Summerton, SC Hail Storm – September 2026

A hail-producing storm tracked through Summerton, South Carolina on September 6, 2026, producing a peak 1.57-inch stone and spotter-verified quarter-sized hail in the early evening. The event progressed from late afternoon warnings into localized radar-detected returns around town.

What Happened

Late afternoon NWS alerts first flagged hail potential at 4:25 PM EDT with a 0.75-inch hail warning area. Two subsequent NWS warning-only alerts followed at 5:16 PM EDT and 5:20 PM EDT noting 1.00-inch hail potential in the broader warning area. Dual-polarization radar detected a stronger return at 5:55 PM EDT that corresponded to a 1.13-inch radar-derived hail signal near Summerton.

Field observations were captured in the early evening. Social media photos timestamped to about 6:00 PM EDT show a resident holding quarter-sized hail. An NWS employee reported quarter-sized hail along Smooth Stone Aly at 6:04 PM EDT. Those spotter-verified reports align with the late-arriving radar signal and the warning timeline.

Damage Assessment

Local storm reports from September 6 document coin-sized stones and photographic evidence concentrated in the Smooth Stone Aly area and adjacent neighborhoods. Observers did not record widespread structural failures in those reports. Damage entries are limited to visual confirmation of hail on the ground and belongings photographed by residents.

Radar returns near 5:55 PM EDT indicate a short-lived area of stronger hail aloft that passed over the township. Ground reports collected within minutes show mostly quarter-sized stones at street level. No NWS local storm report described torn roofing, detached siding, or vehicle panel punctures tied to this event in the Summerton record set.

Field crews and claims inspectors arriving on site should treat the event as a localized hail episode with photographic and spotter-verified evidence rather than a town-wide damage incident. Keep report notes tied to the specific addresses and the 6:00–6:04 PM EDT observational window when documenting impacts.

What Contractors Should Know

Inspect roofs first along Smooth Stone Aly and the nearest streets to the 5:55 PM EDT radar footprint. Concentrate on asphalt shingle granular loss, bent or split metal flashings, and denting to gutters and downspouts. For roofs that appear intact, check attic ceilings directly under the impacted perimeter for bruising or granule accumulation that would not be visible from the ground.

Assess HVAC condensers, outdoor appliance casings, and vehicle panels for pitting and dents. Photograph damage with location tags and a time-stamped reference. Use close-up shots of edges and fasteners to show secondary effects like displaced sealant or loosened screws. Note that multiple spotter-verified images were taken at about 6:00 PM EDT; match your documentation to that timeframe when possible.