Hail and Damaging Winds in Texas, December 23, 1997

Name: Hail and Damaging Winds in Texas, December 23, 1997
Start: 1997-12-23T15:27
End: 1997-12-23T18:10
Location: Texas

December 23, 1997 · NWS HGX · 19 events in 15 counties and zones

18 thunderstorm wind, 1 hail, as filed by the National Weather Service.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. 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

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: $143,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 19

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 Austin/San Antonio radar (KEWX), 121 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:26 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

18 thunderstorm wind, 1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Colorado

When: December 23, 3:27 PM CST
Where: Colorado County, Weimar
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph)
Property damage: $2,000
Coordinates: 29.700, -96.780

Spotter reported 60 mph winds.

Thunderstorm Wind, Colorado

When: December 23, 3:32 PM CST to 3:50 PM CST
Where: Colorado County, Weimar to Eagle Lake
Property damage: $10,000
Coordinates: 29.700, -96.780

Trees, sheds, and powerlines blown down across the county (Weimar, Columbus, Eagle Lake).

Thunderstorm Wind, Austin

When: December 23, 3:58 PM CST
Where: Austin County, New Ulm
Property damage: $3,000
Coordinates: 29.900, -96.480

Trees blown down along FM 109.

Thunderstorm Wind, Washington

When: December 23, 4:10 PM CST
Where: Washington County, Brenham
Property damage: $3,000
Coordinates: 30.170, -96.400

Trees blown down.

Thunderstorm Wind, Grimes

When: December 23, 4:20 PM CST
Where: Grimes County, Navasota
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph)
Property damage: $3,000
Coordinates: 30.380, -96.080

Spotter reported 60 mph winds.

Hail, Grimes

When: December 23, 4:20 PM CST
Where: Grimes County, Navasota
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Property damage: $10,000
Coordinates: 30.380, -96.080

Thunderstorm Wind, Wharton

When: December 23, 4:38 PM CST
Where: Wharton County, Pierce
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Property damage: $3,000
Coordinates: 29.230, -96.200

Thunderstorm Wind, Waller

When: December 23, 4:41 PM CST
Where: Waller County, Brookshire
Property damage: $3,000
Coordinates: 29.820, -95.930

Trees blown down.

Thunderstorm Wind, Wharton

When: December 23, 4:45 PM CST
Where: Wharton County, 2 mi NE of Hungerford
Property damage: $5,000
Coordinates: 29.420, -96.070

Billboard blown down at CR 221 & HWY 59.

Thunderstorm Wind, Walker

When: December 23, 4:50 PM CST
Where: Walker County, New Waverly
Property damage: $5,000
Coordinates: 30.530, -95.500

Trees blown onto powerlines.

Thunderstorm Wind, Harris

When: December 23, 4:59 PM CST to 5:25 PM CST
Where: Harris County, Houston
Property damage: $40,000
Coordinates: 29.730, -95.370

Numerous trees, powerlines and 3 billboards blown down across the western half of the Houston metropolitan area.

Thunderstorm Wind, Fort Bend

When: December 23, 5:05 PM CST
Where: Fort Bend County, 5 mi W of Sugarland
Property damage: $10,000
Coordinates: 29.620, -95.720

Numerous trees blown down and roof damage in the Cinco Ranch Subdivision.

Thunderstorm Wind, Brazoria

When: December 23, 5:20 PM CST
Where: Brazoria County, Pearland
Property damage: $3,000
Coordinates: 29.570, -95.280

Powerlines blown down.

Thunderstorm Wind, Harris

When: December 23, 5:25 PM CST to 6:05 PM CST
Where: Harris County, Houston
Property damage: $20,000
Coordinates: 29.730, -95.370

Numerous trees and powerlines blown down and substantial wind damage across eastern half of the Houston metropolitan area.

Thunderstorm Wind, Montgomery

When: December 23, 5:25 PM CST
Where: Montgomery County, The Woodlands
Property damage: $5,000
Coordinates: 30.150, -95.450

Trees blown down.

Thunderstorm Wind, San Jacinto

When: December 23, 5:40 PM CST
Where: San Jacinto County, Coldspring
Property damage: $5,000
Coordinates: 30.600, -95.150

Trees and powerlines blown down.

Thunderstorm Wind, Chambers

When: December 23, 5:45 PM CST
Where: Chambers County, Mont Belvieu
Property damage: $3,000
Coordinates: 29.850, -94.880

Powerlines blown down.

Thunderstorm Wind, Liberty

When: December 23, 6:10 PM CST
Where: Liberty County, Cleveland
Property damage: $5,000
Coordinates: 30.350, -95.100

Large trees blown onto powerlines.

Thunderstorm Wind, Polk

When: December 23, 6:10 PM CST
Where: Polk County, Onalaska
Property damage: $5,000
Coordinates: 30.820, -95.130

Large trees blown onto powerlines.

What these are

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.
Hail: Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Texas in 1997 Every state in 1997 This day in weather history Warnings in Texas, December 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: 5620567, 5620568, 5620569, 5620570, 5620571, 5620572, 5620576, 5620573, 5620577, 5620574, 5620575, 5620578, 5620580, 5620699, 5620701, 5620579, 5620698, 5620700, 5620702.