‘Gorilla’ hail pounds north-central Texas, leaving properties damaged, U.S.
Parts of north-central Texas were pounded by what is described as a "gorilla" hail due to its remarkable size, with some as large as a grapefruit, on Monday, April 12, 2021. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), hail reportedly accumulated up to 76 cm (3 inches) on the ground. The storm caused havoc on properties, leaving many windows smashed and vehicles damaged.
The National Weather Service received dozens of reports of large hail from a severe thunderstorm over parts of north-central Texas. The storm left smashed windshields and dented vehicles in its wake.
NOAA said the "gorilla" hail was remarkable not only because of its size but also because it accumulated up to 76 mm (3 inches) on the ground, particularly in Llano, where the largest hail fell.
The GOES-East satellite, on the evening of April 12, 2021, viewed a supercell thunderstorm bubble up in central Texas, part of several severe thunderstorms that produced hailstones up to the size of a grapefruit. Credit: NOAA/GOES-East
Texas meteorologist Shel Winkley reported that the storm produced hail the size of a golf ball, teacup, tennis ball, and baseball, while NOAA reported hail as big as a grapefruit.
The term 'gorilla hail' was coined by storm chaser Reed Timmer, who met the storm west of Llano.
He shared footage of him driving through the storm with a broken windshield as he called it one of the 'top 5 most intense hail cores' he has encountered.
Wow! Check out these hail pics from Llano.
Send your pics to reportit@kxan.com
Ron Cunningham, Bette Hoy, Belinda Morgan, Brandi Wooten@KXAN_News @KXAN_Weather @NWSSanAntonio #EWXspotter pic.twitter.com/RYLT5j6YBH
— Christopher Adams (@cadamsKXAN) April 13, 2021
HAIL IN LLANO COUNTY: Up to baseball-sized hail fell in parts of #Llano County this evening (Photo from Melissa Cunningham)
MORE PHOTOS & VIDEO: https://t.co/hFbJuiL6VO pic.twitter.com/Px8n4Z1hSS
— KXAN News (@KXAN_News) April 13, 2021
Baseball Size Hail in the Texas Hill Country. pic.twitter.com/AViRc3tboU
— Robert Bowman (@RobertELBowman) April 13, 2021
That's a great pic of big supercell in Llano. Storm dropped up to 3" diameter hail https://t.co/fxDiQgmQ7L
— Chris Suchan (@ChrisSuchanWOAI) April 13, 2021
Featured image credit: Melissa Cunningham
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