Thunderstorms developed along a cold front and one of these storms produced large hail.
Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.
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.
The episode as NWS EWX wrote it up.
Thunderstorms developed along a cold front and one of these storms produced large hail.
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 Austin/San Antonio, TX wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Apr 18, 6:26 PM CST, 21 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Austin/San Antonio TX 726 PM CDT Sat Apr 18 2026 ...New AVIATION... .KEY MESSAGES... - Scattered showers across South-Central Texas through Sunday morning, mostly light but with a few isolated thunderstorms mainly late afternoon today into the overnight hours. - Gusty conditions will gradually lessen tonight. - Cool weather continues into mid-week with moderate chances for rain through Wednesday. && .SHORT TERM... (Tonight through Sunday night) Issued at 143 PM CDT Sat Apr 18 2026 A strong mid-April cold front has now swept across the entirety of South-Central Texas, with temperatures cooling substantially on a breezy north wind. Most have avoided measurable precip so far, but areas will start to fill in with mostly light stratiform showers today. We expect to see an uptick in convective activity with some lightning in the late afternoon into the evening as mid-level ascent ripples north to south through the area. A stronger storm or two could be capable of producing some small hail as temperatures aloft cool, but most of these deeper storms will be non-severe and mainly pose an intermittent lightning risk to outdoor activities with that risk peaking in the evening and early part of the night. The area of showers and storms will gradually ease tonight with most activity clearing out by sunrise Sunday. Overall rainfall amounts will tend to be light relative to coverage given the high-based, cooler nature of the rains... from a few hundredths of an inch to about a quarter inch for most, and some isolated pockets of a 1/2 to 1 inch. Those marginally higher amounts are more likely over the Coastal Plains. Temperatures will continue to fall throughout the day into the night. Residual post-frontal cloudiness will prevent more aggressive cooling, but lows tonight should settle into the mid-40s to low-50s with the coldest temperatures in the northern Hill Country and north of the Austin area. Winds will gradually ease through the night with gusts dropping below 25 mph for most, but it won't be until Sunday afternoon that the enhanced post-frontal winds settle down more fully. Sunday is shaping up to be a tale of two halves of the region. For areas generally north of I-10 or east of I-37, the day trends sunnier and drier, allowing highs to reach the low 70s. To the west and south across the Rio Grande Plains, a resurgent flow of southerly winds aloft forces mid-level moisture back into the area. This will keep an overcast in place along with light showers and sprinkles, with a low chance of some rumbles of thunder. Those clouds will also keep temperatures along the Rio Grande in the upper 50s to mid 60s Sunday afternoon. The area of light rains should inch closer to the US-281 and I-35 corridors Sunday evening and overnight. Lows Sunday night into Monday morning are forecast to be in the 50s throughout South-Central Texas. && .LONG TERM... (Monday through next Saturday) Issued at 143 PM CDT Sat Apr 18 2026 Despite the presence of a broader upper-level ridge moving over Texas during the first half of the upcoming workweek, a mid-level shortwave disturbance is forecast to slowly drift out of Mexico on Monday before slowly making its way about Texas through Wednesday. This keeps rain chances in the area during the first half of the week. The best chances are probably on Tuesday, when the disturbance is most favorably positioned to drag moisture across the region. Chances for rain are most favored in South Texas and along the Coastal Plains, especially if a coastal low or trough materializes as indicated in the synoptic global models, though the latest ensembles carry chances for rain across most of South-Central Texas Monday and Tuesday with activity limited to mainly east of the I-35 corridor on Wednesday. The return of southerly winds at the surface on Tuesday should help increase low-level instability, opening up the potential for thunderstorms and a heavier rain. Temperatures will be slow to warm up during the week with the continued rain chances and cloudiness, staying well below average Monday and Tuesday. Del Rio may see a few daily record cool high temperatures with afternoon temperatures staying as much as 25 degrees below average. These cool anomalies aren't as dramatic to the east, but are still 10-15 degrees below late-April norms. As conditions start to clear up west-to-east on Wednesday with warmer air aloft, temperatures should return to seasonably warm levels with highs in the 80s and lows in the 60s. A pair of troughs over the Rockies and Intermountain West late in the week may influence conditions over our area Thursday to Saturday, possibly with some dryline-related thunderstorm activity. However, those disturbances won't reach the western US coast until midweek. && .AVIATION... (00Z TAFS) Issued at 725 PM CDT Sat Apr 18 2026 Mostly VFR CIGs are associated with the overrunning pattern this evening, but areas that have a fair amount of convection nearby may see some MVFR CIGs and some RW that could drop the VSBY to about 3-4 SM The strongest of cells have frequent lightning and perhaps hail as big as pennies. and one such cluster could impact AUS in about 30-50 minutes. Low confidence among the rapid refresh solutions on what convective trends may appear overnight so we'll wait until the 03Z updates are issued to change the outlook if needed. For now, we just have winds gusting less after midnight and continued VFR skies for AUS/DRT, but a return to MVFR from 08Z to 12Z at SAT/SSF. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Austin Camp Mabry 52 75 55 70 / 60 0 20 50 Austin Bergstrom Intl Airport 52 74 54 68 / 60 0 20 50 New Braunfels Muni Airport 52 73 54 68 / 70 10 30 60 Burnet Muni Airport 48 72 53 66 / 30 0 20 50 Del Rio Intl Airport 56 66 54 64 / 30 30 40 40 Georgetown Muni Airport 48 73 54 67 / 50 0 20 40 Hondo Muni Airport 53 67 53 62 / 70 10 50 60 San Marcos Muni Airport 52 73 55 67 / 70 10 30 60 La Grange - Fayette Regional 53 74 55 72 / 70 10 10 40 San Antonio Intl Airport 53 71 55 66 / 80 10 40 70 Stinson Muni Airport 54 70 56 66 / 80 10 40 70 && .EWX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None. && SHORT TERM...Tran LONG TERM....Tran AVIATION...18
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Austin/San Antonio TX
542 PM CDT Sat Apr 18 2026
TXZ173-182315-
Williamson TX-
542 PM CDT Sat Apr 18 2026
...A strong thunderstorm will impact portions of central Williamson
County through 615 PM CDT...
At 542 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm over
Georgetown Dam, or over Georgetown, moving northeast at 40 mph.
HAZARD...Winds in excess of 40 mph and half inch 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...
Round Rock, Georgetown, Granger, Serenada, Leander, Bartlett, Liberty
Hill, Jarrell, Florence, Weir, Georgetown Dam, Sun City, Andice,
Theon, Walburg, Schwertner, and Jonah.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
&&
LAT...LON 3087 9762 3074 9727 3054 9775 3073 9795
3089 9771
TIME...MOT...LOC 2242Z 239DEG 36KT 3064 9772
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.50 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH
MOSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service Austin/San Antonio TX
546 PM CDT Sat Apr 18 2026
TXZ171-182345-
Llano TX-
546 PM CDT Sat Apr 18 2026
...A strong thunderstorm will impact portions of northern Llano
County through 645 PM CDT...
At 546 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 7
miles southwest of Mason, moving northeast at 35 mph.
HAZARD...Winds in excess of 40 mph and half inch 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...
Llano, Castell, Field Creek, Baby Head, Lone Grove, Stolz, Bluffton,
and Valley Spring.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
&&
LAT...LON 3078 9843 3064 9896 3092 9896 3092 9850
TIME...MOT...LOC 2246Z 240DEG 32KT 3066 9931
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.50 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH
MOSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service Austin/San Antonio TX
551 PM CDT Sat Apr 18 2026
TXZ187-189>191-204>206-182345-
Comal TX-Bexar TX-Blanco TX-Medina TX-Hays TX-Bandera TX-Kendall TX-
551 PM CDT Sat Apr 18 2026
...A strong thunderstorm will impact portions of eastern Medina,
southeastern Bandera, southwestern Hays, south central Blanco,
southeastern Kendall, northwestern Bexar and Comal Counties through
645 PM CDT...
At 551 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm over
Cross Mountain, or 10 miles south of Boerne, moving northeast at 25
mph.
HAZARD...Winds in excess of 40 mph and penny 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...
San Antonio, New Braunfels, San Marcos, Boerne, Wimberley, Canyon
Lake Dam, Canyon Lake, Helotes, Fair Oaks Ranch, Bulverde, Shavano
Park, Cross Mountain, Woodcreek, Guadalupe River State Park, Smithson
Valley, Bandera Falls, The Dominion, Kreutzberg, Spring Branch, and
Government Canyon State Natural Area.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
&&
LAT...LON 2985 9789 2979 9796 2950 9881 2967 9899
3015 9821
TIME...MOT...LOC 2251Z 237DEG 23KT 2964 9869
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.75 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH
MOSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service Austin/San Antonio TX
721 PM CDT Sat Apr 18 2026
TXZ173-191-192-190100-
Williamson TX-Hays TX-Travis TX-
721 PM CDT Sat Apr 18 2026
...A strong thunderstorm will impact portions of southwestern
Williamson, northwestern Hays and central Travis Counties through 800
PM CDT...
At 720 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm over
Bee Cave, or 9 miles northeast of Dripping Springs, moving northeast
at 45 mph.
HAZARD...Winds in excess of 40 mph and penny 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...
Austin, Round Rock, Cedar Park, Georgetown, Pflugerville, Taylor,
Dripping Springs, Anderson Mill, Serenada, Windemere, Leander, Hutto,
Lakeway, Lago Vista, Bee Cave, West Lake Hills, Hudson Bend, The
Hills, Liberty Hill, and Rollingwood.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
Torrential rainfall is also occurring with this storm and may lead to
localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded
roadways.
&&
LAT...LON 3071 9749 3051 9739 3005 9804 3020 9823
3023 9822 3074 9786
TIME...MOT...LOC 0020Z 218DEG 39KT 3031 9797
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.75 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH
MOSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service Austin/San Antonio TX
723 PM CDT Sat Apr 18 2026
TXZ191>193-208-190115-
Caldwell TX-Bastrop TX-Hays TX-Travis TX-
723 PM CDT Sat Apr 18 2026
...A strong thunderstorm will impact portions of northwestern
Caldwell, central Hays, southeastern Travis and southwestern Bastrop
Counties through 815 PM CDT...
At 723 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm near
Martindale, or near San Marcos, moving northeast at 35 mph.
HAZARD...Winds in excess of 40 mph and penny 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...
Austin, San Marcos, Kyle, Buda, Lockhart, Wimberley, Tanglewood
Forest, Austin Bergstrom Int Airport, Martindale, Uhland, Mustang
Ridge, Niederwald, Onion Creek, Cedar Creek, Wyldwood, Shady Hollow,
Hornsby Bend, Manchaca, Mountain City, and San Leanna.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
Torrential rainfall is also occurring with this storm and may lead to
localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded
roadways.
Frequent cloud to ground lightning is occurring with this storm.
Lightning can strike 10 miles away from a thunderstorm. Seek a safe
shelter inside a building or vehicle.
&&
LAT...LON 2981 9784 2983 9784 2985 9786 2985 9788
2982 9793 2998 9814 3031 9764 2998 9730
TIME...MOT...LOC 0023Z 245DEG 31KT 2991 9787
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.75 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH
MOSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service Austin/San Antonio TX
741 PM CDT Sat Apr 18 2026
TXZ193-208-209-190115-
Caldwell TX-Bastrop TX-Fayette TX-
741 PM CDT Sat Apr 18 2026
...A strong thunderstorm will impact portions of southeastern
Caldwell, southeastern Bastrop and west central Fayette Counties
through 815 PM CDT...
At 741 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 11
miles southeast of Lockhart, moving northeast at 40 mph.
HAZARD...Winds in excess of 40 mph and half inch 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, Cistern, Rosanky, Upton, Brownsboro, Delhi, Hills
Prairie, Joliet, Tilmon, Togo, String Prairie, Watterson, Alum Creek,
McNeil, Red Rock, McMahan, Buescher State Park, Jeddo, Kovar, and
West Point.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
&&
LAT...LON 2988 9696 2977 9731 2978 9732 2976 9736
2968 9762 2979 9770 3015 9718
TIME...MOT...LOC 0041Z 238DEG 34KT 2981 9751
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.50 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH
MOThe Ft Hood radar (KGRK), 45 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 00:45 UTC.
3 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
A thunderstorm produced quarter size hail in Cedar Park. We received a picture of the hail stone against a ruler.
A thunderstorm produced nickel size hail in Brushy Creek.
A thunderstorm produced pea to quarter size hail across a swath between Georgetown and Round Rock including communities near Westinghouse Rd., FM 1460, and Hwy 130.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Texas in 2026Every state in 2026This day in weather historyWarnings in Texas, April 2026
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: 1333066, 1333071, 1333075.