Layton, UT Hail Storm – September 2026

A severe hailstorm tracked through Layton, UT on September 18, 2026, producing 2.3-inch stones in the early afternoon. The event generated a sequence of radar hail alerts and multiple spotter-verified reports along an east-northeast track.

What Happened

NWS issued five hail alerts between 1:29 PM MDT and 2:31 PM MDT. Dual-polarization NEXRAD hail detection first flagged 1.25-inch echoes at 1:29 PM MDT, followed by increasing reflectivity at 1:44 PM MDT indicating 1.5-inch hail, and a peak radar signature at 1:55 PM MDT indicating 2.3-inch hail. Subsequent radar flags after 2:20 PM MDT showed decreasing hail size as the system moved east.

Spotter reports supplemented the radar timeline. At 1:45 PM MDT, social-media photos submitted to the NWS office placed 1.5-inch, ping-pong ball-sized hail in Kaysville just west of I-15. A separate spotter network submission at 2:38 PM MDT documented 1.5-inch hail on the northern fringe of the metro area. The radar-detected hail track and the spotter locations align on an east-northeast traverse through Kaysville into northern Layton during the early afternoon.

Cloud tops and cell motion on radar indicated a fast-moving convective pulse. The NWS warning area for the storm covered the broader corridor encompassing Kaysville and Layton during the alert window. Observers reported discrete hail occurrences rather than prolonged cover over a single neighborhood.

Damage Assessment

Field reports did not include formal local storm reports of large-scale structural collapse. Photographs submitted via social media show stones at ground level and were used by NWS staff to verify hail size at the Kaysville location. The repeated spotter-verified 1.5-inch observations at 1:45 PM MDT and 2:38 PM MDT indicate that ping-pong ball-sized hail affected at least two locations along the radar track.

Radar returns consistent with the 1:29 PM to 1:55 PM MDT alert window suggest the strongest hail core passed just west-to-northwest of central Layton. Reported impacts from the event were localized where spotters photographed hail. No aggregated inventory of vehicle or roof claims has been provided in the public spotter submissions for Layton as of the event closure.

Damage indicators in the available images are limited to ground-level deposits and photographic verification of stone size. Where 1.5-inch stones were observed, expect localized denting on exposed vehicle panels and damage to unprotected, soft building materials. The distribution of spotter reports implies an irregular swath rather than uniform coverage across the entire NWS warning area.

What Contractors Should Know

Inspect Kaysville and the northern Layton corridor first. Prioritize vehicles and metal roofing along routes west of I-15 where spotter photos were submitted. Start with a visual inventory for panel dents, broken exterior trim, and concentrated hail accumulation locations. Photograph conditions in place and geotag or log coordinates for each inspected asset.