Hail and Damaging Winds in Texas, April 18, 2026

Name: Hail and Damaging Winds in Texas, April 18, 2026
Start: 2026-04-18T09:20
End: 2026-04-18T10:13
Location: Texas

April 18, 2026 · NWS SHV · 10 events in 2 counties and zones

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: 10

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.

Scattered strong to severe thunderstorms, initially elevated, developed by late morning on April 18th as a cold front rapidly undercut a moist and unstable air mass across East Texas. Mid-level lapse rates averaged near 8 degrees C/km while effective deep-layer shear was on the order of 50-60 knots. Although the risk for large hail was generally the the primary hazard with the most intense thunderstorms, a localized risk for severe wind gusts also accompanied the strongest thunderstorm cores. As a result, numerous reports were documented with large hail across parts of East Texas while a few isolated reports of damaging wind gusts were also noted later in the event as surface-based thunderstorms began to evolve within a more linear convective mode.

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 Apr 18, 12:30 AM CST, 8 hours 50 minutes earlier. Its key messages:

Issued at 1145 PM CDT Fri Apr 17 2026
A cold front is knocking on our door and will bring widespread rain and cooler temperatures to the area today.
Below to near normal temperatures will continue through the weekend and into the start of next week before the 80s return by the middle of the week.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 18, 12:30 AM CST, 8 hours 50 minutes before

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Shreveport LA
130 AM CDT Sat Apr 18 2026

...New AVIATION...

.KEY MESSAGES...
Issued at 1145 PM CDT Fri Apr 17 2026

 - A cold front is knocking on our door and will bring widespread
   rain and cooler temperatures to the area today.

 - Below to near normal temperatures will continue through the
   weekend and into the start of next week before the 80s return
   by the middle of the week.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
Issued at 1145 PM CDT Fri Apr 17 2026

Surface observations and radar imagery indicated that the highly
anticipated cold front extends from southwest Oklahoma, through
central Oklahoma and into far southwest Missouri. Short range
model guidance continues to indicate that the showers and
thunderstorms will reach McCurtain County in southeast Oklahoma by
around 07-08z. We will then see rain chances traverse through the
region from northwest to southeast today. Some of these storms,
especially the ones that initially move into our northwest zones,
could be strong to severe at times, something we will need to
watch this morning and into the afternoon. While we are not
currently outlooked from the Storm Prediction Center, there
remains the potential that some storms could be strong and even
severe throughout the day.

Most areas will see their high temperatures for the day this
morning, as temperatures will begin to drop through the day behind
the passing cold front. So while high temperatures for today might
say the mid 70s or lower 80s for some, these will not be the
temperatures we feel during the afternoon hours. Tonight will be
quite chilly for this time of the year, with lows ranging from
around 40-50 degrees across the region, cooler to the north and
warmer to the south. For Sunday and Monday, temperatures will be
in the 70s, with similar lows in the 40s and 50s each night.
Tuesday will still be pleasant for most, but we will start to see
the 80s return to the area, especially for our eastern zones. We
will see the 80s creep back into the entire region slowly before
they become more widespread by Thursday. While there will be some
diurnally driven convection possible from Tuesday through Friday
of next week, right now it doesn't appear to be widespread or very
significant. /33/

&&

.AVIATION...
(06Z TAFS)
Issued at 119 AM CDT Sat Apr 18 2026

For the ArkLaTex MVFR cigs arriving for several sites west predawn
and will set in for the day with some IFR possible in WX. S winds
10-15KT and gust 20-25KT ahead of a cold front approaching now
KADM to KFSM. Convection has gusted out limiting strength with
showers here toward KTYR/KTXK by 10Z all additional terminals
early today. A lot of the VCTS/SHRA will be post frontal as our
winds shift from SW to NW 12-16Z over our NW and 19Z for KLFK &
21Z at KMLU. Skies become VFR this eve and more likely overnight.
/24/

&&

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...
Issued at 1145 PM CDT Fri Apr 17 2026

While spotter activation is not expected today, any reports of
stronger thunderstorms would be appreciated.

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
SHV  76  49  73  48 /  80  50   0   0
MLU  82  50  73  45 /  90  80   0   0
DEQ  67  40  73  41 /  60   0   0   0
TXK  72  45  75  46 /  70  20   0   0
ELD  75  44  73  43 /  90  50   0   0
TYR  72  47  73  48 /  70  30   0   0
GGG  74  47  73  46 /  80  40   0   0
LFK  80  52  74  48 /  70  70   0   0

&&

.SHV WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
AR...None.
LA...None.
OK...None.
TX...None.
&&

DISCUSSION...33
AVIATION...24

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Apr 18, 4:37 AM CST, 4 hours 43 minutes before

Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Shreveport LA
537 AM CDT Sat Apr 18 2026

OKZ077-181115-
McCurtain OK-
537 AM CDT Sat Apr 18 2026

...A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL IMPACT NORTHWESTERN MCCURTAIN
COUNTY UNTIL 615 AM CDT...

At 537 AM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a line of strong
thunderstorms extending from 36 miles north of Manchester to 23 miles
north of Manchester, or extending from 52 miles north of Clarksville
to 39 miles north of Clarksville, moving northeast at 40 mph.

HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 40 mph and half inch size hail.

SOURCE...Radar indicated.

IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
         unsecured objects. Minor damage to outdoor objects is
         possible.

Locations impacted include...
  Battiest, Bethel, Mount Herman, Pickens, Sherwood, Ringold and
  Rufe.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Monitor the weather situation closely and be alert for threatening
weather conditions.

&&

LAT...LON 3451 9479 3446 9476 3427 9470 3409 9516
      3416 9516 3416 9515 3424 9515 3424 9505
      3451 9505
TIME...MOT...LOC 1036Z 241DEG 36KT 3434 9531 3424 9526 3415 9526

MAX HAIL SIZE...0.50 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH

20

Special weather statement, Apr 18, 5:08 AM CST, 4 hours 12 minutes before

Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Shreveport LA
608 AM CDT Sat Apr 18 2026

OKZ077-181145-
McCurtain OK-
608 AM CDT Sat Apr 18 2026

...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT NORTHEASTERN MCCURTAIN COUNTY
UNTIL 645 AM CDT...

At 608 AM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 26
miles north of Broken Bow, or 35 miles northwest of De Queen, moving
east at 50 mph.

HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 40 mph and half inch size hail.

SOURCE...Radar indicated.

IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
         unsecured objects. Minor damage to outdoor objects is
         possible.

Locations impacted include...
  Smithville, Watson, Sherwood and Plunketville.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Monitor the weather situation closely and be alert for threatening
weather conditions.

&&

LAT...LON 3426 9477 3447 9487 3451 9477 3451 9446
      3436 9447
TIME...MOT...LOC 1108Z 249DEG 43KT 3440 9476

MAX HAIL SIZE...0.50 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH

20

The radar

The Shreveport radar (KSHV), 148 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 15:18 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

6 hail, 4 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Smith

When: April 18, 9:20 AM CST
Where: Smith County, 1.36 mi ENE of Noonday
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 32.240, -95.400

Hail ranging from pea to quarter size covered the ground in the Noonday area.

Thunderstorm Wind, Smith

When: April 18, 9:20 AM CST
Where: Smith County, 1.88 mi WSW of Peaceful Vly
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Broadcast Media
Coordinates: 32.290, -95.350

Several large tree branches were snapped near the intersection of Highway 155 and West Grande Boulevard, causing minor damage to a nearby building.

Hail, Smith

When: April 18, 9:21 AM CST
Where: Smith County, Gresham
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 32.230, -95.350

Hail ranging from pea to quarter size covered the ground just south of Tyler in the Gresham area.

Hail, Smith

When: April 18, 9:23 AM CST
Where: Smith County, 1.38 mi S of Tyler
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 32.330, -95.300

Hail ranging from pea to quarter size covered the ground on the south side of Tyler.

Thunderstorm Wind, Smith

When: April 18, 9:25 AM CST
Where: Smith County, 0.69 mi N of Rice
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Amateur Radio
Coordinates: 32.290, -95.300

Tree uprooted on the south side of Tyler.

Hail, Smith

When: April 18, 9:28 AM CST
Where: Smith County, Whitehouse
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Amateur Radio
Coordinates: 32.230, -95.220

Quarter size hail reported in Whitehouse.

Hail, Smith

When: April 18, 9:30 AM CST
Where: Smith County, 0.58 mi E of Lake Tyler
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 32.230, -95.170

Hail ranging from pea to quarter size covered the ground near Lake Tyler.

Hail, Rusk

When: April 18, 9:45 AM CST
Where: Rusk County, 0.9 mi SW of Sexton City
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Reported by: Fire Department/Rescue
Coordinates: 32.270, -94.930

Nickel size hail reported near New London.

Thunderstorm Wind, Rusk

When: April 18, 9:47 AM CST
Where: Rusk County, 1.5 mi SSE of Kilgore
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Fire Department/Rescue
Coordinates: 32.360, -94.870

Large tree was uprooted onto power lines near the intersection of Florence Street and Camp Street in Kilgore, causing power outages.

Thunderstorm Wind, Rusk

When: April 18, 10:13 AM CST
Where: Rusk County, 1.88 mi WSW of Tatum
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 32.290, -94.550

Tree downed on County Road 2813 southwest of Tatum.

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 2026 Every state in 2026 This day in weather history Warnings in Texas, April 2026

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: 1331735, 1331744, 1331736, 1331737, 1331746, 1331738, 1331740, 1331742, 1331748, 1331749.