Hail and Damaging Wind in Texas, May 28, 1997

Name: Hail and Damaging Wind in Texas, May 28, 1997
Start: 1997-05-28T16:17
End: 1997-05-28T19:21
Location: Texas

May 28, 1997 · NWS MAF · 3 events in 2 counties and zones

The storms from this day formed in a northwest flow with a Lifted Index in the -8 to -10 range. Afternoon temperatures were in the mid 80s with dew points in the upper 50s.

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

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The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 3

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 MAF wrote it up.

The storms from this day formed in a northwest flow with a Lifted Index in the -8 to -10 range. Afternoon temperatures were in the mid 80s with dew points in the upper 50s. The most notable feature of this day was the strong directional shear with low-level winds from the ESE at about 20 kt through the lowest 3000 feet and mid to upper-level winds from the northwest at over 40 kt. A weak layer of winds at about 7-10k ft MSL may have kept the environment from producing more (and stronger) supercells.

The radar

The Midland/Odessa radar (KMAF), 91 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 22:17 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

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

Hail, Andrews

When: May 28, 4:17 PM CST
Where: Andrews County, 25 mi WNW of Andrews
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Coordinates: 32.450, -102.950

Thunderstorm Wind, Andrews

When: May 28, 4:17 PM CST
Where: Andrews County, 25 mi WNW of Andrews
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph)
Coordinates: 32.450, -102.950

Winds gusting to 60 mph and hail up to 3/4 inch blasted the area along State Highway 176 in western Andrews County.

Hail, Ward

When: May 28, 7:21 PM CST
Where: Ward County, 2 mi E of Monahans
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Coordinates: 31.580, -102.870

Although this storm was beginning to fall apart it was still able to produce golfball size hail near Monahans.

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.

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, May 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: 5611551, 5611552, 5611553.