AUSTIN, TEXAS – A ferocious severe thunderstorm ripped through Austin on Wednesday, unleashing a barrage of large hail, hurricane-force winds, and torrential rainfall that left a path of widespread damage, knocked out power to tens of thousands, and claimed at least one life. The sudden ferocity of the storm caught many off guard, prompting immediate comparisons to some of the city’s worst weather events in recent memory.
The intense storms, reportedly forming from a complex clash of weather systems moving from northern Mexico, converged over Central Texas with devastating speed and force. Meteorologists from the National Weather Service in Austin noted that high-resolution models struggled to predict the exact severity of the collision, resulting in a powerful supercell that hammered the metropolitan area.
Reports quickly flooded in detailing the extent of the damage. Large, golf-ball to baseball-sized hail shattered glass at the Texas State Capitol rotunda and at doorways of Austin-Bergstrom International Airport. Images circulated on social media showed the Capitol building with a visibly broken pane of glass near its top, with water leaking inside.
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The powerful winds, estimated to have reached speeds of 70-90 mph in some areas – equivalent to a Category 1 hurricane – wreaked havoc on infrastructure. A significant portion of the roof over the pumps at a Shell gas station on North MoPac Expressway collapsed, narrowly missing vehicles and occupants. UFCU Disch-Falk Field, home to the Texas Longhorns baseball team, suffered extensive damage to its outfield, raising concerns for the upcoming NCAA Tournament’s Austin Regional.
The storm’s rapid onset and intensity also triggered flash flooding across numerous low-lying areas. Austin-Travis County EMS reported multiple water rescue calls, including individuals swept away by fast-moving currents. Tragically, one person was pronounced dead after being submerged in floodwaters in a creek bed on West North Loop Boulevard.
At the peak of the storm, over 72,500 Austin Energy customers were plunged into darkness, marking the third-worst outage event in the utility’s history since 2012, surpassed only by Winter Storm Mara and Winter Storm Uri. Stuart Riley, interim general manager of Austin Energy, warned that restoration efforts could take “multiple days” given the scale of the damage, which includes over 100 broken utility poles and countless downed trees and power lines.
Crews from Austin Energy, bolstered by mutual aid from neighboring utility companies, are now working around the clock to restore power, prioritizing critical facilities like hospitals and emergency communication centers. Residents are being urged to exercise extreme caution around downed power lines and flooded areas.
The Wednesday storm serves as a stark reminder of Austin’s vulnerability to severe weather, even outside of hurricane season. As cleanup efforts begin and the city assesses the full scope of the destruction, authorities emphasize the importance of preparedness, particularly as isolated to scattered thunderstorms are expected to continue in the region through the weekend.