July 4, 2026: NOAA's SPC logged 4 hail reports around St. Cloud, from Stearns and Benton counties, between 22:03 and 22:33 UTC. The closest report fell 0.6 miles from the St. Cloud city center (1 NNE St. Cloud). Hail peaked at 1.50 in. at St. Cloud, Stearns County.
The first St. Cloud report is stamped 22:03 UTC: 1.50-inch hail at St. Cloud (0.9 mi south-southwest). The last is 22:33 UTC: 1.00-inch hail at St. Cloud (0.9 mi south-southwest).
The farthest report from the center is 1 W St. Cloud (1.6 mi west-southwest): 1.00-inch hail, 1.0 miles beyond the nearest one.
Sizes on Jul 4 run from 1.00 in. at 1 W St. Cloud to 1.50 in. at St. Cloud around 22:03 UTC.
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 | 4 | 1.50″ |
| Within 10 miles | 4 | 1.50″ |
| Within 25 miles | 4 | 1.50″ |
Reported hail, report by report
| Time (UTC) | Hail size | Location | Distance from city center |
|---|---|---|---|
| 22:03 | 1.50″ | St. Cloud, Stearns County | 0.9 mi |
| 22:04 | 1.50″ | 1 NNE St. Cloud, Benton County | 0.6 mi |
| 22:26 | 1.00″ | 1 W St. Cloud, Stearns County | 1.6 mi |
| 22:33 | 1.00″ | St. Cloud, Stearns County | 0.9 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 1.50 in. hail on July 4, 2026 means for a St. Cloud roof
4 of the 4 sized St. Cloud reports reached 1 in. The 1.50 in. stone at St. Cloud, Stearns County falls in the 1.00 to 1.74 in class; on July 4, 2026 that is quarter to ping-pong ball territory for St. Cloud.
How the storm moved through the area
| County | Reports | Largest hail | Closest to city center |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stearns | 3 | 1.50″ | 0.9 mi |
| Benton | 1 | 1.50″ | 0.6 mi |
What spotters wrote
1.50″, 1 NNE St. Cloud at 22:04 UTC: First reported quarter sized hail around 4:58pm... then half dollar at 5:02pm... then ping pong at 5:04pm.
1.00″, 1 W St. Cloud at 22:26 UTC: A lot of half inch to one inch half falling and shredding the trees.
How this day compares with other hail days
St. Cloud has 2 hail days in our NOAA log; by largest hailstone, July 4, 2026 ranks #1 of them. Logged days closest in time to July 4, 2026:
- August 7: 9 reports, largest 1.50″
The same storm in nearby cities
On July 4 the log holds 6 matched cities in 5 states; St. Cloud has no neighbour within 220 miles, so its hail stood alone on July 4.
Where the claim clocks stand for the St. Cloud storm
St. Cloud: that storm was 113 days ago. Rows marked passed are not cut-off dates on their own; the only legal limits are the ones tagged statute. For St. Cloud the photo window, the inspection and the target filing date (Sat, Jul 11) are already behind us.
- The St. Cloud loss of Jul 4 starts a 2 years period. Statute text
St. Cloud: insurer clocks counted from a claim filed Sat, Jul 11; working-day clocks skip weekends. Claim deadlines for St. Cloud, MN. Not legal advice; your own reporting deadline comes from your policy.
July 4 against the Stearns County July record
St. Cloud's July 4 log shows 1.50 in. hail. The record July in Stearns County since 2014 is 2023, with 10 reports and a largest stone of 3.25 in.
Hail history near St. Cloud: not the first
St. Cloud’s county has logged 69 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 St. Cloud
- Starr Roofing LLCVerified
- Allied Service Pro LLCVerified
- BD ExteriorsVerified
- Committed 365 Roofing & ExteriorsVerified
- Four Seasons ContractingVerified
- Higher Dimensions Roofing LLCVerified
See all roofing contractors in St. Cloud, MN
What the sizes reported on July 4, 2026 can do to a roof
| Size class in St. Cloud's reports | Looks like | Reports | What that size can do |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.00 to 1.74 in | quarter to ping-pong ball | 4 | 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.
This date among 2026's matched hail days
In 2026 the feed holds 2 matched hail days for St. Cloud. Ranked by largest stone, then report count, July 4, 2026 is #2 of them.
| Date | City | Reports | Largest hail |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 7 | St. Cloud | 9 | 1.50″ |
| Jul 4 | St. Cloud | 4 | 1.50″ |
Ranked by largest stone, then by report count. Only dates the SPC feed matched to a covered city are counted.
The week after July 4, 2026
The SPC feed matched no hail report to St. Cloud or to the 1 other covered cities within 100 miles on any of the 7 days after Sat, Jul 4, through Sat, Jul 11.
Verified roofers near St. Cloud
7 verified roofers listed for St. Cloud. Verified means the license was matched to a state registry.
Questions about this storm
St. Cloud, July 4, 2026: how big was the hail?
At St. Cloud, Stearns County, the largest SPC report was 1.50 in.
St. Cloud, July 4, 2026: how close did the hail fall?
The nearest report sat 0.6 miles from the city center and the farthest 1.6 miles. Within 10 miles: 4 of 4 reports.
St. Cloud, July 4, 2026: how long did the hail last?
Reports are stamped from 22:03 to 22:33 UTC, a window of 30 minutes. Late reports can still be added for about a day.
St. Cloud, July 4, 2026: was this the worst hail day on record?
St. Cloud has 2 logged hail days; July 4, 2026 ranks #1 for St. Cloud, at 1.50 in. The best other day reached 1.50 in.
St. Cloud, July 4, 2026: what dates apply to a Minnesota insurer?
A claim filed on Sat, Jul 11 puts St. Cloud's insurer on the clock: acknowledgment by Fri, Jul 24; decision Fri, Aug 21. That is Minnesota law, applied to St. Cloud. Information, not legal advice; St. Cloud 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.
St. Cloud, July 4, 2026: what is the last day under Minnesota law to act on this loss?
Lawsuit limit: Not before Tuesday, July 4, 2028. The St. Cloud loss of Jul 4 starts a 2 years period. Source: Minn. Stat. §65A.01 subd. 3. Information, not legal advice; your policy can set a shorter reporting window.
What did the feed log near St. Cloud in the week after July 4, 2026?
The SPC feed matched no hail report to St. Cloud or to the 1 other covered cities within 100 miles on any of the 7 days after Sat, Jul 4, through Sat, Jul 11.
How many verified roofers can inspect after the Sat, Jul 4 storm in St. Cloud?
7 verified roofers listed for St. Cloud. Verified means the license was matched to a state registry.
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