Gigantic Hailstorms Batter Texas: A Week of Severe Weather

Over the past week, Texas has experienced a series of intense hailstorms, causing widespread damage and disruption across the state. From Memorial Day weekend through early June, communities from the Panhandle to Central and Southeast Texas have been pummeled by hailstones ranging from golf ball to grapefruit size, accompanied by strong winds and heavy rainfall.

Unprecedented Hail Sizes and Storm Impacts

On May 25, a slow-moving storm system brought grapefruit-sized hail to various communities in Texas. In Afton, hailstones measuring up to 6 inches were recorded, while wind gusts reached up to 81 mph in Amherst, Texas—comparable to a Category 1 hurricane. Multiple tornadoes were possibly spotted in cities including Afton, Amherst, Stamford, and Floyd, with dramatic video footage capturing powerful twisters in Stamford.

The following days saw continued severe weather. On May 28, Austin was struck by a powerful and fast-moving thunderstorm, marking it as the third worst in the city’s history. The storm brought intense rain—two to three inches in just 30 minutes—hail, flooding, and severe wind speeds peaking at 77 mph. It resulted in extensive property damage, thousands of power outages, and the tragic death of one adult who drowned.

Additionally, on May 29, a supercell thunderstorm near Brownfield in the southwestern South Plains region produced giant hail, heavy rain, and strong winds. The storm was associated with a cold front that moved steadily south, impacting areas from the Texas Panhandle to the Hill Country.

Widespread Disruptions and Damage

The severe weather has led to significant disruptions across the state. In Houston, severe thunderstorms with winds up to 70 mph, hail, and lightning struck early Tuesday, causing widespread power outages affecting more than 160,000 residents. The storm downed power lines and extended damage into Houston’s northern suburbs and eastward to Galveston.

In Austin, the storm on May 28 resulted in over 100 utility poles being downed, causing widespread disruptions. Austin Energy reported that more than 30,000 residents lost power, and emergency services responded to a 35% spike in 911 calls, including nine water rescues.

The Memorial Day weekend storms also caused significant disruptions across Texas, leaving approximately 200,000 electric customers without power. Trinity County in eastern Texas was most heavily impacted, with over 3,700 outages, affecting around 33.2% of tracked customers in that area.