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A fast-moving complex of storms swept across western and north-central Nebraska on June 27, 2026, driving a 91 mph wind gust at Cody, dropping golf-ball hail (1.75") on Hay Springs, and raking Alliance and Merriman with 69 mph winds. Wind that strong tears at shingles and rips gutters loose, and golf-ball hail cracks shingles and shatters vinyl siding — leaving damage that often isn't obvious from the ground.
1.75" (Golf Ball)
Largest Hail
91 mph
Peak Wind Gust
5
Towns Hit
On the evening of June 27, 2026, a fast-moving line of severe storms tore across western and north-central Nebraska. The most extreme wind hit the Sandhills, where the Nebraska Mesonet clocked a 91 mph gust at Cody in Cherry County, with a 69 mph gust at nearby Merriman. A 91 mph wind is comparable to a Category 1 hurricane at landfall — more than enough to strip shingles, peel back ridge caps, and bring tree limbs down on roofs.
The Panhandle took the hail. Hay Springs in Sheridan County was pelted with golf-ball hail (1.75") and half-dollar hail (1.25"), Hemingford in Box Butte County saw quarter-size hail (1.00"), and Alliance recorded back-to-back 69 mph gusts. That mix is especially damaging: wind first breaks the adhesive seal that holds shingle tabs down, and then hail batters the loosened, exposed surface. Golf-ball hail alone bruises the shingle mat, knocks off the protective granules, dents gutters and flashing, and cracks or holes vinyl siding.
June 27 capped a brutal late-June stretch for western Nebraska. The same region absorbed baseball-size hail (2.75") in downtown Scottsbluff and tennis-ball hail at Grant just days earlier, June 22–25. A lot of Panhandle and Sandhills roofs have now taken repeated punishment in barely a week — and much of that damage hides until the next heavy rain finds the weak spots.
Here's what was reported in each community along the storm's path. These towns sit outside the areas we list online, but we work throughout this region — reach out and we'll come take a look.
A 91 mph wind gust measured by the Nebraska Mesonet on June 27 — the strongest wind of the event and comparable to a Category 1 hurricane.
Golf-ball hail (1.75") and half-dollar hail (1.25") on June 27 — large enough to crack shingles, dent metal, and hole vinyl siding.
Quarter-size hail (1.00") on June 27 — at the low end for damage, but enough to bruise aging or already-weathered roofs.
Back-to-back 69 mph wind gusts on June 27, past the 58 mph severe threshold — the kind of wind that lifts shingle tabs and pulls gutters loose.
A 69 mph wind gust on June 27 as the storms raced east through the Sandhills.
Hail and wind don't follow city limits — a storm can pound one block and skip the next. Use the free tool below to pull the verified NOAA hail and wind history for your exact home address. In about ten seconds you'll see whether a storm actually hit your property — and that's how you know whether it's worth filing an insurance claim or booking a free inspection before your policy's deadline runs out.
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See storms near your home? Here's what to do next →
Storm damage is often invisible from the ground. Here's a homeowner's checklist after an event like this one.
In Nebraska you typically have a limited window — often one to two years from the date of the storm — to file a hail or wind damage claim. The sooner you document damage, the stronger your claim. We'll inspect your roof for free, show you exactly what we find with photos, and help you understand your options before you ever commit to anything.
If you live in Hay Springs, Cody & Western / North-Central Nebraska and this storm came through your area, let us take a look. There's no cost and no obligation — just an honest assessment from a local crew that's been doing this since 2012.
Fill out the form and we'll be in touch within a few hours.