Marshall, TX Hail Storm – April 2026

A severe hail storm tracked through Marshall, TX on April 18, 2026, producing 2.25-inch stones and prompting multiple NWS warnings during the mid-morning period. The event was characterized by a concentrated, radar-detected hail swath and spotter reports of surface accumulation in nearby communities.

What Happened

The National Weather Service issued four severe thunderstorm warnings tied to the storm between 9:53 AM CDT and 11:08 AM CDT. Each warning listed a 1-inch hail threat and was issued as NWS warning only. Dual-polarization radar and NEXRAD hail detection showed a focused hail-producing circulation that moved northeast through the Marshall metro during the mid-morning hours.

Field observers provided ground truth inside that track. At 10:21 AM CDT a spotter reported hail covering the ground from pea size to quarter size in the Gresham area, just south of Tyler. At 10:28 AM CDT another observer estimated hail up to 1 inch in downtown Whitehouse. Those spotter-verified reports align with the radar-detected swath that passed through Marshall and adjacent counties.

Radar signatures produced repeated hail-higher-reflectivity cores along a roughly northeast-oriented path. The NWS warnings tracked the same general corridor but were broader than the radar-detected cores. The storm concluded by late morning as the convective line weakened moving away from the metro.

Damage Assessment

Submitted local storm reports documented surface accumulation and stone-size observations in Gresham and Whitehouse; no spotter-submitted structural failure reports were included in these ground-truth entries. The Gresham report described continuous ground cover from smaller stones up to quarter size. The Whitehouse report noted discrete stones estimated at 1 inch in diameter concentrated in the downtown footprint.

Radar showed concentrated hail returns over portions of the Marshall metro that match the timing and locations of the spotter observations. Where observers recorded ground cover and 1-inch estimates, expect localized soft-surface impacts such as lawn and crop bruising and surface scouring on paved areas. Vehicle denting and cosmetic shingle bruising are possible in the downtown Whitehouse corridor where observers estimated the larger stones.

No widespread tornado reports or confirmed structural collapses were associated with this storm in the submitted field logs. Damage notifications from insurance or municipal crews were not part of the ground-truth entries reviewed for this summary. Inspect teams should prioritize photographic documentation tied to the observer times and locations when compiling claims or repair scopes.

What Contractors Should Know

Inspect roofs in downtown Whitehouse first. The spotter estimate of 1-inch hail in the downtown grid makes shingle bruising and granule loss probable on exposed slopes. Walk-accessible inspections are acceptable where safety permits. Use high-resolution photos showing the roof plane, nearby landmarks, and an insurer-acceptable scale. Log the 10:28 AM CDT spotter time and location in your report for cross-reference.