Residents in Texas were hit by a shocking weather phenomenon on Wednesday as severe thunderstorms dropped massive hailstones that pelted down from the sky.
Dozens of severe weather warnings were issued, but they could not prevent the grapefruit-sized hailstones from causing widespread damage.
The largest hailstone recorded was about 4.5 inches in diameter, which fell near Waco, Texas.
This is the largest hailstone measurement reported in the U.S. so far this year. A stone of that size can fall at speeds of over 100 mph, making it a potential hazard for people and property.
In addition, the hailstones were also reported in other parts of Texas, with spotters in De Leon reporting hail at 4 inches in diameter and a 3-inch stone being found in Gorman.
The wild weather was also captured on video by resident Gary Clayton in Dublin, Texas, who posted the footage to Twitter showing a backyard pool being smashed by the massive hailstones, whipping up the water.
Also in the video, an adult bull was spotted running past the pool as the hail pounded the ground around him. Clayton reassured on his Twitter post that the bull was unharmed and was just seeking shelter, which it eventually found.
“The bull is fine. He was heading for cover,” Clayton explained on his Twitter post.
Hey @wfaaweather , thanks for the warning. pic.twitter.com/CZ7jQxSdmo
— gary clayton (@garyclayton6) April 26, 2023
In response to someone else commenting on his post, Clayton provided additional information on the storm saying, “At around 5:30 pm, the video was captured roughly four miles away from Dublin. The hailstones were as big as tennis balls.”
The National Weather Service issued an urgent severe thunderstorm warning for Dublin, Purves, Clairette, and Olin, Texas, about the massive hail. The thunderstorm was said to have caused more than 16,000 electrical outages in the Lone Star State.