Although most hailstones are typically pea- or dime-size, hail can grow to as large as golf balls and baseballs. In extreme cases, hail can reach the size of a softball, grapefruit or even a pineapple.
Jay Janner/American-Statesman
It’s that time of year again when severe weather becomes a regular part of life across the Lone Star State. From massive hail and damaging winds to flooding rains and even tornadoes, the hazards that come with spring storms in Texas also can pack a powerful punch.
So why does it happen this time of year? The jet stream shifts into a favorable position across the southern United States, allowing frequent atmospheric disturbances to move into the southern Plains. At the same time, warm, moisture-rich air from the Gulf of Mexico streams northward and collides with stronger cold fronts pushing in from the north. This combination creates the perfect setup for severe thunderstorms to develop.
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While tornadoes and straight-line winds often grab the headlines for their damage, they are rare compared to hailstorms. Large hail is one of the most common and widespread severe weather threats, often accompanying strong thunderstorms and causing considerable damage across large areas.
Storms in North Texas that produced high winds and hail head toward Euless on May 24, 2011, from the Keller area.
Michael Ainsworth/Staff Photographer
According to Cotality, which recently released its 2026 Severe Convective Storm Risk Report, Texas ranks as the most at-risk state for hail damage. The report estimates that about 8 million homes are exposed, with a combined reconstruction value exceeding $3.1 trillion.
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When broken down by metropolitan areas, four Texas cities rank among the top 10 for homes at a greater risk of hail damage. Dallas ranks second nationally, behind Chicago, with about 2.1 million homes at risk and an estimated $980 billion in potential damage. Houston comes in third, with 1.5 million homes and $650 billion in potential losses.
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Austin and San Antonio also make the list, ranking ninth and tenth. Austin has 700,000 homes at risk, totaling about $230 billion in potential damage, while San Antonio has close to 800,000 homes, with an estimated $280 billion in exposure.
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What is hail?
Hail is a type of frozen precipitation made of pellets or lumps of ice that fall from thunderstorms. It forms when high winds, called updrafts, carry raindrops high into the cold parts of the storm, where they freeze. Those ice pieces can jump up and down several times, adding new layers of ice with each trip. Once they become too heavy for the updraft to hold them up, they fall to the ground.
This diagram shows how hail forms within a thunderstorm and was produced by the National Weather Service in Portland, Ore.
National Weather Service
Although most hailstones are typically pea- or dime-size, hail can grow to as large as golf balls and baseballs. In extreme cases, hail can reach the size of a softball, grapefruit or even a pineapple.
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The largest hailstone in Texas history fell in Virgo Park, outside of Amarillo, on June 2, 2024, measuring 7.1 inches in diameter, surpassing the previous record of 6.41 inches set in Hondo in 2021.
This massive hailstone fell just outside Amarillo in June 2024, setting the Texas state record for the largest hailstone ever recorded.
National Weather Service/Val Castor
How to protect your property from hail?
To help protect your home from hail damage, choosing a hail-resistant roofing material is key. According to roofing experts, steel and other metal roofs are among the most effective options for standing up to hail.
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When it comes to your car, the best protection is simple: park it in a garage or under a carport. If that’s not an option, here are a few ways to reduce potential damage:
Find a structure to park it under, even a canopy of trees will work. Don’t forget to fold in your side mirrors to prevent cracking.
Use a hail cover or thick blankets to protect your car, especially the windows.
Flatten cardboard boxes and place them on your windshield, under the wipers.
Place your car’s floor mats on the windshield, with the soft side down and rubber side facing up.
If you have a roof rack or cross bars, place a piece of plywood on top of it can add an extra layer of protection against dents.
Vehicles with tarps draped over them sit in driveways after sustaining damage in a severe hailstorm overnight in Keller, north of Fort Worth, on April 29, 2021.
Lynda M. Gonzalez/Dallas Morning News
What to do after a hailstorm damages your house or car?
After a hailstorm damages your home or vehicle, taking the right steps can help speed up the recovery process. According to the Texas Department of Insurance, hail damage is covered if you have wind and hail coverage on your homeowner’s policy or comprehensive coverage on your auto policy.
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Start by contacting your insurance company to report the damage. Take photos and videos, and don’t throw anything away until your adjuster has inspected it. Make temporary repairs to prevent further damage, such as covering broken windows or roof damage with tarps, or removing standing water.
Keep records of everyone you speak with at your insurance company and save receipts for temporary repairs or extra living expenses, as some costs may be reimbursed.
To avoid fraud, get multiple repair estimates, check references, and never pay contractors upfront before work begins.
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Rear windows at an Audi car dealership in McKinney on March 25, 2019, were shattered by holes created from a North Texas hail storm that passed through the previous night.
Vernon Bryant/Dallas Morning News