Texas, 1995

Tornadoes and Hail in Texas, May 17, 1995

May 17, 1995 · 40 events in 16 counties and zones

33 hail, 5 thunderstorm wind, 2 tornado, as filed by the National Weather Service.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 39 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

  • Tornadoes
  • Tropical storms and surge
  • Floods
  • Wind
  • Hail
  • Winter weather
  • Heat and drought
  • Cold
  • Fire, smoke and dust
  • Marine and coastal
  • Other

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
$194,000
Crop damage
$70,000
Events
40

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

33 hail, 5 thunderstorm wind, 2 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Bailey

When
May 17, 12:40 AM CST
Where
Bailey County, Progress
Measured
0.75 in hail
Coordinates
34.069, -102.830 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Parmer

When
May 17, 12:40 AM CST to 12:55 AM CST
Where
Parmer County, Lazbuddie
Property damage
$100,000
Coordinates
34.530, -102.784 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hail, Castro

When
May 17, 12:42 AM CST
Where
Castro County, Dimmitt
Measured
0.75 in hail
Coordinates
34.530, -102.262 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Bailey

When
May 17, 12:50 AM CST
Where
Bailey County, Muleshoe
Property damage
$5,000
Coordinates
34.069, -102.830 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hail, Hockley

When
May 17, 12:50 AM CST
Where
Hockley County, Smyer
Measured
1.75 in hail
Coordinates
33.608, -102.343 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Hockley

When
May 17, 12:50 AM CST
Where
Hockley County, Smyer
Property damage
$5,000
Coordinates
33.608, -102.343 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hail, Castro

When
May 17, 12:51 AM CST
Where
Castro County, Nazareth
Measured
1 in hail
Coordinates
34.530, -102.262 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Tornado, Parmer

When
May 17, 12:55 AM CST
Where
Parmer County, Lazbuddie
Rating
F1
Path length
0.3 mi
Path width
75 yd
Property damage
$0
Coordinates
34.400, -102.570

Hail, Swisher

When
May 17, 1:15 AM CST
Where
Swisher County, Happy
Measured
0.75 in hail
Coordinates
34.530, -101.735 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hail, Lubbock

When
May 17, 1:15 AM CST
Where
Lubbock County, Shallowater
Measured
1 in hail
Coordinates
33.610, -101.820 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Early morning severe storms uprooted a few trees in northwest Bailey County. One tree fell on a house but only slightly damaged it. The public reported quarter- to golf ball-size hail near Smyer and Shallowater. Winds damaged a shed and barn near Smyer.

Hail, Randall

When
May 17, 1:16 AM CST
Where
Randall County, Canyon
Measured
1.75 in hail
Coordinates
34.966, -101.897 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hail, Potter

When
May 17, 1:19 AM CST
Where
Potter County, Amarillo
Measured
0.75 in hail
Coordinates
35.401, -101.894 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hail, Lubbock

When
May 17, 1:25 AM CST
Where
Lubbock County, Shallowater
Measured
1.25 in hail
Coordinates
33.610, -101.820 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Early morning severe storms uprooted a few trees in northwest Bailey County. One tree fell on a house but only slightly damaged it. The public reported quarter- to golf ball-size hail near Smyer and Shallowater. Winds damaged a shed and barn near Smyer.

Hail, Randall

When
May 17, 1:30 AM CST
Where
Randall County, Canyon
Measured
1 in hail
Coordinates
34.966, -101.897 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hail, Randall

When
May 17, 1:42 AM CST
Where
Randall County, Canyon
Measured
0.75 in hail
Coordinates
34.966, -101.897 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hail, Armstrong

When
May 17, 1:53 AM CST
Where
Armstrong County, Claude
Measured
0.75 in hail
Coordinates
34.965, -101.357 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hail, Armstrong

When
May 17, 1:55 AM CST
Where
Armstrong County, Washburn
Measured
0.75 in hail
Coordinates
34.965, -101.357 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hail, Randall

When
May 17, 2:03 AM CST
Where
Randall County, Happy
Measured
1 in hail
Coordinates
34.966, -101.897 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hail, Armstrong

When
May 17, 2:10 AM CST
Where
Armstrong County, Claude
Measured
1 in hail
Coordinates
34.965, -101.357 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hail, Swisher

When
May 17, 2:10 AM CST
Where
Swisher County, Happy
Measured
1.75 in hail
Coordinates
34.530, -101.735 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hail, Carson

When
May 17, 2:17 AM CST
Where
Carson County, Skellytown
Measured
1 in hail
Coordinates
35.404, -101.354 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hail, Armstrong

When
May 17, 2:40 AM CST
Where
Armstrong County, Wayside
Measured
1 in hail
Coordinates
34.965, -101.357 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Early morning thunderstorms produced hail up to golf ball-size. Property damage occurred early in the outbreak with strong winds in Parmer County taking out pivot sprinklers, windmills, and power poles. Near the end of the outflow wind damage in Parmer County, a brief tornado hit a grain elevator complex. Total damage in Parmer County was estimate at $350,000.

Hail, Milam

When
May 17, 7:20 AM CST
Where
Milam County, Weatherford
Measured
0.88 in hail
Coordinates
30.786, -96.977 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A large tree was blown down across a county road.

Hail, Milam

When
May 17, 7:35 AM CST
Where
Milam County, Eagle Mountain Lake
Measured
0.88 in hail
Coordinates
30.786, -96.977 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A large tree was blown down across a county road.

Hail, Milam

When
May 17, 8:07 AM CST
Where
Milam County, Argyle
Measured
0.88 in hail
Coordinates
30.786, -96.977 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A large tree was blown down across a county road.

Hail, Milam

When
May 17, 8:32 AM CST
Where
Milam County, Lewisville
Measured
0.75 in hail
Coordinates
30.786, -96.977 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A large tree was blown down across a county road.

Tornado, Ochiltree

When
May 17, 1:05 PM CST to 1:15 PM CST
Where
Ochiltree County
Rating
F0
Path length
3 mi
Path width
75 yd
Coordinates
36.278, -100.816 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Evening storms developed in northern Texas panhandle and moved northward. A small tornado was report east of Perryton by the sheriff's office. It occurred over open country with no damage.

Hail, Milam

When
May 17, 3:15 PM CST
Where
Milam County, Cleburne
Measured
1 in hail
Coordinates
30.786, -96.977 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A large tree was blown down across a county road.

Hail, Milam

When
May 17, 5:43 PM CST
Where
Milam County, Killeen
Measured
1 in hail
Coordinates
30.786, -96.977 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A large tree was blown down across a county road.

Hail, Milam

When
May 17, 6:00 PM CST
Where
Milam County, Belton
Measured
0.75 in hail
Coordinates
30.786, -96.977 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A large tree was blown down across a county road.

Hail, Milam

When
May 17, 10:15 PM CST
Where
Milam County, Thorndale
Measured
1.75 in hail
Coordinates
30.786, -96.977 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A large tree was blown down across a county road.

Thunderstorm Wind, Milam

When
May 17, 10:15 PM CST
Where
Milam County, Thorndale
Coordinates
30.786, -96.977 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A large tree was blown down across a county road.

Hail, Milam

When
May 17, 10:30 PM CST
Where
Milam County, Rockdale
Measured
2.75 in hail
Property damage
$40,000
Coordinates
30.786, -96.977 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Golf ball to baseball-size hail broke windows and damaged automobiles and roofs.

Hail, Williamson

When
May 17, 11:30 PM CDT
Where
Williamson County, Noack
Measured
2.75 in hail
Property damage
$20,000
Crop damage
$50,000
Coordinates
30.648, -97.601 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Western Williamson County escaped the very large hail, reporting only small hail and moderate wind gusts. Hail grew to baseball-size in the eastern part of the county where high winds also knocked over trees near Thrall. Widespread crop damage was also reported with the storms.

Thunderstorm Wind, Williamson

When
May 17, 11:35 PM CDT
Where
Williamson County, Thrall
Property damage
$20,000
Crop damage
$20,000
Coordinates
30.648, -97.601 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Western Williamson County escaped the very large hail, reporting only small hail and moderate wind gusts. Hail grew to baseball-size in the eastern part of the county where high winds also knocked over trees near Thrall. Widespread crop damage was also reported with the storms.

Hail, Bexar

When
May 17, 11:40 PM CDT
Where
Bexar County, Somerset
Measured
1.75 in hail
Coordinates
29.449, -98.520 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hail, Burleson

When
May 17, 11:10 PM CST
Where
Burleson County, Caldwell
Measured
1.75 in hail
Property damage
$1,000
Coordinates
30.493, -96.621 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Sheriff reported golf ball-size hail in Caldwell.

Hail, Burleson

When
May 17, 11:10 PM CST
Where
Burleson County, Caldwell
Measured
1.75 in hail
Property damage
$1,000
Coordinates
30.493, -96.621 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Sheriffs reported golfball hail in Caldwell.

Hail, Brazos

When
May 17, 11:20 PM CST
Where
Brazos County, College Station
Measured
1.75 in hail
Property damage
$1,000
Coordinates
30.661, -96.302 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Local television station and sheriffs reported golf ball size hail along Highway 21 and FM 2818.

Hail, Brazos

When
May 17, 11:20 PM CST
Where
Brazos County, College Station
Measured
1.75 in hail
Property damage
$1,000
Coordinates
30.661, -96.302 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Local television station and sheriff reported golf ball-size hail along Highway 21 and FM 2818.

What these are

Hail
Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
Thunderstorm Wind
Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.
Tornado
A violently rotating column of air in contact with the ground and extending from a thunderstorm, filed with its path, width and Fujita or Enhanced Fujita rating from the damage survey.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Texas in 1995Every state in 1995This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Texas, 1995Warnings in Texas, May 1995

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 10348464, 10350990, 10347660, 10348465, 10351114, 10351115, 10347661, 10353322, 10350994, 10354708, 10353406, 10352594, 10354709, 10353407, 10353408, 10348265, 10348266, 10353409, 10348267, 10350995, 10348593, 10348268, 10353873, 10353874, 10353875, 10353947, 10354265, 10353877, 10353878, 10353879, 10353880, 10353881, 10353882, 10355609, 10355610, 10348476, 10348081, 10348082, 10348403, 10348404.