Texas, 2026

Hail and Damaging Wind in Texas, April 28, 2026

April 28, 2026 · NWS OUN · 8 events in 2 counties and zones

The final day of a prolonged stretch of severe weather potential (beginning on the 23rd) yielded another round of significant hail, winds and tornadoes across southern Oklahoma into portions of north Texas. A pair of intense supercells (one southeast of Wichita Falls, Texas and another from near Sulphur, Oklahoma to Atoka, Oklahoma) produced large to very large hail, damaging wind gusts 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

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
8

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 OUN wrote it up.

The final day of a prolonged stretch of severe weather potential (beginning on the 23rd) yielded another round of significant hail, winds and tornadoes across southern Oklahoma into portions of north Texas. A pair of intense supercells (one southeast of Wichita Falls, Texas and another from near Sulphur, Oklahoma to Atoka, Oklahoma) produced large to very large hail, damaging wind gusts and several tornadoes.

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 Norman, OK wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Apr 28, 5:19 AM CST, 1 hour 57 minutes earlier. Its key messages:

  • Updated at 148 AM CDT Tue Apr 28 2026
  • Scattered thunderstorms today, some severe. The main threat will be hail across northern Oklahoma, but all severe hazards will be possible in the south.
  • Cool today in the north, but near-record heat in the south.
  • Areas of showers and thunderstorms Thursday into Friday, but severe weather is not expected..
Area forecast discussion, Apr 28, 5:19 AM CST, 1 hour 57 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Norman OK
619 AM CDT Tue Apr 28 2026

...New AVIATION...

.KEY MESSAGES...
Updated at 148 AM CDT Tue Apr 28 2026

- Scattered thunderstorms today, some severe. The main threat will
  be hail across northern Oklahoma, but all severe hazards will be
  possible in the south.

- Cool today in the north, but near-record heat in the south.

- Areas of showers and thunderstorms Thursday into Friday, but
  severe weather is not expected..

&&

.NEAR TERM...
(Through Tuesday)
Issued at 148 AM CDT Tue Apr 28 2026

Thunderstorms developing early this morning. Some may be severe.
The severe risk will persist through the afternoon hours.

Complex weather situation evolving this morning. A 30-40 knots
southwesterly low-level jet is beginning to develop and interact
with the surface front extending near the Red River up into the
Texas panhandle west of Amarillo. Isentropic lift is expected to
increase above the frontal surface and elevated convection has
already begun to form across the Texas South Plains. Meanwhile, the
portion of the front near the Red River is expected to stall and
then lift northward as a warm front. With dewpoints in the mid 70s
lurking south of the front in north Texas that will advect north
with this warm front, we will see increasing surface-based
instability into north Texas and southern Oklahoma this morning. So
while the main threat of severe thunderstorms this morning will be
elevated storms producing hail, we will also have to watch near the
boundary where the increasing surface-based instability and wind
shear could be enough for the potential of surface-based supercells.

With time, the warm front lifting will stall out again and start
moving back south/southeast as a cold front as a surface high over
the northern/central Plains shifts southward behind a northern
stream wave. Additional thunderstorms are expected to develop along
and near the front this afternoon as it moves back south. With
increasing diurnal instability, severe surface-based thunderstorms
will continue to be possible until the front moves out of the
forecast area late this afternoon or this evening.

With the front only expected to move so far north today and
cloudiness expected north of the front with the isentropic lift,
temperatures across northern Oklahoma will be seasonably cool. But
temperatures south of the front will be quite warm with highs
expected to be in the 90s across western north Texas. The forecast
high of 93 at Wichita Falls would tie the daily record. /26

&&

.SHORT TERM...
(Tuesday night through Thursday night)
Issued at 148 AM CDT Tue Apr 28 2026

With the front today moving out of the area late this afternoon or
tonight and a surface ridge building down the Plains, cooler weather
is forecast through mid week. Dry weather is expected Wednesday.
Shortwaves in the southwesterly flow aloft and/or developing mid-
level isentropic lift start increasing precipitation chances
Wednesday night into Thursday and chances increase more as a mid-
level trough approaches from the southwest. Some areas may
receive locally heavy rainfall, but the severe weather risk
remains low as surface instability remains well to the south of
the area.

Temperatures will remain seasonably cool Wednesday and Thursday as
the cool post-frontal airmass remains in place and clouds become
more widespread.

&&

.LONG TERM...
(Friday through Monday)
Issued at 148 AM CDT Tue Apr 28 2026

Precipitation is expected to become more widespread on Friday,
especially in the south, with showers and thunderstorm chances
persisting into Friday evening before ending as the mid-level trough
moves east of the forecast area. Temperatures will be seasonably
cool again Saturday before a warming trend through Tuesday. After
this system exits Friday evening, there are no significant
precipitation chances through the remainder of the forecast
period.

&&

.AVIATION...
(12Z TAFS)
Issued at 619 AM CDT Tue Apr 28 2026

A warm front is located near the Red River with widespread stratus
(and MVFR ceilings) north of the front, and this stratus is
spreading to cover more of the area this morning. Ceilings will
slowly lift today. Showers and thunderstorms are expected near
and north of the front today, and the first storms are moving
toward western north Texas south of KCDS and southwest of KSPS.
Thunderstorms will become more widespread today across north Texas
and southern Oklahoma. Winds will become more northerly later
today as more cooler and drier air begins to move into the area,
and this will help to clear out the low clouds late today and this
evening.

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
Oklahoma City OK  72  47  69  49 /  40   0   0   0
Hobart OK         80  45  73  49 /  20   0   0  10
Wichita Falls TX  92  52  73  54 /  60   0   0  10
Gage OK           69  38  70  44 /  10   0   0  20
Ponca City OK     63  44  69  46 /  20   0   0   0
Durant OK         86  55  70  56 /  70  40  10  10

&&

.OUN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
OK...None.
TX...None.
&&

NEAR TERM...26
SHORT TERM...26
LONG TERM....26
AVIATION...26

The radar

The Altus AFB radar (KFDR), 79 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 13:17 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

7 hail, 1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Archer

When
April 28, 7:16 AM CST
Where
Archer County, 5.07 mi SE of Lakeside City
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
33.782, -98.483

The report was relayed by amateur radio.

Hail, Archer

When
April 28, 12:28 PM CST to 12:33 PM CST
Where
Archer County, 5.95 mi NW of Scotland
Measured
1.75 in hail
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
33.713, -98.552

Maximum hail size increased from quarter to golf ball during the event time. The report was relayed through mPING.

Hail, Archer

When
April 28, 12:35 PM CST
Where
Archer County, 5 mi NNE of Archer City
Measured
0.88 in hail
Reported by
Amateur Radio
Coordinates
33.661, -98.613

The location is approximate.

Hail, Clay

When
April 28, 12:45 PM CST
Where
Clay County, 1.19 mi W of Lake Arrowhead Dam
Measured
1.5 in hail
Reported by
Emergency Manager
Coordinates
33.757, -98.391

Hailfall at Lake Arrowhead State Park. The event time is estimated based on radar observations.

Thunderstorm Wind, Clay

When
April 28, 12:45 PM CST
Where
Clay County, 1.19 mi W of Lake Arrowhead Dam
Measured
52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by
Emergency Manager
Coordinates
33.757, -98.391

Large tree limbs were blown down at Lake Arrowhead State Park. The event time is estimated based on radar observations.

Hail, Clay

When
April 28, 1:16 PM CST
Where
Clay County, 2.87 mi WNW of Bluegrove
Measured
2.5 in hail
Reported by
Amateur Radio
Coordinates
33.678, -98.279

The location is approximate, and the event time is estimated based on radar observations.

Hail, Clay

When
April 28, 1:19 PM CST
Where
Clay County, 4.03 mi WSW of Bluegrove
Measured
1.75 in hail
Reported by
Amateur Radio
Coordinates
33.640, -98.290

The location is approximate.

Hail, Clay

When
April 28, 1:20 PM CST
Where
Clay County, 5.56 mi SSE of Henrietta
Measured
1.75 in hail
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
33.742, -98.166

The report was relayed through mPING.

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

More

Every storm in Texas in 2026Every state in 2026This day in weather historyWarnings 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: 1330081, 1334843, 1334844, 1334855, 1334856, 1334846, 1334847, 1334850.