Wellington, TX Hail Storm – October 2026

A severe hail storm tracked through Wellington, TX on October 13, 2026, producing 65-inch stones and a long-lived hail signature across the region. The event produced repeated NWS warnings and radar hail detections from late afternoon into the overnight hours.

What Happened

NWS issued 15 alerts between 4:48 PM CDT on October 13 and 12:57 AM CDT on October 14. The first warning at 4:48 PM CDT cited 1.25-inch hail. Dual-polarization radar later detected larger hail cores, with notable radar returns recorded between 5:36 PM CDT and 7:12 PM CDT. Several subsequent NWS warning-only advisories tracked the storm corridor through Wellington into the late evening.

Emergency management relayed three spotter-verified reports at 5:47 PM CDT of large hail near mile marker 149 on I-40, each reporting 2.75-inch stones. Social media images received around 5:15 PM CDT showed 2.5-inch hail at a separate location and were logged as spotter-verified photographic evidence. Radar-detected hail cores occurred near the times and general locations of those ground reports, and additional radar returns continued to register smaller hail through the early morning of October 14.

Damage Assessment

Field reports show concentrated surface impacts along I-40 near mile marker 149 and at the location where social media photos documented 2.5-inch hail. Emergency management logs recorded multiple, independent spotter transmissions of large stones at 5:47 PM CDT near the I-40 location. Photographic submissions at 5:15 PM CDT documented tennis ball-sized hail at a different site west of Wellington.

Radar-detected hail cores correspond with the spotter times above. The sequence of radar detections and spotter-verified observations indicates repeated hail cores moved over the same corridor in late afternoon and early evening. Local street-level reports to emergency management and the photographic record are the primary evidence of surface impact for this event. There were no additional NWS local storm reports in the dataset beyond the listed spotter observations.

What Contractors Should Know

Focus initial inspections on properties and vehicles along the I-40 corridor near mile marker 149 and the coordinates tied to the 5:15 PM CDT photographic report. Begin with photographic documentation at approach. Record time-stamped images of roof planes, gutters, skylights, soffits, and vehicle panels before any repair work. Note compass orientation and GPS coordinates for each photo to link damage to the storm track.

Expect a mix of concentrated impacts on exposed horizontal surfaces and scattered dents on metal panels where the storm cores passed. Triage work by severity and accessibility: prioritize emergency tarp work, damaged roofing that allows water entry, and fleet vehicles used for essential services. Use a calibrated hail-measure card or reference coin sizes when documenting remaining hail, and annotate each photo with the local time (e.g., 5:47 PM CDT) tied to the spotter reports.