Bay St. Louis, MS Hail Storm – August 2026

A severe hail storm moved through Bay St. Louis, MS on August 21, 2026, producing 3.37-inch hail and triggering 79 NWS warning-area alerts across the metro.

What Happened

The event began in mid-afternoon and persisted into the early evening, with repeated hail pulses detected by dual-polarization radar and covered by NWS warning areas. Of the 79 NWS alerts assigned to the storm, 19 were identified from dual-polarization radar detections and the remainder were issued as NWS warning-only messages. Radar pulses of note included a strong detection at 3:59 PM CDT that registered a 2.77-inch radar-derived signal and additional dual-polarization detections near 2:15 PM CDT, 3:29 PM CDT, and 5:47 PM CDT.

Field reports provide surface confirmation across the western and central metro. At 2:22 PM CDT broadcast media reported half-dollar sized hail just west of Waveland on Clermont Blvd. Public photos and video at 2:43 PM CDT documented half-dollar hail along Oneal Road. Quarter-sized hail was shared to media near Irish Channel around 3:34 PM CDT. Observers in Mendenhall posted nickel-sized hail to social media at 4:36 PM CDT. Those spotter-verified observations align with the series of radar-detected hail pulses that moved through the warning area between mid-afternoon and early evening.

Damage Assessment

Local storm reports for this event consist primarily of photographic and video evidence; none of the submitted local storm reports listed structural failures in Bay St. Louis, Waveland, Oneal Road, Irish Channel, or Mendenhall. Photos from Oneal Road and Clermont Blvd show stone accumulation on paved surfaces and vehicles. Media-supplied video and public pictures near Irish Channel and in Waveland document persistent hail during passage of heavier radar returns.

Radar and spotter data together indicate the heaviest surface impacts were concentrated along the storm's swath through western Bay St. Louis and neighboring communities. Dual-polarization detections at multiple times correspond with the locations where observers captured half-dollar and quarter-sized stones. Field submissions from 2:22 PM CDT to 4:36 PM CDT show the highest density of photographic evidence within that timeframe and geography. Where images show hail on exposed surfaces and vehicle roofs, contractors should expect localized impact marks, broken windshield or dent patterns, and surface abrasion consistent with stones collected in the public photos.

What Contractors Should Know

Prioritize inspections in the corridors named by observers: Clermont Blvd west of Waveland, Oneal Road, Irish Channel, and Mendenhall. Begin with overhead assets and vehicle fleets photographed in public submissions. Inspect roof coverings for discrete impact pits and examine vehicle panels and windshield glass for chips in the areas where public imagery was recorded between roughly 2:15 PM CDT and 4:45 PM CDT.

Bay St. Louis, MS Hail Storm – August 2026

NWS WARNING AREAS · 80

What Happened

Damage Assessment

What Contractors Should Know

Storm Details

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