What’s New?
On Christmas Eve, Texas is currently experiencing severe weather conditions including large hailstones the size of quarters, strong winds reaching up to 65mph, and thunderstorms.
Why It Matters
As the holidays approached, winter storms arrived, coinciding with the return of numerous Americans to their homes.
This year, the American Automobile Association (AAA) forecasts a record-breaking number of travelers during the holiday season. More than 119 million people are expected to travel by road and air, making it the busiest year yet.
Texans who decided to travel on Christmas Eve may have encountered severe weather conditions such as hailstorms, flooded roads, and even potential tornadoes. This unexpected weather created challenges for those who left their travel plans until the last minute.
Texans can expect a wet Christmas this year as the storms are forecasted to persist until Christmas Day. A white Christmas seems unlikely for them.
What To Know
Severe thunderstorm warnings have been issued by the National Weather Service (NWS) for a large portion of Texas. This comes as a winter storm has brought heavy rain and strong winds to the state today.
On Tuesday, the Fort Worth, Texas area was hit with a flash flood warning, along with a tornado warning for the southeast region of the state. According to forecasters, residents were cautioned about the potential for multiple tornadoes, winds reaching up to 65mph, and hail as large as two inches in diameter.
Texans are taking to social media to share videos and pictures of the sizable hailstones that recently fell in their backyards. Fortunately, there have been no reports of significant damage caused by the hailstorm.
Severe weather conditions prompted a ground stop at Bush Intercontinental Airport on Tuesday afternoon.
According to the NWS, there is a warning indicating that the current conditions are favorable for the formation of supercells, which may produce isolated large hail. Additionally, there is a possibility of marginal wind damage along the more intense areas of the line.
Supercells are thunderstorms that rotate, lasting for hours and covering hundreds of miles. They are known for frequently producing tornadoes.
What People Are Saying
The National Weather Service announced today that a line of powerful thunderstorms is predicted to form later in the day across east-central Texas. These storms have the potential to produce large hail and marginally severe gusts.
A resident from Cypress, Texas captured a remarkable video showcasing the extraordinary phenomenon of gigantic hailstones relentlessly pounding the ground in her own backyard. In awe of the incredible scene, she expressed, “It is absolutely astonishing at my home in Cypress, TX, a suburban area of Houston. The hailstorm is intense, accompanied by heavy rainfall.”
Meredith Seaver, a resident of Cypress, Texas, shared a picture of massive hailstones and jokingly asked, “Is it a Christmas miracle?”
On X, forecaster Max Velocity warned that a severe line of storms is expected to move into Southeast Texas tonight, including Houston. The storms could bring damaging winds, hail, and the possibility of a tornado. Santa Claus may encounter challenges navigating around these storms.
What Happens Next?
The storm will continue with heavy rainfall and strong winds until 5 a.m. CST.
The National Weather Service has issued severe thunderstorm warnings for certain areas of Texas until 8 p.m. CST. Additionally, severe thunderstorm watches have been issued for other parts of Texas until 12 a.m. CST.
Christmas Day and the following Thursday are expected to experience light rain, with another storm system forecasted to enter the area on Friday. This system will bring ongoing rain until Saturday.
