Photos: Hail Piles Up Waist-High In Texas

I've seen the same thing only not so deep here in Colorado. The reason the hail looks like rocks is because it picks up silt as it runs off. I've seen flooded arroyos with this silty hail floating on top it looks like just like solid ground but if you were to step in it you'd go over your head.

An incredible amount of water is stored in hail. When we get a good hail storm all the washes fill up much faster than with rain. I've got some boulders in back that look like a water fall after a hail storm it's beautiful. In the arid southwest we take whatever moisture we can get. We just hope it doesn't do too much damage.

Originally posted by MegaMind
Here is an AP article ...

Had no idea this could happen with hail ...

edit on 12-4-2012 by MegaMind because: (no reason given)

Doesnt this picture look really off to you all?

Originally posted by LeoVirgo

Originally posted by MegaMind
Here is an AP article ...

Had no idea this could happen with hail ...

edit on 12-4-2012 by MegaMind because: (no reason given)

Doesnt this picture look really off to you all?

It sure does look off. The far side of the road looks like it got a little winter dusting, not 3 feet of hail.

reply to post by LeoVirgo
I'd say he got caught down in a drainage ditch along the side of the road. He might have been working on fence or was parked down there and couldn't get out before it got that bad.

You wouldn't believe how quickly things can escalate and get out of control. That's why people shouldn't camp in low spots or try to cross flooded roads.

reply to post by sligtlyskeptical


Right-so then I think well the roads were cleared and the stuff was pushed to the side with snow plows and maybe possibly this guys truck was already off of the road like a work truck or whatever...I do see footprints to his truck-but then why wouldnt the back of his truck be full of this hail stuff?

Just saw it strange-he could have a cover on his bed but to me it looks as if you can see a bit down into the truck, showing there is not a cover.

The pics with the really high piles (the acclaimed 3-4 feet) does not look like normal run off with suit, it looks like pushed hail piles just like pushed snow piles. In the back ground of the pic you see the field ground in patches...the true left over of what ever happened, the untouched parts.

Im just skeptical, I dont see enough pics showing untouched 3-4 feet piles of hail? Im I reading this wrong I suppose?

Its really bizarre! Guess my mind just thinks it all must not be real-

The next one was in the link in the opening post, you can see around 30 secs it starts to really pour down then around 40 secs you see heavy huge sheets just banging to the ground, amazing!

reply to post by LeoVirgo
I don't think snow plows were used or you would see a mound right along the edge of the pavement. Where I live our roads aren't level they slope a bit at the sides so water/hail will run off into ditches/arroyos. So while the roads might stay somewhat clear the ditches fill to the top.

Runoff is hard to comprehend unless you've lived around mountains. I would say northwest Texas is probably a bit similar to where I live in southern Colorado. Water/hail seeks the lowest point fast so it all tends to gather and rage down low while up high you're out of it.

If temps were high enough the hail would be melting as it's falling usually rain accompanies it and helps wash it away or melts it. I would say that's why the bed of his pickup isn't full of hail.

Edit to add: although the hail looks artificially pushed/piled up that's because rushing water piled it there. This isn't like snow that falls and stays put it's a raging mix of hail, rain, silt, trees, rocks and you too if you don't get out of the way.

Originally posted by sligtlyskeptical

Originally posted by LeoVirgo

Originally posted by MegaMind
Here is an AP article ...

Had no idea this could happen with hail ...

edit on 12-4-2012 by MegaMind because: (no reason given)

Doesnt this picture look really off to you all?

It sure does look off. The far side of the road looks like it got a little winter dusting, not 3 feet of hail.

like another poster mentioned (below your post) ...its a drainage ditch in the middle of the 2 lanes of traffic.

have you never experienced flash flooding??

reply to post by Morningglory


Thanks for your reply! Ive lived in the north and south so I know what you are talking about. Where I live now, the roads are at a angle like you said and while up north for 28 years I watched lots of snow melt and be pushed aside.

I know I read they had to plow some of the roads to make them clear and it just looks to me like those main pics with the really high piles is still what was pushed aside but Im no expert so forgive my skepticism on the amounts they say fell.

Dont get me wrong, it was defiantly a hail storms like non ever seen! But when I hear 3-4 feet of hail fell and see pics with whole backgrounds having maybe a foot then off to the side we have 4-5 foot piles, Im just wondering where they get some of these numbers, that is all.

Its a great thread! Flagged for sure!

reply to post by infowarrior9970


Right but surely they are not taking all the run off that goes into a drainage ditch and then using that to account for how many feet fell?

reply to post by LeoVirgo
I'm not sure how they estimate the total amount of snowfall/hail. We usually get raging wind with our snow storms so we'll get 5 ft. drifts in one spot and an inch in another. I believe they might use rain gauges to get the best estimate. Not sure.

From my experiences with hail I've got to say that's the most I've ever seen. Although the piles seem high most of that has already undergone quite a bit of melting. The pics were taken only after it was safe to go out. So it's hard to imagine the real amount that actually fell.