Bowman, ND Hail Storm – August 2026

A severe hail storm tracked through Bowman, North Dakota on August 10, 2026, producing 5.11-inch hail and a chain of radar-detected cores with multiple spotter-verified surface reports during the late evening.

What Happened

Activity began in the early evening and intensified after sunset. The first radar-detected hail alert issued at 6:39 PM CDT showed a roughly 1.75-inch signature. Dual-polarization radar continued to flag multiple hail cores between 6:39 PM and 12:59 AM CDT the next morning, with NWS warning-only alerts embedded in the sequence. Key radar-detected alerts included detections near 7:23 PM CDT (about 1.96 inches), 8:10 PM CDT (about 2.67 inches), and a large radar core at 9:11 PM CDT that registered a larger multi-inch signature.

Spotter reports matched the radar sequence across the storm corridor. A train spotter reported golf-ball size hail with crop damage at 7:25 PM CDT. Public photos south of Scranton provided corroborating images at about 7:30 PM CDT. Near the intersection of Chance Road and Usta Road a measured 2.00-inch stone was recorded at 9:30 PM CDT, a measurement accompanied by a photo submitted via social media and time estimated using radar. Additional spotter-verified observations documented hail-covered ground at 9:04 PM CDT and smaller, mostly nickel-sized stones with heavy rain at 8:53 PM CDT. A later spotter entry at 10:45 PM CDT recorded smaller stones and adjusted timing based on radar analysis.

The alert sequence spanned roughly six hours and included a mix of radar-detected cores and NWS warning-only alerts. Radar returns and the cluster of spotter reports trace a continuous hail-bearing track across the Bowman metro area and adjacent rural sections, with the most intense radar signatures occurring in the late evening window.

Damage Assessment

Field reports indicate crop damage reported in the vicinity of the 7:25 PM CDT train-spotter observation. The measured 2.00-inch stone near Chance Road and Usta Road provides documented physical evidence of substantial surface impact at that location. Multiple public photos from south of Scranton corroborate widespread hail fall there during the 7:30 PM CDT timeframe.

Observers noted ground cover from hail at 9:04 PM CDT. That local report, paired with strong radar cores identified around the same times, indicates surface accumulation sufficient to blanket fields at specific points along the storm track. Other spotter entries described mostly heavy rain with only nickel-size hail near 8:53 PM CDT and smaller stones later at 10:45 PM CDT, indicating spatial variability in stone size along the path.

No specific, verified roof or vehicle damage reports were received in the local storm reports supplied with this page. Reported impacts are concentrated on agricultural loss and documented measured stones and photos at the locations cited above.