September 12, 2026: NOAA's SPC logged 3 hail reports around Kearney, all in Phelps County, between 16:51 and 16:52 UTC. Hail peaked at 1.25 in. at Holdrege, Phelps County. Nearest to Kearney was a report 22.6 miles out (1 NE Holdrege).
Where the hail fell
- under 0.75 in
- 0.75 to 0.99
- 1.00 to 1.74
- 1.75 to 2.49
- 2.50 and up
How many reports fell close to the city
| Distance from city center | Reports | Largest hail |
|---|---|---|
| Within 5 miles | 0 | — |
| Within 10 miles | 0 | — |
| Within 25 miles | 3 | 1.25″ |
Reported hail, report by report
| Time (UTC) | Hail size | Location | Distance from city center |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16:52 | 1.25″ | Holdrege, Phelps County | 23.8 mi |
| 16:51 | 1.00″ | Holdrege, Phelps County | 23.5 mi |
| 16:52 | 1.00″ | 1 NE Holdrege, Phelps County | 22.6 mi |
The rows above come from preliminary Local Storm Reports of the NOAA Storm Prediction Center. Sizes are reported hailstone diameters; times are UTC. Reports can be added or corrected for about a day after the event. Where a report carries no distance, it is measured in a straight line from its coordinates to the city center.
What 1.25 in. hail on September 12, 2026 means for a Kearney roof
3 of the 3 sized Kearney reports reached 1 in. The 1.25 in. stone at Holdrege, Phelps County falls in the 1.00 to 1.74 in class; on September 12, 2026 that is quarter to ping-pong ball territory for Kearney.
What spotters wrote
1.25″, Holdrege at 16:52 UTC: Video from X. Estimated largest hailstone was the size of a walnut. Exact time estimated from radar.
1.00″, Holdrege at 16:51 UTC: Picture from Facebook. Time estimated from radar.
1.00″, 1 NE Holdrege at 16:52 UTC: Picture from X. Time estimated from radar.
The same storm in nearby cities
September 12: 3 cities in 3 states drew SPC hail reports. Manhattan, KS lies closest to Kearney, 169 miles southeast, with 2 reports, largest 1.75 in.
| City | Distance | Reports | Largest hail |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manhattan, KS | 169 mi southeast | 2 | 1.75″ |
1 nearest to Kearney, within 220 miles; each link opens that city’s list for September 12, 2026.
Where the claim clocks stand for the Kearney storm
Kearney: that storm was 52 days ago. Rows marked passed are not cut-off dates on their own; the only legal limits are the ones tagged statute. For Kearney the photo window, the inspection and the target filing date (Sat, Sep 19) are already behind us.
- After you file proof of loss for the Sep 12 storm, the insurer has 15 days. Statute text
- Kearney: no date, because the 5 years start at another point. Statute text
Kearney: insurer clocks counted from a claim filed Sat, Sep 19; working-day clocks skip weekends. Claim deadlines for Kearney, NE. Not legal advice; your own reporting deadline comes from your policy.
September 12 against the Buffalo County September record
Kearney's September 12 log shows 1.25 in. hail. The record September in Buffalo County since 2014 is 2015, with 7 reports and a largest stone of 2.50 in.
Hail history near Kearney: not the first
Kearney’s county has logged 94 hail events since 2017; if this one leads to a replacement, ask about Class 4 impact-resistant shingles, which some insurers discount. Check your own address on the hail risk lookup.
Verified roofers in Kearney
- Titan RoofingVerified
- All American RoofingVerified
- Baylor RoofingVerified
- Buffalo RoofingVerified
- C Squared RoofingVerified
- Dialed-In RoofingVerified
See all roofing contractors in Kearney, NE
What the sizes reported on September 12, 2026 can do to a roof
| Size class in Kearney's reports | Looks like | Reports | What that size can do |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.00 to 1.74 in | quarter to ping-pong ball | 3 | Shingles can bruise and shed granules, often unseen from the ground. |
Size classes follow the SPC report diameters; the damage wording is general, not a finding about any one roof.
The week after September 12, 2026
The SPC feed matched no hail report to Kearney or to the 1 other covered cities within 100 miles on any of the 7 days after Sat, Sep 12, through Sat, Sep 19.
Verified roofers near Kearney
13 verified roofers listed for Kearney; 6 mores in 1 nearby city within 60 miles, led by Grand Island (42 miles east-northeast). Verified means the license was matched to public records.
| City | Distance | Verified roofers |
|---|---|---|
| Grand Island, NE | 42 mi east-northeast | 6 |
Questions about this storm
Kearney, September 12, 2026: how big was the hail?
At Holdrege, Phelps County, the largest SPC report was 1.25 in.
Kearney, September 12, 2026: how close did the hail fall?
The nearest report sat 22.6 miles from the city center and the farthest 23.8 miles. Within 10 miles: 0 of 3 reports.
Kearney, September 12, 2026: how long did the hail last?
Reports are stamped from 16:51 to 16:52 UTC, a window of 1 minutes. Late reports can still be added for about a day.
Kearney, September 12, 2026: what dates apply to a Nebraska insurer?
A claim filed on Sat, Sep 19 puts Kearney's insurer on the clock: acknowledgment by Sun, Oct 4; decision 15 days after proof of loss. That is Nebraska law, applied to Kearney. Information, not legal advice; Kearney homeowners find their own reporting deadline in the policy.
Do I need an inspection if my roof looks fine?
Often, yes. Hail bruises and granule loss are hard to see from the ground. A dated inspection scope is what ties damage to this storm rather than to ordinary wear.
Did the same storm hit towns near Kearney on September 12, 2026?
The feed shows hail reports that day in Manhattan, KS (169 miles southeast, 2 reports, up to 1.75 in.).
What did the feed log near Kearney in the week after September 12, 2026?
The SPC feed matched no hail report to Kearney or to the 1 other covered cities within 100 miles on any of the 7 days after Sat, Sep 12, through Sat, Sep 19.
How many verified roofers can inspect after the Sat, Sep 12 storm in Kearney?
13 verified roofers listed for Kearney; 6 mores in 1 nearby city within 60 miles, led by Grand Island (42 miles east-northeast). Verified means the license was matched to public records.
About these numbers
Every figure on this page comes from the NOAA Storm Prediction Center Local Storm Reports file, matched to reports within 25 miles of the city center. Reports are preliminary: they come from trained spotters, emergency managers, the public and mPING app submissions, and sizes are often estimated against a coin or ball. We do not adjust them. A roofer tagged Verified holds a license or registration we confirmed in a public registry. That tag says nothing about coverage, so ask whoever you pick for a current certificate of insurance before signing.
More Resources
All recent local hail · Roofing contractors · Insurance claim guide · Roof replacement costs here · Emergency roof repair