Massive hail batters Central Texas town while tornado touches down, photos show
_fitted.png "Hail the size of grapefruit pummeled the town of Salado, Texas, as severe storms rolled through.")
Massive chunks of hail pummeled the Texas town of Salado, as a tornado touched down and spun a path of destruction through the area, photos and videos show.
Severe storms rolled over Central Texas during the evening of Tuesday, April 12, and Salado, which straddles Interstate 35, appears to have seen the worst of it.
Residents snapped pictures of hailstones ranging in size from pebbles to golf balls, tennis balls, baseballs, and some as large as grapefruits.
One man’s windshield showcases the destructive potential well — a huge spider web of cracks right in front of the driver seat, where a hefty piece of ice came crashing down.
But Salado had worse things to contend with than hail.
A tornado touched down in the evening and traveled at least 7 miles, destroying several homes, KCEN reported.
At least 23 people were injured, one critically, officials told the outlet.
“We believe we have everyone accounted for, but we are double and triple checking that this evening,” Bell County Judge David Blackburn said.
Salado is about 50 miles north of Austin, and is a known for its art galleries, antique stores, bed and breakfast inns, fine restaurants and spas.
This story was originally published April 13, 2022 at 4:39 PM with the headline "Massive hail batters Central Texas town while tornado touches down, photos show."