Intense hail slams Central Texas communities
On the evening of Thursday, May 22, 2025, a series of severe thunderstorms struck Central Texas, unleashing large hailstones and powerful wind gusts across multiple counties. Reports from towns such as Uhland, Stonewall, Maxwell, Kyle, Buchanan Dam, and San Marcos revealed hail reaching sizes comparable to golf balls and even baseballs, with estimated diameters ranging from 1.75 to 2.75 inches (about 4.4 to 7 cm).
Uhland was particularly hard-hit, with repeated instances of property damage captured in photos showing shattered windows, dented vehicles, and ice-covered yards. Similar scenes were documented in Maxwell and Kyle, where residents woke up to a carpet of white, jagged hail fragments. The storm’s reach extended to communities like Willow City, Georgetown, and Liberty Hill, highlighting the widespread and aggressive nature of the weather system.
Dramatic skies: Mammatus clouds light up Central Texas
Beyond the intense hail, the skies across Central Texas displayed an awe-inspiring phenomenon: mammatus clouds. Spotted over Austin, Round Rock, Georgetown, Pflugerville, Cedar Park, Leander, and other cities, these distinctive cloud formations appeared as pouch-like bulges on the underside of the thunderstorm anvil.
Mammatus clouds form when cold air sinks into drier layers, creating these bulging pockets—often signaling a mature or decaying thunderstorm. Dozens of viewers submitted photos capturing the stunning structure and illumination of these clouds as they hovered dramatically over the Texas landscape.
A striking weather event etched into memory
The rare combination of destructive hail and spectacular cloud displays made May 22 a day to remember across Central Texas. The photos shared by dozens of residents provide a vivid, on-the-ground account of the storm’s impact—offering not only meteorological insight but also a glimpse into the raw power and beauty of nature at work.
