Giant hail and large wedge tornado strike Matador, Texas

Large hail up to 12.7 cm (5 inches) in diameter and a large tornado struck Matador, Texas, on Thursday, April 24, 2025, as severe storms moved through the central United States, triggering multiple tornado warnings across the region.

A large wedge tornado was reported in Matador in Motley County, Texas, as severe weather swept across the central U.S. on Thursday, April 24.

Videos shared on social media showed dark skies covering the region as the massive tornado passed through the area. Reports of the tornado began coming in at around 19:15 CDT (00:15 UTC) and continued until 19:30 CDT (00:30 UTC). The path length of the tornado and its strength are yet to be assessed.

Reports indicate that the tornado was observed approximately 18 km (11 miles) west of Matador, but the actual details are yet to be confirmed.

The tornado was part of a larger outbreak that spawned more than 16 tornadoes in six states on Thursday, including 10 in Texas. Large hail associated to the thunderstorms was also reported across Texas, with the largest hail of up to 13.2 cm (5.2 inches) being reported in Floydada.

Giant hail up to 12.7 cm (5 inches) was reported in Matador, while widespread hail damage, including cracked windshields and dents on vehicles, was reported across Texas, Nebraska, and Oklahoma.

11.4 cm (4.5 inch) hail stone was reported in Lockney, Texas, 7.6 cm (3 inch) hail was reported in Omaha, Nebraska, and 6.3 cm (2.5 inch) hail was reported in Kinsley, Kansa,s, and Buffalo, Oklahoma. Georgia, Colorado, Iowa, and Louisiana also reported hail associated to the storms on Thursday.

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Feature image credit: Brett Wright

Rishav Kothari

I am an Assistant Editor and Severe Weather & Science Journalist at The Watchers, specializing in real-time severe weather coverage, geophysical event reporting, and research-driven scientific analysis. You can reach me at rishav(at)watchers(.)news.

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