The September 24, 2023 Austin hailstorm carries the largest damage estimate of any Austin storm in this archive. A supercell moved down the I-35 corridor between about 7:50 and 10:45 p.m., and NOAA logged 63 hail reports in Williamson and Travis counties: 2.5-inch hail in Georgetown, 3 to 4 inch stones in Round Rock, tea cup hail in Pflugerville and the Brentwood area of north Austin, and tennis ball hail in central Austin. NCEI estimates about $600 million in damage across the two counties.
What happened on September 24, 2023
The National Weather Service office in New Braunfels describes thunderstorms that developed along a cold front moving south through Central Texas, one of which became a supercell that “produced giant hail that caused considerable damage from Georgetown to Austin.” The system caused $1.3 billion in hail damage across Texas, Oklahoma and Missouri, and NCEI notes that the damage in Austin, Georgetown and Round Rock was the most significant.
The storm kept producing hail for about three hours:
- 7:50 to 8:50 p.m., Florence and Georgetown. Quarter-size hail in Florence, then 2.5-inch hail in western Georgetown at about 8:35 p.m. and 2.25-inch hail at 8:50 p.m.
- 8:50 to 9:30 p.m., Round Rock. Hail of 3.5 inches at about 8:55 p.m. northwest of town, where it broke windows and windshields at a car dealership; 3 inches near TX 45 and I-35 at 9 p.m. and on Heather Drive at 9:15 p.m.; and 4 inches at about 9:21 p.m. on the north side. Hail of 3 inches hit Pflugerville at 9:20 p.m.
- 9:15 to 10:45 p.m., north and central Austin. Two-inch hail near the Austin Executive Airport, golf ball hail at North Lamar and U.S. 183, 3-inch hail on Burnet Lane in Brentwood at about 9:55 p.m., 2.25-inch hail near Hyde Park, and tennis ball hail in central Austin. In northeast Austin, near Kirkwood Road and Wrightwood Road, 2-inch hail broke two house windows and cracked a car windshield.
Gusts estimated at 70 mph knocked down a large tree off Chisholm Valley Drive in Round Rock, and gusts near 65 mph brought down 4 to 5 inch limbs on Floral Park Drive in north Austin.
Where the hail fell
| Area | Largest hail on record | Size name |
|---|---|---|
| North Round Rock | 4.00 in. | Softball |
| Northwest Round Rock (car dealership) | 3.50 in. | Larger than tea cup |
| TX 45 and I-35; Heather Drive | 3.00 in. | Tea cup |
| Pflugerville | 3.00 in. | Tea cup |
| Brentwood (Burnet Lane) | 3.00 in. | Tea cup |
| Western Georgetown | 2.50 in. | Tennis ball |
| Central Austin | 2.50 in. | Tennis ball |
| Hyde Park | 2.25 in. | Between hen egg and tennis ball |
| Mueller and northeast Austin | 2.00 in. | Hen egg |
If you live in Round Rock, Pflugerville or Georgetown, this is likely the storm behind any roof claim in your neighborhood from fall 2023.
What 3 to 4 inch hail does to a roof
Stones of 3 to 4 inches go well past what any shingle impact test uses. On composition shingles they punch through to the deck, tear tabs and leave cracks you can see from the ground. They break clay and concrete tile, shatter skylights and solar panels, and dent or puncture metal roofing, gutters and siding. Wood privacy fences, window screens and the fins of air conditioning condensers take damage too. In the 2 to 2.5 inch zones of central Austin, shingle fractures and broken skylights are still common. If only part of a roof or wall was damaged, read whether there is a Texas roof matching law before you settle on a repair.
How to check a roof for this storm
- If your roof was replaced in late 2023 or 2024, check the paperwork for the date; that may have been this storm’s claim.
- If it was not replaced, look for cracked or missing shingle pieces, broken tile and dented vents from the ground.
- Check skylights, solar panels and the condenser for cracks and bent fins.
- Book an inspection with photos; at this hail size the question is usually how much of the roof system must be replaced.
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 3 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.
- 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, September 24, 2023; NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, event 1140534 (Round Rock, 4.00 in., $300 million); NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, event 1140580 (Brentwood, Austin, 3.00 in., $300 million); NWS hail size reference; Texas Department of Insurance, Home insurance guide; Tex. Ins. Code 542A.003; Tex. Civ. Prac. and Rem. Code 16.070.
