Haxtun, CO Hail Storm – September 2026

A severe hail-producing storm moved through Haxtun, Colorado on September 20, 2026, producing a peak 2.41-inch radar-detected hail signature and multiple spotter-verified reports. The cell tracked across the area from early to late afternoon and concluded by early evening.

What Happened

NWS issued eight separate alerts between 12:49 PM MDT and 6:10 PM MDT as the storm evolved. Dual-polarization NEXRAD flagged hail signatures at 12:49 PM, 1:25 PM, 2:05 PM, 3:11 PM and 6:10 PM MDT. NWS warning-only updates were issued at 2:03 PM, 2:19 PM and 2:28 PM MDT as the storm intensified and shifted. Radar-detected signatures grew in intensity in the early to mid-afternoon period, with the strongest radar return observed at 2:05 PM MDT.

Local storm reports supply the surface perspective. Spotters logged golf ball-sized hail (1.75") near Alvin in the late afternoon window. An LSR at 1:56 PM MDT noted a radar-estimated time and location for 1.75" hail. Social media reports at about 3:00 PM MDT and a corrected entry at 2:28 PM MDT recorded the same 1.75" (golf ball) observations near Alvin. Those spotter-verified reports correlate with the stronger radar signatures as the cell tracked east-northeast from the Haxtun area toward Alvin.

Damage Assessment

Field reports for this event are limited to hail size observations concentrated near Alvin. NWS local storm reports list three spotter-verified entries of 1.75" (golf ball-sized) hail between roughly 1:56 PM and 3:00 PM MDT, and do not include measured structural collapse or official quantified property-loss entries in the public record for Haxtun. Social-media-sourced spotter notes were used to verify on-the-ground hail size at the times listed, and one LSR explicitly corrected an earlier Alvin report at 2:28 PM MDT.

Radar-detected hail signatures extended beyond the immediate Alvin spotter locations and encompassed the broader Haxtun warning area during the afternoon run of alerts. Where radar and spotter reports overlap, expect concentrated impact potential along the east-northeast track from Haxtun toward Alvin. No additional NWS Local Storm Reports cataloging tornados, measured wind damage, or widespread structural failures appeared in the event record.

What Contractors Should Know

Priority inspections should focus on properties and assets along the storm track east-northeast of Haxtun through Alvin. Begin with vehicle fleets, farm equipment, and exposed metal structures in the Alvin vicinity where spotter-verified 1.75" hail was reported. Document dent patterns, paint fractures, and punctures with time-stamped photos and GPS coordinates to match follow-up canvasses to the reported 1:56 PM–3:00 PM MDT window.

Roof evaluations should start on south- and west-facing slopes along the radar-overlapped path. Check for localized shingle granule loss, bruising on asphalt shingles, cracked skylight glazing, and impact marks on solar arrays. Prioritize commercial low-slope roofs and recently reroofed homes first; tie each inspection to measured spotter times and the radar-flagged alert intervals to support claims and repair planning.