Hail, Brewster
- When
- May 22, 8:26 PM CST to 8:31 PM CST
- Where
- Brewster County, 4 mi W of Alpine
- Measured
- 1.75 in hail
- Reported by
- Amateur Radio
- Coordinates
- 30.370, -103.737
Hail in Texas, May 22, 2018
An upper level trough was over the Desert Southwest and provided upper lift over southeast New Mexico and West Texas. Good moisture and instability were across the area along with marginal wind shear and dry air below the cloud layer.
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
- 2
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.
An upper level trough was over the Desert Southwest and provided upper lift over southeast New Mexico and West Texas. Good moisture and instability were across the area along with marginal wind shear and dry air below the cloud layer. These conditions resulted in large hail across West Texas.
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 Midland/Odessa, TX wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at May 22, 5:08 PM CST, 3 hours 18 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, May 22, 5:08 PM CST, 3 hours 18 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Midland/Odessa TX 608 PM CDT Tue May 22 2018 .DISCUSSION... The latest Aviation Discussion is included below. && .AVIATION... Expect VFR conditions tonight and Wednesday morning, for the most part. KCNM and KPEQ appear to have the best chance to be affected by TSRA through 23/03Z, then all terminals could see at least temporary MVFR ceilings in the 23/12-23/15Z timeframe. More thunderstorms will be possible Wednesday afternoon, but will wait an issuance or two before adding anything to the forecast due to low probability. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /issued 246 PM CDT Tue May 22 2018/ Expansive CU field observed in visible imagery with near homogeneous surface Td with no surface boundary present. Clouds are so much so that are limiting SB heating and thus we have trended down PoPs a few points for remainder of the PM across the PB. Backed flow thru 7H indicates that low-level mstr will continue to remain in the mtns today, a far wwd position for this time of yr. Water vapor does show the mid-level mst axis is moving e leaving steep LR's. This with se flow thru about 750mb does favor storms developing in or INVOF mtns. Storms will then be favored to slowly move newd. Initially GDP Mtns area is favored then SE NM and Van Horn-Davis Mtns. Pretty good agreement between NAM12/NAM4K on this scenario and we will concentrate mostly high end sct PoPs in these areas into the evening. Strong to possibly severe multi- cell storms are supported by ML CAPES around 2000 J/KG, 0-6km bulk shear 20-25kts and 25-30 degree T-Td spreads thru early- mid evening. NAM12 suggests precip will move into the PB between 12Z- 18Z Wed? We are not optimistic this will happen largely because it is not the typical scenario for this time of yr and the NAM4K dissipates precip as it moves into PB, a more common scenario. This scenario feeds back into the convective potential on Wed PM, NAM12 leaves more stable conditions in wake of exiting precip while NAM4KM rather robustly develops storms during peak heating along mtns from GDP Mtns to between Davis and Chisos Mtns, to near Pecos River. So again we will have scattered PoPs INVOF/just e of the mtns. Mid-level ridging/weakening flow aloft will be the set- up on Thur and mostly isold-slight chance PoPs warranted across the w again. As aforementioned ridge develops and persists temps will start to soar again 1st across the w on Fri, but expanding into PB over the weekend into early next week. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Big Spring 66 90 67 92 / 10 20 10 10 Carlsbad 63 89 63 93 / 60 40 20 20 Dryden 68 89 68 93 / 10 10 10 10 Fort Stockton 66 89 66 92 / 10 30 20 20 Guadalupe Pass 63 86 63 88 / 60 30 20 20 Hobbs 62 86 62 90 / 50 30 20 20 Marfa 57 87 56 89 / 30 20 20 30 Midland Intl Airport 67 90 68 93 / 20 20 10 10 Odessa 67 90 68 93 / 20 20 10 10 Wink 66 92 66 95 / 30 30 20 20 && .MAF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NM...None. TX...None. &&
Hazardous weather outlook, May 22, 12:31 PM CST, 7 hours 55 minutes before
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Midland/Odessa TX 131 PM CDT Tue May 22 2018 NMZ027>029-033-034-TXZ045>048-050>053-057>063-067>070-074-075- 079>082-258-231845- Guadalupe Mountains of Eddy County-Eddy County Plains- Northern Lea County-Central Lea County-Southern Lea County-Gaines- Dawson-Borden-Scurry-Andrews-Martin-Howard-Mitchell- Van Horn and Highway 54 Corridor-Reeves County and Upper Trans Pecos- Loving-Winkler-Ector-Midland-Glasscock-Ward-Crane-Upton-Reagan- Davis/Apache Mountains Area-Pecos-Presidio Valley-Marfa Plateau- Big Bend Area-Terrell-Guadalupe Mountains- 131 PM CDT Tue May 22 2018 /1231 PM MDT Tue May 22 2018/ This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of southeast New Mexico, southwest Texas, and western Texas. .DAY ONE...This Afternoon and Tonight Thunderstorms are likely this afternoon and evening across the Guadalupe Mountains and the plains of Southeast New Mexico... with lower chances across the Upper Trans Pecos and Western Permian Basin. Some of these storms could become strong with a few becoming severe with large hail... damaging wind... and locally heavy rain. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Wednesday through Monday Scattered thunderstorms are possible Wednesday mainly over the higher terrain. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not anticipated. This product, along with other watches, warnings, advisories, and statements issued by the National Weather Service Office in Midland, can be found on the internet at... http://weather.gov/midland
In the hours before
Special weather statement, May 22, 6:25 PM CST, 2 hours 1 minute before
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Midland/Odessa TX
725 PM CDT TUE MAY 22 2018
TXZ058-074-230100-
Reeves County and Upper Trans Pecos TX-
Davis/Apache Mountains Area TX-
725 PM CDT TUE MAY 22 2018
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR WEST CENTRAL REEVES...NORTHERN
JEFF DAVIS AND EAST CENTRAL CULBERSON COUNTIES UNTIL 800 PM CDT...
At 724 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 15
miles west of Toyah, moving northeast at 15 mph.
Nickel size hail and wind gusts of 50 to 55 mph will be possible with
this storm.
This storm will remain over mainly rural areas of west central
Reeves...northern Jeff Davis and east central Culberson Counties.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Torrential rainfall is also occurring with this storm, and may lead
to localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded
roadways.
&&
LAT...LON 3117 10378 3102 10408 3140 10416 3148 10393
3140 10395 3137 10397 3132 10390 3131 10385
TIME...MOT...LOC 0024Z 147DEG 21KT 3128 10405
12Special weather statement, May 22, 6:47 PM CST, 1 hour 39 minutes before
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Midland/Odessa TX
747 PM CDT TUE MAY 22 2018
TXZ074-230115-
Davis/Apache Mountains Area TX-
747 PM CDT TUE MAY 22 2018
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SOUTHEASTERN JEFF DAVIS COUNTY
UNTIL 815 PM CDT...
At 747 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm near
Davis Mountains State Park, or near Fort Davis, moving northeast at
10 mph.
Nickel size hail and wind gusts of 50 to 55 mph will be possible with
this storm.
Locations impacted include...
Fort Davis, Davis Mountains State Park, Black Mountain, Indian Lodge
and Fort Davis National Historical Site.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Torrential rainfall is also occurring with this storm, and may lead
to localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded
roadways.
&&
LAT...LON 3056 10376 3051 10404 3079 10405 3075 10393
3075 10389 3069 10385 3063 10380
TIME...MOT...LOC 0047Z 161DEG 11KT 3061 10398
12Special weather statement, May 22, 7:06 PM CST, 1 hour 20 minutes before
Special Weather Statement National Weather Service Midland/Odessa TX 806 PM CDT TUE MAY 22 2018 TXZ058-230145- Reeves County and Upper Trans Pecos TX- 806 PM CDT TUE MAY 22 2018 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR WEST CENTRAL REEVES COUNTY UNTIL 845 PM CDT... At 805 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 12 miles west of Toyah, moving northeast at 10 mph. Nickel size hail and wind gusts of 50 to 55 mph will be possible with this storm. This storm will remain over mainly rural areas of west central Reeves County. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Torrential rainfall is also occurring with this storm, and may lead to localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded roadways. && LAT...LON 3124 10403 3136 10407 3153 10386 3136 10372 TIME...MOT...LOC 0105Z 240DEG 10KT 3132 10400 67
Local storm report, May 22, 7:33 PM CST, 53 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
National Weather Service Midland/Odessa TX
833 PM CDT TUE MAY 22 2018
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0829 PM HAIL 11 S CARLSBAD 32.24N 104.24W
05/22/2018 M1.75 INCH Eddy NM TRAINED SPOTTER
&&
AKLSpecial weather statement, May 22, 7:50 PM CST, 36 minutes before
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Midland/Odessa TX
850 PM CDT TUE MAY 22 2018
NMZ027-028-TXZ258-230230-
Eddy County Plains NM-Guadalupe Mountains of Eddy County NM-
Guadalupe Mountains TX-
850 PM CDT TUE MAY 22 2018
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SOUTHWESTERN EDDY AND NORTH
CENTRAL CULBERSON COUNTIES UNTIL 930 PM CDT/830 PM MDT/...
At 850 PM CDT/750 PM MDT/, Doppler radar was tracking a strong
thunderstorm 7 miles northeast of McKittrick Canyon, or 14 miles
northeast of Pine Springs, moving east at 15 mph.
Nickel size hail and wind gusts up to 50 mph will be possible with
this storm.
Locations impacted include...
Carlsbad Caverns National Park and Whites City.
LAT...LON 3227 10441 3202 10429 3200 10442 3200 10449
3199 10449 3196 10468 3210 10475
TIME...MOT...LOC 0150Z 247DEG 14KT 3205 10465
24Special weather statement, May 22, 7:59 PM CST, 27 minutes before
Special Weather Statement National Weather Service Midland/Odessa TX 859 PM CDT TUE MAY 22 2018 TXZ081-230230- Big Bend Area TX- 859 PM CDT TUE MAY 22 2018 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SOUTHWESTERN BREWSTER COUNTY UNTIL 930 PM CDT... At 858 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 3 miles north of Terlingua, or 14 miles northeast of Lajitas, moving north at 10 mph. Nickel size hail and wind gusts of 50 to 55 mph will be possible with this storm. Locations impacted include... Study Butte. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Torrential rainfall is also occurring with this storm, and may lead to localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded roadways. && LAT...LON 2926 10345 2928 10364 2951 10367 2946 10346 TIME...MOT...LOC 0158Z 166DEG 50KT 2942 10362 12
The radar
The Midland/Odessa radar (KMAF), 229 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 02:26 UTC.
Event by event
1 hail, 1 funnel cloud. Local standard time, as filed.
Funnel Cloud, Brewster
- When
- May 22, 8:30 PM CST to 8:31 PM CST
- Where
- Brewster County, Alpine Muni Arpt
- Reported by
- Public
- Coordinates
- 30.380, -103.680
A funnel cloud was reported near the Alpine Airport.
What these are
- Hail
- Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
- 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
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Ohio, May 22, 2018
- Hail and Damaging Wind in New Mexico, May 22, 2018
- Flood and Hail in Ohio, May 22 to 23, 2018
- Flash Flooding and Damaging Winds in West Virginia, May 22 to 23, 2018
- Hail and Damaging Wind in Louisiana, May 22, 2018
- Hail and Damaging Wind in New Mexico, May 22, 2018
- Flash Flood and Hail in North Dakota, May 22, 2018
- Hail in Colorado, May 22, 2018
- Flood and Damaging Winds in West Virginia, May 22 to 23, 2018
- Flash Flood in Tennessee, May 22, 2018
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Pennsylvania, May 22, 2018
- Marine Thunderstorm Winds in North Atlantic Coastal Waters, May 22, 2018
More
Every storm in Texas in 2018Every state in 2018This day in weather historyWarnings in Texas, May 2018
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: 748860, 750343.