Allen, KS Hail Storm – September 2026

A severe hail storm tracked through Allen, KS on September 15, 2026, producing 2.18-inch stones and generating a long series of NWS warnings and radar hail detections.

What Happened

NWS issued 20 separate alerts for the Allen area between 4:31 PM CDT and 7:54 PM CDT. Early warnings through the late afternoon and early evening focused on 0.75–1.00-inch hail. Dual-polarization radar showed intensified returns at 7:09 PM CDT consistent with larger hail. Radar continued to produce 1.0-inch detections through the final warnings at 7:54 PM CDT.

Spotter and public reports accompanied the warning sequence. Observers submitted multiple social media and mPING reports with time estimates from radar. At 6:06 PM CDT an mPING submission recorded half dollar-sized stones (1.25 inches). At 6:02 PM CDT a social media post estimated ping pong-sized hail (1.50 inches). Two separate spotter-verified social media reports noted golf ball-sized hail (1.75 inches) around 6:08 PM CDT and again near 7:06 PM CDT. Several quarter-sized (1.00 inch) reports clustered between 5:45 PM CDT and 6:45 PM CDT.

The timeline shows a progression from smaller, frequent 0.75–1.00-inch alerts to intermittent radar returns and spotter reports indicating larger stones in the early evening. Radar-detected larger returns and the sequence of spotter-verified sizes align in time, with peak radar intensity near 7:09 PM CDT.

Damage Assessment

Local storm reports for Allen contain multiple size-only observations submitted via social media and mPING. Those reports indicate a mix of quarter-sized to golf ball-sized hail across the town during the evening. No widely distributed structural damage reports appear in the local storm report entries for this event. Observers recorded quarter-sized (1.00 inch), half dollar (1.25 inches), ping pong (1.50 inches), and golf ball (1.75 inches) stones at times estimated from radar.

Vehicle, roofing, and outdoor equipment impact potential is highest where observers reported the larger stones between about 6:00 PM CDT and 7:10 PM CDT. The pattern of spotter reports and the radar hail track suggests impacts were localized rather than uniform across the entire municipal area. Field reports did not include systematic damage inventories tied to individual addresses in the public Local Storm Reports.

What Contractors Should Know

Prioritize inspections in neighborhoods with multiple spotter reports between 6:00 PM CDT and 7:10 PM CDT. Start with photographic documentation of vehicle panels, exposed HVAC units, and south- and west-facing roof slopes. Note the time-stamped spotter sizes in your records; the event produced a range of stone diameters from 1.00 inch to 1.75 inches in observed reports.

Expect a mixed damage profile. Stones in the 1.25–1.75-inch range commonly cause visible shingle granule loss, bruising on asphalt shingles, and dents on aluminum gutters and metal flashings. For properties without obvious material breach, document cosmetic versus functional damage separately. For vehicles, record dent location and panel photos from multiple angles before any repair work.