The May 16, 2025 Leander hailstorm was small in area but intense. Between about 8:30 and 9:20 p.m., NOAA logged 21 hail reports, all in western Williamson County around Liberty Hill and Leander, and most came in a 20-minute burst from about 8:45 to 9:05 p.m. Hail reached 2.75 inches (baseball) in the Deerbrooke neighborhood and 3 inches (tea cup) west-northwest of Leander, both measured against rulers in photos, with 2-inch hail in Carneros Ranch and golf ball hail in North Creek Ranch.
What happened on May 16, 2025
The National Weather Service office in New Braunfels describes thunderstorms that formed along a cold front moving into warm, moist air with steep mid-level lapse rates, a setup that favors large hail. One storm crossed the Liberty Hill and Leander area during the evening.
Many of the reports came from residents who measured hail and sent photos, which makes this storm’s record unusually precise. Half dollar hail fell near Liberty Hill from about 8:33 p.m. By 8:47 p.m., golf ball hail was falling north of Leander, where one observer reported pea to golf ball hail for 18 minutes, with shredded leaves and dented cars. Between 8:52 and 8:54 p.m., the core crossed the west side of Leander: 2-inch hail in Carneros Ranch, baseball hail west of town and in Deerbrooke, tennis ball hail west-northwest of town and the 3-inch stone farther out. Ping pong ball hail fell near Jim Plain Elementary School, and the last reports, quarter-size hail on the east side of Leander, came at about 9:20 p.m.
Where the hail fell
| Area | Largest hail on record | Size name |
|---|---|---|
| West-northwest of Leander | 3.00 in. | Tea cup |
| Deerbrooke neighborhood | 2.75 in. | Baseball |
| West of Leander | 2.75 in. | Baseball |
| Carneros Ranch neighborhood | 2.00 in. | Hen egg |
| North Creek Ranch and north of Leander | 1.75 in. | Golf ball |
| South of Liberty Hill | 1.75 in. | Golf ball |
| Near Jim Plain Elementary | 1.50 in. | Ping pong ball |
| East side of Leander | 1.00 in. | Quarter |
If you live in Leander or nearby Cedar Park, this storm hit the west side of town hardest; the April 15, 2021 storm took a different line through the same city.
What baseball and tea cup hail does to a roof
A new roof is not necessarily an impact-resistant roof. Standard architectural shingles fracture under 2.75 to 3 inch hail, and the fractures are often not visible from the street: the stone breaks the mat and the granules stay mostly in place. Within a season or two, those breaks open and leak. Metal vents, ridge caps, gutters and the fins on condensers dent, and skylights and solar panels can crack. If you replace, a Class 4 shingle may also lower your premium; see impact-resistant roof discounts in Texas.
How to check a roof for this storm
- Check soft metal on every side of the house; dents on gutters and vents show hail of an inch or more fell at your address.
- Look at the condenser fins and any cars that were outside that night.
- Do not walk a tile or steep roof yourself; use binoculars from the ground.
- Book an inspection with close-up photos, since fractures under intact granules do not show from the yard.
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 about a year 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 9, 2024 Hailstorm: hail to 3 in.
- September 24, 2023 Hailstorm: hail to 4 in.
- April 15, 2021 Hailstorm: hail to 2.5 in.
- June 9, 2019 Windstorm: hail to 2 in.
- Full storm archive: Colorado Springs, Denver and Austin
Sources: NOAA SPC storm reports, May 16, 2025; NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, event 1264390 (Leander, 3.00 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.
