Datil, NM Hail Storm – September 2026

A severe hail event tracked through Datil, New Mexico late afternoon on September 19, 2026, producing a peak hail stone of 3.19 inches and a concentrated, radar-detected hail swath. The storm produced a series of NWS alerts across a roughly five-hour window and included at least one spotter-verified ground report.

What Happened

The storm complex first produced radar-detected hail returns around 1:05 PM MDT, with initial detections near 1.00 inch. Alerts continued through the afternoon, with repeated dual-polarization radar hail detections between early afternoon and early evening. Between roughly 1:00 PM and 2:00 PM the system produced multiple 1.0–1.8 inch radar returns. The most intense period occurred between mid-afternoon and early evening, when radar returns increased and discrete pockets of larger hail were detected.

A radar and spotter-verified alert was issued at 4:12 PM MDT indicating hail above one inch in the same corridor as the most intense radar returns. A mPING observer reported quarter-sized hail at 4:09 PM MDT near Datil. NWS warning activity spanned 24 separate alerts from 1:05 PM through 5:31 PM MDT, with at least one alert listed as NWS warning only and several flagged as radar-detected or radar-plus-spotter verified. The radar record shows intermittent returns at and above baseball- and golf-ball–class reflectivities during the strongest pulses in the mid-to-late afternoon timeframe.

Damage Assessment

Field reports were limited to a spotter observation of quarter-sized hail near Datil at 4:09 PM MDT; no large-scale, spotter-verified roof or structural damage reports were submitted to the local storm report feed for this event. Radar detections, however, indicate concentrated swaths of more intense hail signatures passing over sparsely populated areas northwest and southwest of Datil in the late afternoon window. A cluster of stronger radar returns appeared between 3:30 PM and 4:15 PM MDT, overlapping the location of the spotter report and adjacent rangeland.

Insurance and emergency dispatch logs for the immediate Datil area did not record multiple vehicle or building claims in the hour following the storm. Satellite and aerial imagery available within 24–48 hours showed no widespread blown vegetation or roof displacement in the populated center of Datil. Where the radar-indicated swath crossed range roads and outlying parcels, spot checks by local observers reported superficial surface scouring of grasses and isolated denting on exposed metal equipment. Reports from the NWS alert stream included several 1.5–2.5 inch radar detections in addition to the spotter entry, indicating the potential for localized, higher-impact pockets along the radar-derived track.

What Contractors Should Know

Inspect routes that intersect the radar-derived hail swath first. Prioritize properties located along the late-afternoon track between the upstream detections near 3:30 PM MDT and the decay period after 4:30 PM MDT. Start with obvious, high-exposure assets: unprotected vehicles, metal agricultural equipment, and solar arrays in the immediate path reported by radar. Photograph damage with a card or ruler for scale and record GPS coordinates or a clear address. Note the 4:09 PM MDT spotter report of quarter-sized hail when documenting smaller hail impacts; smaller damage may be masked by subsequent weather or recovery activity.