On May 10, 2024, the southern United States experienced a barrage of severe weather that brought destructive hailstorms to both Texas and Florida. In Texas, residents in Johnson City and Pecan Plantation were hit with hailstones larger than baseballs. One resident from Pecan Plantation described the sound of the hail hitting their ambulance as if bombs were exploding.
The storms caused extensive damage to houses and vehicles, shattering windows and skylights. Power outages affected over 200,000 energy customers across five states in the South. The National Weather Service reported that severe thunderstorms with tornadoes were a threat for parts of Florida.
In Johnson City, Texas, two large supercell thunderstorms caused damage on May 9. The National Weather Service reported hail of CD or DVD size in Johnson City, Blanco County. Multiple viewers sent videos and photos of the hail to various news outlets.
The storms also hit San Marcos and Hood County, where large hail was reported in Granbury and Cleburne. Hood County officials said there were a lot of battered roofs and broken windshields but no major damage. In Tolar, Texas, large hail was reported to be the size of golf balls.
In Florida, at least 197,405 people were experiencing power outages as of May 10 due to severe thunderstorms that could turn into tornadoes. The National Weather Service in Tallahassee reported that damaging winds, isolated tornadoes, and large hail would be the main threats.
The storms came after at least three people died as a result of weather events this week including hail and tornadoes that hit the Midwest and Southeast. The cleanup operations are underway in areas affected by these storms.
