Nenzel, NE Hail Storm – August 2026

A severe hail-producing storm tracked through Nenzel, NE on August 24, 2026, in the late afternoon to early evening, producing stones up to 4.03 inches and multiple spotter-verified impacts.

What Happened

The event began with an NWS hail alert at 3:53 PM CDT and continued through a series of 14 NWS alerts ending at 8:26 PM CDT. Dual-polarization radar repeatedly detected elevated hail signatures along a consistent path through the Nenzel area. Alerts ranged from roughly 1 inch to radar-derived peaks near 2.7 inches before spotter reports indicated larger stones on the ground.

Observers posted social-media reports and photos around 7:22–7:25 PM CDT documenting 2.5-inch and 1.5-inch stones near Nenzel, which line up with the radar-detected cores arriving in the early evening. An observer at 6:49 PM CDT reported quarter-to-dollar sized hail accompanied by 50–60 mph winds. A 7:24 PM CDT spotter comment described several of the largest stones as ping-pong ball size while noting most were smaller. Later in the event, at about 7:45 PM CDT, field reports describe widespread pea-sized hail with sparse quarters as the convection weakened.

The sequence shows periods of strong radar reflectivity followed by spotter verification, then a gradual decay to smaller stones and scattered pea hail. Multiple radar-detected upswings correspond to the time stamps of the largest social-media and observer reports, indicating alignment between radar cores and ground impacts along the storm track through Nenzel.

Damage Assessment

Field reports and submitted photos indicate concentrated surface impact in and immediately around Nenzel during the 7:20–7:30 PM CDT window. Two independent social-media reports at 7:22 PM CDT documented stones about 2.5 inches in diameter. A separate 7:25 PM CDT photo submission showed 1.5-inch stones. Observers at 6:49 PM CDT specifically reported quarter-to-dollar sized hail with accompanying 50–60 mph wind, suggesting episodes of hail-driven wind scouring on exposed surfaces.

The mix of large isolated stones and widespread small hail implies a patchy damage pattern. Photos attached to the local storm reports show broken vegetation and dented metal panels in areas where 2.5-inch stones were reported. Reports describing ping-pong ball–sized stones at 7:24 PM CDT indicate localized risk to vehicle glass, skylights, and older asphalt shingles in those neighborhoods. Later reports of mostly pea-sized hail around 7:45 PM CDT correspond to lighter cumulative surface abrasion rather than large-stone puncture patterns.

Verified time stamps and images place the highest-impact observations within a narrow early-evening corridor through Nenzel. Wind reports concurrent with quarter-to-dollar observations increase the likelihood of wind-driven hail damage on south- and west-facing façades that were exposed when the storm core passed.