Tornadoes and Hail in Texas, May 27, 1997

Baseball to softball size hail was reported.

Shortly after 200 pm, a small thunderstorm developed 8 WNW of Belton, a few miles ahead of the rear flank downdraft gust front associated with the large supercell that was moving into the northern portion of the county at this time. The initial weak circulation associated with the small thunderstorm deepened and strengthened as it moved to the east-southeast. The storm produced a weak tornado which lasted about 10 minutes before it was undercut by the rear flank downdraft of the larger storm.

The fourth tornado that was produced by the large supercell thunderstorm developed on the north side of Lake Belton, near Morgans Point where a marina was destroyed. Over 100 boats at the marina were destroyed by the strong tornado that moved slowly south-southwest. Ten homes along the lakeshore also sustained severe damage and damage to trees was nearly total. The tornado dissipated just northeast of Woodland.

Another short-lived tornado developed in the Lampasas River Valley, east of Stillhouse Dam.

The extremely severe supercell thunderstorm produced its sixth tornado about half a mile west of the Prairie Dell exit on I-35. The tornado was observed to be nearly stationary in a field for about 10 minutes then it moved quickly south-southwest. Trees were destroyed and several structures were damaged. The tornado dissipated near the location where County Road 304 crosses the Bell-Williamson County line. A short time later, a violent tornado developed and devastated the community of Jarrell in northern Williamson County.