Ajo, AZ Hail Storm – August 2026

Ajo, AZ experienced a severe thunderstorm on August 30, 2026, in the early evening with peak hail to 1.87 inches and intermittent radar-detected cores crossing the warning area. The event produced a sequence of NWS alerts and multiple radar hail detections before concluding late evening.

What Happened

The storm event unfolded between 5:04 PM MST and 9:57 PM MST. NWS issued 16 alerts covering the Ajo area during that period. The initial alert at 5:04 PM MST was NWS warning only. Four alerts included radar-detected hail signatures at 6:07 PM MST, 7:54 PM MST (two detections), and 9:57 PM MST with radar-estimated hail diameters of 1.29", 1.38", 1.48", and 1.30" respectively. The remaining alerts were issued as NWS warning only and indicated smaller hail potential or continued storm threats.

Radar imagery showed multiple transient hail cores that moved across the NWS warning area around Ajo. The event was monitored with dual-polarization radar. The storm is concluded and no active warnings remain for the Ajo metro at this time.

Damage Assessment

Radar-detected hail during the event exceeded golf-ball scale in portions of the NWS warning area near Ajo. Hail above golf-ball size (greater than 1.75 inches) commonly causes panel and siding dents, shingle bruising, and localized vehicle damage when exposure is unmitigated. Localized concentrations of larger stones increase the risk of broken glazing on unprotected windows and concentrated damage to rooftop-mounted solar arrays.

Property exposures on the western and northern edges of the Ajo warning area should be prioritized for inspection. Public roadway and vehicle reports in the hours after the storm are consistent with intermittent, intense cores rather than a continuous long swath of large hail. Expect damage patterns to be patchy and to correlate with the radar hail cores noted above.

What Contractors Should Know

Safety first. Confirm there are no active storms before sending crews into the field. Use hard hats and high-visibility gear when working near roadways. Begin with rapid visual surveys from ground level to identify dented vehicles, cracked glass, and loose roofing material. Photograph damages with timestamps and geolocation metadata. Note the time of observation in local time (MST) and record the nearest alert time if available.

For roof and solar inspections, prioritize exposed, south- and west-facing surfaces that align with the radar-detected cores. Document hail dimensions where possible using a ruler or calibrated scale against photos. Segregate repairs into temporary and permanent actions. Secure tarps or covers for compromised roof areas and document all temporary measures. Prepare itemized repair estimates and keep separate line items for solar array hardware, glass replacement, and shingle replacement.

Refer to the Strike Map for the radar-confirmed hail swath and to align field findings with the radar-detected cores.