The 5 Worst Hail Storms In North Texas History

Residents of East Dallas had to duck and cover last week as quarter-sized rocks of ice violently fell from the sky. Those seeking shelter from the storm were some of the earliest victims of Texas hail storm season, which rages each year as the season changes from winter to spring and on into summer.

Texas spring, though known for beautifully warm days before the daily risk of heat stroke sets in, is a tumultuous time for weather, bringing twisters and life-threatening precipitation. As temperatures change, updrafts form in the atmosphere and draw water droplets to zones with freezing temperatures. Then, the ice pellets descend upon unknowing victims below, causing massive damage and posing a health hazard to anyone without an emergency helmet.

“[I] had to park under a tree and pray,” said Lizzie Harris, a Plano resident stranded in the small pocket hail storm that hit Dallas on March 25. “I think the tree helped, but it was a terrifying moment. I could not tell how big the hail was, but I survived, and so did [my] Nissan.”

That hail storm is a precursor for the remainder of hail season, which is only just beginning. Luckily, though boasting some sizable ice rocks, the storm did not cause hundreds of millions in damage like some local hail storms of the past. As a token of our appreciation to the weather gods for their sympathy this go-round, here’s a look back at the worst hail storms in North Texas history; number one is a real doozy.

Now might be a good time to get your roof guy ready for a visit.

5. April 3, 2014

In 2014, Denton was rattled by softball-sized hail that drove holes through many of the roofs and windshields it rained down upon. In total, the damages were estimated between $300 - $500 million. In the “Denton Storm,” 12,000 homes were damaged, and double the number of cars were impacted. Tornados touched the ground in surrounding counties, but Denton County received the greatest punch from frozen rain.

4. June 13, 2012

A 2012 hailstorm ruined the already treacherous evening rush hour commute for North Texans taking the North Central Expressway home. The baseball-sized hail fell so quickly that it crashed through skylights at NorthPark Center. The Insurance Council of Texas estimates that 2012 caused a whopping $905 million in damages, according to The Dallas Morning News.

3. April 5, 2003

A massive storm started far west of Fort Worth and rapidly raced through Tarrant County and into Dallas, wreaking havoc along its path. According to the National Weather Service, three people were injured in the storm, and insurance estimates place the total damages at more than $1 billion.

2. April 28, 1992

The early ‘90s were ravaged by catastrophic hail storms, causing billions in damage and hospitalizing many. On this specific 1992 night, severe thunderstorms stretched across the Southeast United States, but North Texas took the brunt of the damage. According to a report from United Press International, seven people were rushed to the hospital when the storm’s high winds overturned mobile homes. The report also says an entire fleet of patrol cars at an Allen Police Department substation had windshields busted out. The total damage is estimated at $1.21 billion.

1. May 5, 1995: The Mayfest Storm

You know a hail storm is bad when it gets its own name and Wikipedia page. The Mayfest Storm was the first hailstorm to exceed $1 billion in damage and, at the time, was the costliest non-tornadic storm in U.S. history. The hailstorm rained down on the Fort Worth Mayfest, an annual four-day outdoor festival, battering roughly 10,000 people in attendance and hospitalizing over 60 people. In the days after the storm, Fort Worth's downtown skyline looked drastically different thanks to many iconic buildings being prominently marked by busted windows and facades with the Mallick Tower and Cash America building being nearly unrecognizable due to the catastrophic damage. In total, 20 people died in flash flooding that accompanied the hail, though there were no hail-related fatalities.