How big was the hail on May 16, 2026?

The maximum estimated stone size anywhere in Nebraska that day was 2.00 inches. Sizes vary street to street inside a single swath, so a city's figure is the largest radar estimated anywhere within about 5 miles of it.

Does this mean roofs were damaged?

Radar measures stone size, not damage. Whether a particular roof was damaged depends on stone size, wind direction, roof age and material — only an inspection settles it. These figures tell you where it is worth looking.

How do I see the actual swath on a map?

A HailMate plan puts the whole of Nebraska on a real interactive map with this swath and three years of others already on it. $79/mo, and the canvassing tools come with it.

Nebraska · May 16, 2026

Nebraska hail map — May 16, 2026

Name: Nebraska hail map — May 16, 2026
Creator: HailMate

NOAA radar detected hail of an inch or more over 4 Nebraska cities on May 16, 2026. The largest stones — 2.00″, hen egg size — fell over Grand Island.

Hail swath map for Grand Island, NE on May 16, 2026 showing 2.00 inch hail. — Swath over Grand Island on May 16, 2026 — 2.00″ hail. Each city below has its own map for this storm.

Cities hit: 4; in Nebraska
Largest stone: 2.00″; hen egg size
Impact rating: 7/10; from stone size

Sizes come from NOAA MRMS radar (MESH), which runs about ±0.25″ against ground truth. It is canvass-targeting quality, not claim evidence.

Roofing contractors

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All of Nebraska at street level, with this storm already on it
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Homeowners

Did hail hit your address?

This page covers Nebraska as a whole. Check your own address to see every storm on record for your roof — the date and the stone size for each one — and we'll email you the full report to keep.

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Nebraska cities hit on May 16, 2026

Grand Island, NE2.00″ · hen egg Kearney, NE1.00″ · quarter Norfolk, NE1.00″ · quarter Columbus, NE1.00″ · quarter

What people on the ground measured in Nebraska on May 16, 2026

12 reports filed with the National Weather Service — 4 from trained spotters or officials. These are measured stones, not radar estimates, so they are the closest thing to proof that hail actually reached the ground.

3.00″ baseball size Trained Spotter
4 W Amherst, NE6:14 PM CDTBuffalo County
Biggest hail was 3 inches. It broke windows. It hailed for at least 30 minutes beginning around 5:45 PM.
2.75″ baseball size Trained Spotter
4 W Plymouth, NE8:55 PM CDTJefferson County
2.75″ baseball size Public
4 SW Plymouth, NE8:55 PM CDTJefferson County
Report received via NWSChat from EM.
2.50″ hen egg size Trained Spotter
De Witt, NE8:03 PM CDTSaline County
2.50″ hen egg size Public
4 SW Phillips, NE8:52 PM CDTHamilton County
image sent in.
2.50″ hen egg size Public
Ashland, NE11:30 PM CDTSaunders County
Delayed social media report of 2.5 inch hail.
2.25″ hen egg size Public
2 E De Witt, NE8:27 PM CDTGage County
Report from mPING: Hen Egg+ (2.25 in.).
2.00″ hen egg size Public
6 W Osceola, NE5:26 PM CDTPolk County
2.00″ hen egg size Public
3 ESE Tarnov, NE6:34 PM CDTPlatte County
Public report via social media of 2 inch hail.
2.00″ hen egg size Public
Shelton, NE8:00 PM CDTBuffalo County
2.00″ hen egg size Public
Crete, NE8:15 PM CDTSaline County
Lots of hail on the ground. Measured hail of approx. 2 inches.
1.75″ golf ball size NWS Employee
5 NW Wellfleet, NE4:21 PM CDTLincoln County

Showing the 12 largest of 54 hail reports filed that day.

Reports come from the National Weather Service Local Storm Report feed, ingested every 15 minutes. A report records where the observer was, not the full extent of the swath — treat it as evidence about the storm, not about any one roof.

Other states hit on May 16, 2026

Indiana1 city · 1.00″Kentucky1 city · 1.00″

The full US hail map for May 16, 2026 →

Other Nebraska hail days

August 19, 20261 city · 1.00″August 13, 20261 city · 1.00″August 8, 20261 city · 1.50″July 30, 20262 cities · 1.00″July 9, 20261 city · 1.00″July 8, 20262 cities · 1.50″July 2, 20261 city · 1.50″June 29, 20261 city · 2.00″June 24, 20261 city · 1.50″June 20, 20261 city · 2.00″June 13, 20263 cities · 1.00″June 11, 20264 cities · 1.50″

Every hail day across Nebraska →

FAQ

Nebraska hail on May 16, 2026

NOAA radar put hail of an inch or more over 4 Nebraska cities that day. The largest stones — 2.00 inches, hen egg size — were over Grand Island. Every city hit is listed above with its own stone size.

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