Balmorhea, TX Hail Storm – May 2025

Balmorhea, TX saw a concluded hail event on 2025-05-23 with a peak hail size of 1.25 inches. The storm produced repeated hail alerts through the afternoon and evening across the area.

What Happened

The storm began building around mid-afternoon and continued into the evening. The first hail alert came at 3:28 PM CDT with 1 inch hail detected by dual-polarization radar. Additional 1 inch alerts followed at 3:59 PM CDT, 4:57 PM CDT, 5:04 PM CDT, and 5:41 PM CDT.

Hail intensity increased later in the event. Alerts at 6:05 PM CDT, 6:24 PM CDT, and 6:45 PM CDT carried a 1.25 inch hail estimate. The storm then trended back to 1 inch hail at 6:08 PM CDT and again at 7:50 PM CDT.

In total, 10 hail alerts were mapped for the Balmorhea area on May 23. The alert sequence shows a long-lived storm with repeated radar-derived hail signatures over several hours. Dual-polarization radar provided confidence throughout the event.

Damage Assessment

Hail in the 1 inch to 1.25 inch range can affect roofs, vents, gutters, skylights, soft metals, and exterior trim. On asphalt shingle roofs, look for bruising, displaced granules, and impact marks along ridge caps, valleys, and slope edges. Metal roof panels can show dents at seams, flashings, and exposed fasteners. Flat roofing systems often need inspection around drains, membrane seams, and penetrations.

Vehicles parked outdoors may show impact damage on hoods, roofs, mirrors, and glass. Fencing, window screens, AC condenser fins, and solar equipment can also take hits. In small commercial and residential settings, the most common field findings after a storm like this are scattered impact marks rather than uniform loss across every structure.

For contractors, the alert pattern suggests a multi-pass inspection approach. Start with the addresses closest to the earliest hail detections and then move through the later 1.25 inch alerts. That sequence can help separate isolated cosmetic impacts from heavier strike concentrations.

Look closely at roof slopes that face the storm approach path. Check ridge lines, pipe boots, roof-to-wall transitions, attic ventilation caps, and metal edge details. On metal buildings, inspect panel face dents, trim deformation, and impact points around skylights and louvers. On residential claims, include awnings, pergolas, gutters, downspouts, and garage doors in the exterior walkaround.

Use photo documentation with location markers and date stamps. Note hail size, condition of impacted surfaces, and whether damage is concentrated or scattered. If multiple structures sit within the same warning area, separate each address and record the roof type before starting the interior or ladder inspection.

The Balmorhea event covered several hours, so field teams should account for repeat exposure. A second or third hail pass can produce fresh impacts on surfaces that already took earlier strikes.