overnight period, with 41 separate alerts issued between Aug 10 and Aug 11. Early warnings around 1:12 PM referenced 1-inch and smaller hail as the activity developed. Dual-polarization radar first flagged significant hail signatures at 4:38 PM with a radar-derived estimate near 1.09 inches and again at 5:30 PM near 0.93 inches. Radar hail estimates intensified in the early evening, with a 1.75-inch radar detection at 6:08 PM and a 2.04-inch radar detection at 6:23 PM.

Spotters and public reports clustered around the same early-evening window. Multiple spotter-verified social media reports placed golf-ball sized hail at the Mason County fairgrounds around 6:25–6:30 PM. Separate photos posted shortly after 6:30 PM showed 1.25-inch stones. mPING submissions recorded quarter-sized hail at about 6:25 PM. The sequence of radar-detected growth followed by repeated eyewitness reports indicates a localized burst of intense hail production in the Mason County–Glen Dale corridor during the 6:20–6:40 PM period.

Damage Assessment

Surface observations and public reports show concentrated hail impacts near the Mason County fairgrounds and adjacent locales just southwest of Glen Dale. Multiple spotter-verified entries described golf ball sized stones in that area around 6:25–6:30 PM. Photo evidence timestamped about 6:37 PM showed stones measured at roughly 1.25 inches. mPING also logged quarter-sized hail at 6:25 PM in the same general timeframe.

Radar detections shortly before and during those spotter reports included a 2.04-inch radar-derived estimate at 6:23 PM and a 1.75-inch radar-derived signal at 6:08 PM. NWS-issued warnings later in the event included many warning-only updates that extended alerts across the region into the following day. The available field reports consist primarily of eyewitness size estimates and photographs rather than formal Local Storm Report damage entries. Observed impacts reported to public channels were limited to hail size observations; no broad LSR structural damage narratives appear in the collected reports for this event.

What Contractors Should Know

Concentrate initial inspections on properties and vehicles in the Mason County fairgrounds area and the immediate Glen Dale vicinity where spotter reports concentrated between 6:25 and 6:37 PM. Prioritize visible roofing systems, parked vehicles, and exposed metal surfaces that align with the reported hail swath. Take time-stamped photos of roofing granule loss, dent patterns on vehicles, and punctures or dents on metal flashing. Note the photo taken about 6:37 PM that shows 1.25-inch stones when documenting likely impact times.