Del Rio Hail

Severe Storm Slams Del Rio;
​Residents Describe Night of Hail, Wind, and Flooding 

By Texas Times Staff
DEL RIO, TX — A powerful thunderstorm system that moved across Del Rio brought heavy rain, strong winds, hail, and flash flooding to several parts of the city, with residents in the San Felipe area reporting some of the worst conditions of the night.
Many residents said the storm was unusual due to repeated rounds of hail and rain that continued for several hours before finally clearing late in the evening.
Longtime San Felipe resident D. Nieto said she began receiving emergency alerts well before the storm arrived and used the warnings to prepare.
“I started getting alerts around 4:31 p.m., and they just kept coming,” Nieto said. “I probably got about five warnings. I’m signed up to receive alerts, and I think it’s a great idea because it gave us time to prepare.”
Nieto said she hurried home to protect her vehicle since she does not have a garage.
“I don’t have a garage or carport, so I covered my car with cardboard and blankets,” she said. “We tried to get ready as much as we could before the storm hit.”
According to Nieto, the hail fell several times throughout the evening, growing larger as the storm continued.
“It started small like pea-size, then went to dime-size, and then bigger,” she said. “We saw hail about four different times. I’ve never seen that happen before in San Felipe.”
She also described strong winds hitting the area during the storm.
“It was very windy, she said. “You could hear the hail hitting the house. It sounded like someone was attacking the roof.”
Tree branches and debris were left scattered across the neighborhood after the storm passed.
“There are branches everywhere. We have a lot of cleaning up to do,” Nieto said.
Another San Felipe resident, Mr. Elizondo, said the storm felt more like a winter storm than a typical South Texas thunderstorm.
“It looked like a snowstorm in my backyard,” Elizondo said. “Hail just started coming down and lasted about 20 minutes the first time.”
Elizondo said the storm returned multiple times throughout the night.
“It would rain, then stop, then about 30 minutes later more hail would come again,” he said. “It happened about four times, which I’ve never seen before here.”
He said the hail reached about quarter-size at times.
“It was about quarter size hail, and it was coming down hard,” he said. “I went outside once and it hit me on the head, so I went right back inside.”
Flooding was also reported in low lying areas of San Felipe, especially near the library and nearby streets.
“That area by the library flooded like it usually does,” Elizondo said. “Cars were getting stuck, and some people couldn’t see the road because of the water.”
He said vehicles were stranded near bridges and underpasses as water rose quickly.
“People were getting stuck near the bridge and by the overpass,” he said. “The water came up fast, and some drivers didn’t realize how deep it was.”
Despite the severe conditions, Elisondo said his home avoided damage.
“We put the car in the carport, so everything was okay,” he said. “Nothing broke, but the house was shaking when the hail hit.”
Residents said the storm appeared to move in circles over the same area before finally clearing close to midnight.
“The storm kept coming back again and again,” Elisondo said. “It didn’t clear out until late that night.”
Both residents said emergency alerts and notifications from local officials helped them prepare before the storm arrived.
City and county officials continue to review damage reports following the storm, which brought multiple hail events, strong winds, and flash flooding across parts of Del Rio, with the San Felipe area reported among the hardest hit.
Residents are encouraged to report storm damage and remain signed up for emergency alerts as severe weather season continues across Val Verde County.