The April 15, 2021 Austin hailstorm was a single supercell that crossed the northern suburbs in about 45 minutes. NOAA logged 15 hail reports between about 4:00 and 4:45 p.m., in a line from Liberty Hill through Leander, Cedar Park and Round Rock to Pflugerville. Hail was 1.75 to 2 inches (golf ball to hen egg) for most of the path and reached 2.5 inches (tennis ball) northeast of Pflugerville, where 2-inch hail also dented a car and broke a window.
What happened on April 15, 2021
The National Weather Service office in New Braunfels describes thunderstorms that formed along a stationary front and moved into air that favored supercells. One of them tracked east-southeast across Williamson County and into northeast Travis County.
The reports read like a timeline. At 4:00 p.m., half dollar hail covered the ground near Liberty Hill. At 4:05 p.m., 2-inch hail fell at U.S. 183 and Crystal Falls Parkway in Leander, and by 4:11 p.m. central Leander had 2-inch hail too. Golf ball hail hit Cedar Park at 4:09 and 4:15 p.m. By 4:17 to 4:25 p.m. the storm was over Round Rock, with golf ball hail on the west and north sides and 2-inch hail south of town. At 4:29 p.m. 2-inch hail dented a car and broke its window northeast of Pflugerville, and the last report, 2.5-inch hail, came at 4:44 p.m. northeast of Pflugerville.
Where the hail fell
| Area | Largest hail on record | Size name |
|---|---|---|
| East and northeast of Pflugerville | 2.50 in. | Tennis ball |
| Leander (including U.S. 183 and Crystal Falls Pkwy) | 2.00 in. | Hen egg |
| South Round Rock | 2.00 in. | Hen egg |
| Near Cele, northeast Travis County | 2.00 in. | Hen egg |
| Cedar Park | 1.75 in. | Golf ball |
| West and northwest Round Rock | 1.75 in. | Golf ball |
| Liberty Hill | 1.50 in. | Ping pong ball |
If you live in Leander, Cedar Park, Round Rock or Pflugerville, this storm ran straight through your area, and Round Rock and Pflugerville were hit far harder two years later on September 24, 2023.
What golf ball to hen egg hail does to a roof
At 1.75 to 2 inches, hail fractures many asphalt shingles rather than only knocking off granules, and the damage is usually spread across every slope facing the storm’s direction of travel. Composition shingles that have baked in Texas sun for 10 or more years are more brittle and crack more easily. Hail this size also dents metal roofing, ridge vents, turbine vents and gutters, cracks plastic skylight domes and can break the fins on air conditioning condensers. Many Texas insurers offer premium discounts for impact-resistant roofs, and a Class 4 shingle is built to handle hail of about this size.
How to check a roof for a storm like this
- Start with the west and north sides of the house, which most likely faced this storm as it moved east-southeast.
- Check the air conditioning condenser fins, the mailbox and any metal patio furniture for dents.
- Look for shingle granules collected at the downspout outlets.
- Book an inspection with photos. If your roof was replaced after this storm, note the date in case of a later claim.
Claim timing for a Texas storm
Texas sets no single deadline to report roof damage; your policy does, and the Texas Department of Insurance says some policies allow one year unless you show good cause for a delay. Insurance Code chapter 542 sets the insurer's deadlines, section 542A.003 requires written notice 61 days before a lawsuit over hail or wind damage, and a policy cannot allow less than two years to sue (Civil Practice and Remedies Code 16.070). See how long you have to file a roof claim in Texas.
This storm is now 5 years old, and hail marks weather. An inspection shows whether marks look fresh or aged, which an adjuster weighs when tying damage to a date. General information, not legal advice; the claim is always yours, and our part is the inspection, dated photos and written scope.
Austin, TX inspection and hail help
If you live in the Austin area, start with our Austin hail damage repair page, book a free Austin roof inspection, or read Austin roof insurance claim help. Integrity Roofing and Painting is veteran-owned and family-run since 1990, an Owens Corning Platinum Preferred contractor with 650+ Google reviews, and we respond the same business day. Call (512) 610-5897.
Other recorded storms in the Austin area
- May 16, 2025 Hailstorm: hail to 3 in.
- May 9, 2024 Hailstorm: hail to 3 in.
- September 24, 2023 Hailstorm: hail to 4 in.
- June 9, 2019 Windstorm: hail to 2 in.
- Full storm archive: Colorado Springs, Denver and Austin
Sources: NOAA SPC storm reports, April 15, 2021; NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, event 954404 (Pflugerville area, 2.50 in.); NWS hail size reference; Texas Department of Insurance, Home insurance guide; Tex. Ins. Code 542A.003; Tex. Civ. Prac. and Rem. Code 16.070.
