Hail in Texas, May 25, 1998

Late in the afternoon of the 25th a cluster of thunderstorms formed near the Reagan/Irion County line near the intersection of a cold front and the dry line. The cells on the southern and eastern parts of the cluster moved into the southeasterly surface winds, whereas the western and northern cells developed northeastward into the northerly flow behind the cold front. The former storms remained in the San Angelo area of responsibility, but the latter storms moved northward into Scurry County. Surface dew point temperatures were in the mid 60s on both sides of the front.The first report in Big Lake was a cell that developed near this cluster along the dry line. The Scurry County storm was moving much like a left-split storm with a reflectivity gradient on its north side. Also a moderate to strong anti-cyclonically rotating updraft was present for about a 20 mile stretch in Scurry County. Large hail pounded the countryside and covered U.S. Highway 84 near Hermleigh where a traffic accident, partly blamed on the hail-slickened roads and poor visibilities, caused three injuries.This storm was moving to the NNE at 32 knots into a 15 kt northeasterly surface wind, making for a 40-50 knot relative inflow. Property damage was approximately $120,000 on houses and $30,000 on cars.