Severe storms bring golf ball-sized hail, flash flood threat to Coryell County

The hardest-hit part of Coryell County ran from Gatesville southeast toward Copperas Cove, Oglesby, Pidcoke, Leon Junction, Mound, Flat, South Mountain and Purmela as severe thunderstorm warnings brought golf ball-sized hail, 60 mph wind gusts and a flash-flood threat. One warning placed the storm near Gatesville and moving southeast at about 25 mph, a track that kept the danger centered on communities along the county’s main travel routes.

Residents were urged to avoid flooded roads, especially in low-lying spots where heavy rain can turn fast runoff into sudden water over the pavement. That warning matters most on the roads that carry daily traffic between Gatesville and the smaller communities around it, where brief bursts of intense rain can make crossings unsafe in minutes. The biggest immediate concern was not just the rain itself, but how quickly the storm could worsen conditions as it moved southeast through the evening.

The hail threat was just as serious. National Weather Service warning text said hail could damage vehicles, roofs, siding, windows and trees, and local video from Coryell County showed hail about as large as a golf ball. For anyone with a car exposed outside, the safest move was to get it under cover before the hail core arrived. Livestock in open pasture also faced risk from the same storm, especially if they were in exposed low spots where wind, hail and rising water could hit at once.

Coryell County has seen how quickly storm water can become dangerous. During a May 2024 flood event, county authorities warned that serious flooding closed and damaged roads and trapped some people in vehicles. One resident later said floodwaters reached as high as two feet outside his home. That history made the current combination of large hail and heavy rain especially worrying for drivers, property owners and anyone crossing creeks or low-water crossings in the county.