Texas, 2017

Hail in Texas, October 21, 2017

October 21, 2017 · NWS SJT · 7 events in 4 counties and zones

A cold front moved into the Big Country during the evening hours, resulting in scattered to numerous showers and thunderstorms. A few of these storms became severe, with large hail being the main hazard that was observed.

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
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
7

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 SJT wrote it up.

A cold front moved into the Big Country during the evening hours, resulting in scattered to numerous showers and thunderstorms. A few of these storms became severe, with large hail being the main hazard that was observed. The severe threat diminished by late evening.

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 San Angelo, TX wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Oct 21, 5:47 PM CST, 36 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Oct 21, 5:47 PM CST, 36 minutes before
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Hazardous weather outlook, Oct 21, 1:45 PM CST, 4 hours 38 minutes before
Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service San Angelo TX
245 PM CDT Sat Oct 21 2017

TXZ049-054-064>066-071>073-076>078-098-099-113-114-127-128-139-
140-154-155-168>170-221945-
Fisher-Nolan-Sterling-Coke-Runnels-Irion-Tom Green-Concho-
Crockett-Schleicher-Sutton-Haskell-Throckmorton-Jones-Shackelford-
Taylor-Callahan-Coleman-Brown-McCulloch-San Saba-Menard-Kimble-
Mason-
245 PM CDT Sat Oct 21 2017

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of west central
Texas.

.DAY ONE...This Afternoon and Tonight

Isolated thunderstorms may develop ahead of a dryline late this
afternoon and early evening generally west of a Sweetwater,
San Angelo to Ozona line. The main hazard will be damaging winds
and large hail.

Strong to severe thunderstorms will be possible this evening and
overnight ahead of a cold front that will move south across the
area. The most favored area for severe storms will be along and
north of Interstate 20 this evening. The primary hazards will be
large hail and damaging winds, although an isolated tornado cannot
be ruled out.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Sunday through Friday

The probability for widespread hazardous weather is low.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Limited spotter activation may be necessary this evening,
primarily north of Interstate 20.

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Oct 21, 5:36 PM CST, 47 minutes before
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Special weather statement, Oct 21, 5:51 PM CST, 32 minutes before
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Special weather statement, Oct 21, 6:01 PM CST, 22 minutes before
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The radar

The Dyess AFB radar (KDYX), 109 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 00:22 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

7 hail. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Nolan

When
October 21, 6:23 PM CST to 6:27 PM CST
Where
Nolan County, 0.58 mi W of Sweetwater
Measured
0.88 in hail
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
32.470, -100.410

Hail, Nolan

When
October 21, 6:25 PM CST to 6:29 PM CST
Where
Nolan County, 0.58 mi W of Sweetwater
Measured
1.75 in hail
Reported by
Law Enforcement
Coordinates
32.470, -100.410

Law enforcement reported golf ball size hail in Sweetwater.

Hail, Throckmorton

When
October 21, 7:25 PM CST to 7:29 PM CST
Where
Throckmorton County, Throckmorton
Measured
1.5 in hail
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
33.180, -99.180

A trained spotter reported ping pong size hail in Throckmorton.

Hail, Throckmorton

When
October 21, 7:30 PM CST to 7:34 PM CST
Where
Throckmorton County, Throckmorton
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
Law Enforcement
Coordinates
33.180, -99.180

Hail, Jones

When
October 21, 7:58 PM CST to 8:02 PM CST
Where
Jones County, 1.35 mi WNW of Anson
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
Law Enforcement
Coordinates
32.760, -99.900

Law enforcement reported quarter size hail in Anson.

Hail, Jones

When
October 21, 8:35 PM CST to 8:39 PM CST
Where
Jones County, 0.58 mi E of Lueders
Measured
1.5 in hail
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
32.800, -99.620

An employee at the County 4 store in Lueders reported ping pong size hail.

Hail, Taylor

When
October 21, 10:08 PM CST to 10:12 PM CST
Where
Taylor County, Abilene
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
32.450, -99.730

A trained spotter reported quarter size hail in Abilene.

What these are

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

More

Every storm in Texas in 2017Every state in 2017This day in weather historyWarnings in Texas, October 2017

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 2026-09-30. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 723351, 723350, 723357, 723352, 723353, 723355, 723356.