Texas, 1997

Flash Flooding and Hail in Texas, April 2, 1997

April 2, 1997 · NWS AMA · 9 events in 5 counties and zones

Severe thunderstorms moved through the central and eastern sections of the Texas Panhandle producing flooding and large hail. Property damage in the form of cattle killed by the flooding and hail occurred.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 3 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
$75,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
9

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.

What happened

The episode as NWS AMA wrote it up.

Severe thunderstorms moved through the central and eastern sections of the Texas Panhandle producing flooding and large hail. Property damage in the form of cattle killed by the flooding and hail occurred.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

6 hail, 3 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Gray

When
April 2, 6:16 PM CST
Where
Gray County, Alanreed
Measured
0.75 in hail
Coordinates
35.220, -100.730

Hail, Deaf Smith

When
April 2, 6:16 PM CST
Where
Deaf Smith County, 2 mi SE of Hereford
Measured
0.75 in hail
Coordinates
34.800, -102.380

Hail covering Highway 385.

Hail, Donley

When
April 2, 6:20 PM CST
Where
Donley County, 13 mi E of Jericho
Measured
2.75 in hail
Property damage
$75,000
Coordinates
35.170, -100.680

Flooding also. 100 head of cattle killed.

Flash Flood, Gray

When
April 2, 6:35 PM CST to 11:00 PM CST
Where
Gray County, 5 mi W of Mc Lean
Coordinates
35.401, -100.813 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High water and accumulated hail blocking Interstate 40.

Flash Flood, Gray

When
April 2, 7:12 PM CST
Where
Gray County, 2 mi E of Alanreed
Coordinates
35.401, -100.813 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Three feet of water on Interstate 40 service road. Hail drift to 10 feet deep.

Hail, Gray

When
April 2, 7:35 PM CST
Where
Gray County, 3 mi E of Alanreed
Measured
1 in hail
Coordinates
35.220, -100.680

Hail, Randall

When
April 2, 7:42 PM CST
Where
Randall County, Canyon
Measured
0.75 in hail
Coordinates
34.980, -101.920

Flash Flood, Donley

When
April 2, 8:16 PM CST
Where
Donley County, 8 mi E of Jericho
Coordinates
34.965, -100.814 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Water is up to Highway 291 bridge on White Fish creek.

Hail, Wheeler

When
April 2, 9:20 PM CST
Where
Wheeler County, 1 mi W of Lela
Measured
0.75 in hail
Coordinates
35.220, -100.370

What these are

Hail
Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
Flash Flood
Flooding that begins within six hours of the rain that causes it, or of a dam or levee failure or ice jam release, often with deadly speed.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Texas in 1997Every state in 1997This day in weather historyWarnings in Texas, April 1997

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: 5605280, 5605281, 5605282, 5605283, 5605284, 5605285, 5605286, 5605287, 5605288.