Hail, Smith
- When
- May 1, 4:50 PM CST
- Where
- Smith County, 0.69 mi N of Tyler
- Measured
- 1.75 in hail
- Reported by
- Public
- Coordinates
- 32.360, -95.300
Hail and Damaging Wind in Texas, May 1, 2011
A shallow cold front began to shift southeast into Northeast Texas, Southeast Oklahoma, and Southwest Arkansas during the late afternoon and evening hours of the 1st, with a very warm, moist, and unstable air mass in place as an upper level disturbance ejected northeast across the Four State region. As a result, scattered strong to severe thunderstorms developed across these areas along and…
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
The toll
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- None recorded
- 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 SHV wrote it up.
A shallow cold front began to shift southeast into Northeast Texas, Southeast Oklahoma, and Southwest Arkansas during the late afternoon and evening hours of the 1st, with a very warm, moist, and unstable air mass in place as an upper level disturbance ejected northeast across the Four State region. As a result, scattered strong to severe thunderstorms developed across these areas along and behind the front, which produced numerous reports of large hail and occasional reports of wind damage. An isolated report of a funnel cloud was also received, before these storms weakened during the late evening hours with the loss of heating, instability, and convergence along the frontal boundary.
What forecasters said that day
The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Shreveport, LA wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at May 1, 2:23 PM CST, 2 hours 27 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, May 1, 2:23 PM CST, 2 hours 27 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SHREVEPORT LA
323 PM CDT SUN MAY 1 2011
.DISCUSSION...
SOUTHERN TWO THIRDS OF THE FOUR STATE FORECAST AREA RIPE FOR SEVERE
WEATHER THIS EVENING...WITH CAPE OVER 3000 AND LIFTED INDEX
BETWEEN MINUS 6 AND MINUS 8. NORTHERN AREAS ARE BEHIND A NEARLY
STATIONARY FRONTAL BOUNDARY WHERE LOW LEVELS HAVE STABILIZED...BUT
STRONG ELEVATED LIFT AND A COLDER COLUMN COULD PRODUCE SOME LARGE
HAIL. WIDESPREAD HEAVY RAINFALL ALSO A THREAT ACROSS NORTHERN
AREAS TONIGHT AS MOISTURE IS LIFTED OVER THE STALLED FRONT.
SO FOR TONIGHT WILL CONTINUE WITH FLASH FLOOD WATCH NORTH AND
MENTION OF SEVERE STORMS AREAWIDE. GOING INTO MONDAY...NOT MUCH
CHANGE...WITH THE FRONT REMAINING STALLED JUST TO THE SOUTH AND
EAST OF CURRENT POSITION. FLASH FLOOD WATCH MAY HAVE TO EXTENDED
AND SHIFTED SLIGHTLY SOUTH...BUT THIS WILL DEPEND ON WHERE THE
FRONT ENDS UP TONIGHT AND WHICH AREAS RECEIVE HEAVY RAINFALL.
THE RISK OF SEVERE WEATHER WILL ALSO SHIFT TO THE SOUTH. BY
AFTERNOON THE UPPER TROUGH WILL BEGIN TO KICK OUT OF THE SOUTHERN
ROCKIES...SHIFTING THE SURFACE FRONT EAST AND SPILLING CONSIDERABLY
COOLER AIR ACROSS ALL OF THE CWA MONDAY EVENING. RAINFALL SHOULD
BEGIN TO END FROM WEST TO EAST. ON TUESDAY...THE RAIN SHOULD END
ALL AREAS BY THE AFTERNOON.
MUCH COOLER TEMPERATURES EXPECTED WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY AS A
1030 SURFACE HIGH SETTLES OVER THE MISSISSIPPI VALLEY. A WARMING
TREND WILL SET IN BY FRIDAY WITH INCREASING MOISTURE. NEXT SHORT
WAVE LOOKS LIKE IT WILL CROSS THE AREA FRIDAY NIGHT INTO SATURDAY.
NEWEST MODEL RUNS HAVE WEAKENED THIS SYSTEM...SO WILL INCLUDE ONLY
A SLIGHT CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS FROM LATE FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY.
&&
.AVIATION...
COLD FRONT HAS SLOWLY SUNK TO INTO NW FRINGE OF CWA...ORIENTED
SW TO NE ACROSS NE TX...AND EAST TO WEST ACROSS SW AR. BENDING
FRONT SEEN ON VISIBLE IMAGERY...ALONG WITH DEVELOPING CU FIELDS...
AND CAPES BTWN 3 AND 4 THOUSAND...SUGGEST RAPID CONVECTIVE
DEVELOPMENT ACROSS WARM SECTOR TERMINAL SITES OF
GGG...SHV..MLU...AND ELD. TYR AND TXK NEAR FRONTAL BOUNDARY...WHERE
CONVECTION MAY BE MORE SOLID. LFK TERMINAL IS CLOUD FREE...AND RAPID
DEVELOPMENT JUST TO SW IMPLIED FROM SATELLITE. IN THE MEANTIME...MOSTLY
VFR CONDITIONS EXIST AS MVFR CIS FOR MOST PART...HAVE LIFTED. SOUTH
WINDS 10 TO 15 KTS PREVAIL THRU AT LEAST AFTN. WITH SLOW MOVG
FROPA...N-NE WINDS 10 TO 15 KTS...AND LOWERING CIGS TO PSBL IFR...
AND INCREASING AREA OF POSTFRONTAL RAIN AND EMBEDDED TSTMS...CAN BE
EXPECTED LATER IN FCST PERIOD./VII/.
&&
.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
SHV 61 66 48 66 45 / 70 70 80 20 0
MLU 66 72 51 64 44 / 60 70 80 30 0
DEQ 50 57 43 68 43 / 90 80 60 10 0
TXK 53 59 45 68 43 / 90 80 70 10 0
ELD 59 64 46 65 43 / 90 80 80 20 0
TYR 54 60 45 68 46 / 90 80 70 10 0
GGG 57 63 47 67 45 / 70 80 70 10 0
LFK 64 71 52 69 46 / 60 50 70 30 0
&&
.SHV WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
AR...FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH MONDAY MORNING FOR THE FOLLOWING
ZONES: ARZ050-051-059>061-070>073.
LA...NONE.
OK...FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH MONDAY MORNING FOR THE FOLLOWING
ZONES: OKZ077.
TX...FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH MONDAY MORNING FOR THE FOLLOWING
ZONES: TXZ096-097-108>112.
&&
14/07Hazardous weather outlook, May 1, 10:38 AM CST, 6 hours 12 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SHREVEPORT LA 1138 AM CDT SUN MAY 1 2011 ARZ050-051-059>061-070>073-LAZ001>006-010>014-017>022-OKZ077- TXZ096-097-108>112-124>126-136>138-149>153-165>167-021100- SEVIER-HOWARD-LITTLE RIVER-HEMPSTEAD-NEVADA-MILLER-LAFAYETTE- COLUMBIA-UNION AR-CADDO-BOSSIER-WEBSTER-CLAIBORNE-LINCOLN- UNION LA-DE SOTO-RED RIVER-BIENVILLE-JACKSON-OUACHITA-SABINE LA- NATCHITOCHES-WINN-GRANT-CALDWELL-LA SALLE-MCCURTAIN-BOWIE- FRANKLIN-TITUS-CAMP-MORRIS-CASS-WOOD-UPSHUR-MARION-SMITH-GREGG- HARRISON-CHEROKEE-RUSK-PANOLA-NACOGDOCHES-SHELBY-ANGELINA- SAN AUGUSTINE-SABINE TX- 1138 AM CDT SUN MAY 1 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTH CENTRAL ARKANSAS...SOUTHWEST ARKANSAS...NORTH CENTRAL LOUISIANA... NORTHWEST LOUISIANA...SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA...EAST TEXAS AND NORTHEAST TEXAS. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT... A COLD FRONT WILL BECOME NEARLY STATIONARY ALONG THE INTERSTATE 30 CORRIDOR THIS AFTERNOON. THUNDERSTORMS OCCURRING ALONG THIS BOUNDARY WILL CONTINUE DEVELOPING IN THE SAME GENERAL AREA THROUGHOUT THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING...PRODUCING HEAVY RAINFALL. THERE IS A HIGH POTENTIAL FOR FLASH FLOODING...WITH TWO TO FOUR INCHES OF ADDITIONAL RAINFALL EXPECTED THROUGH TONIGHT. THE HIGHEST FLOOD POTENTIAL WILL BE NORTH OF A PITTSBURG TEXAS TO EL DORADO ARKANSAS LINE. ALSO...ACROSS THE ENTIRE FOUR STATE REGION THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT... A FEW THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING DAMAGING WIND... LARGE HAIL...DEADLY LIGHTNING...AND ISOLATED TORNADOES. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY... STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS...WITH LARGE HAIL...HEAVY RAINFALL... AND DAMAGING WINDS WILL BE POSSIBLE MONDAY THROUGH EARLY TUESDAY UNTIL AN UPPER TROUGH SWINGS EAST...SENDING THE COLD FRONT EAST OF THE REGION. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS LIKELY ACROSS THE AREA THROUGH TONIGHT.
In the hours before
Special weather statement, May 1, 4:10 PM CST, 40 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SHREVEPORT LA
510 PM CDT SUN MAY 1 2011
TXZ136-012245-
SMITH-
510 PM CDT SUN MAY 1 2011
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY...
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SHREVEPORT HAS ISSUED A SIGNIFICANT
WEATHER ADVISORY...EFFECTIVE UNTIL 545 PM CDT...FOR THE FOLLOWING
COUNTY...
IN NORTHEAST TEXAS...
SMITH...
INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...
LINDALE AND TYLER...
AT 508 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS WERE
DETECTING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR CHANDLER...OR 9 MILES WEST OF
TYLER...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 25 MPH.
MOTHBALL SIZE HAIL...AND WINDS AROUND 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS
STORM.
VIIThe radar
The Shreveport radar (KSHV), 137 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 22:48 UTC.
Event by event
7 hail, 1 thunderstorm wind, 1 funnel cloud. Local standard time, as filed.
Hail, Upshur
- When
- May 1, 5:03 PM CST
- Where
- Upshur County, 0.9 mi NW of Big Sandy
- Measured
- 1 in hail
- Reported by
- Amateur Radio
- Coordinates
- 32.590, -95.110
Quarter size hail was reported in Big Sandy, Texas.
Thunderstorm Wind, Smith
- When
- May 1, 5:05 PM CST
- Where
- Smith County, 2.99 mi WNW of Friendship
- Measured
- 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
- Reported by
- Broadcast Media
- Coordinates
- 32.490, -95.070
A few trees and large limbs were downed along Hwy. 271 north of Interstate 20.
Hail, Upshur
- When
- May 1, 5:10 PM CST
- Where
- Upshur County, 1.38 mi S of Enoch
- Measured
- 0.88 in hail
- Reported by
- Broadcast Media
- Coordinates
- 32.700, -94.980
Hail, Upshur
- When
- May 1, 5:16 PM CST
- Where
- Upshur County, 2.23 mi SW of West Mtn
- Measured
- 1 in hail
- Reported by
- Amateur Radio
- Coordinates
- 32.600, -94.950
Quarter size hail fell at FM 726 and Hwy. 271 south of Gilmer, Texas.
Hail, Upshur
- When
- May 1, 5:22 PM CST
- Where
- Upshur County, 2.23 mi SW of West Mtn
- Measured
- 1.25 in hail
- Reported by
- Amateur Radio
- Coordinates
- 32.600, -94.950
Half dollar size hail fell at FM 726 and Hwy. 271 south of Gilmer. This is an update to a previous report.
Funnel Cloud, Upshur
- When
- May 1, 5:22 PM CST
- Where
- Upshur County, 2.43 mi WSW of Union Grove
- Reported by
- Broadcast Media
- Coordinates
- 32.560, -94.970
A funnel cloud was observed from a wall cloud just northwest of Gladewater, Texas. However, no known touchdowns were noted.
Hail, Morris
- When
- May 1, 6:25 PM CST
- Where
- Morris County, 1.5 mi NNW of Lone Star
- Measured
- 0.88 in hail
- Reported by
- Public
- Coordinates
- 32.940, -94.710
Hail, Cass
- When
- May 1, 6:30 PM CST
- Where
- Cass County, 1.74 mi W of Hughes Spgs
- Measured
- 1 in hail
- Reported by
- Public
- Coordinates
- 33.000, -94.630
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.
- Funnel Cloud
- A rotating column of cloud extending from a thunderstorm that did not reach the ground.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
The same day elsewhere
- Flooding in Arkansas, May 1 to 31, 2011
- Flooding in Arkansas, May 1 to 31, 2011
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Texas, May 1 to 2, 2011
- Tornado and Flash Flooding in Arkansas, May 1 to 2, 2011
- Flooding in Tennessee, May 1 to 31, 2011
- Flooding in Mississippi, May 1 to 31, 2011
- Drought in Texas, May 1 to 31, 2011
- Flash Flooding and Flooding in Missouri, May 1 to 31, 2011
- Flooding in North Dakota, May 1 to 31, 2011
- Flooding in Kentucky, May 1 to 31, 2011
- Flash Flood and Flooding in Kentucky, May 1 to 10, 2011
- Wildfire in New Mexico, May 1 to 31, 2011
More
Every storm in Texas in 2011Every state in 2011This day in weather historyWarnings in Texas, May 2011
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: 297669, 297664, 297678, 297668, 297665, 297670, 297677, 297676, 297675.