Severe thunderstorms warn Gatesville, Copperas Cove of hail, 60 mph gusts

Quarter-size hail and 60 mph wind gusts put Gatesville and the Copperas Cove area in the path of a severe thunderstorm that moved northeast across Coryell County, with the worst of the storm expected near Gatesville around 3:15 p.m. and Fort Gates around 3:20 p.m. The National Weather Service in Fort Worth warned that hail could damage vehicles and strong winds could hurt roofs, siding and trees, making the storm a real threat to travel and property across the county.

The warning was issued at 2:57 p.m. CDT Sunday, April 12, 2026, after a severe thunderstorm was located near Fort Hood and moving northeast at 35 mph. The warning remained in effect until 3:45 p.m. CDT for central Coryell County. By 3:19 p.m., forecasters said the storm was near Fort Gates, or near Gatesville, still tracking northeast at 30 mph.

Coryell County had already been included in Severe Thunderstorm Watch 101 earlier that morning, signaling that the atmosphere across Central Texas was primed for strong storms before the warning was issued. For residents in Gatesville, that meant the day’s threat was not just a passing shower but a storm capable of producing damaging hail and sudden bursts of wind strong enough to break limbs and scatter debris.

Copperas Cove was also part of the earlier watch area, underscoring how widely the severe weather risk stretched across the county’s populated communities. Even though no major damage had been reported in the early updates, the warning language made clear what mattered most in the short term: protect vehicles if possible, stay away from windows, and be ready for fast-changing conditions as the storm line moved northeast.

Coryell County Emergency Management is the local coordination point for disaster response in the county, and the warning served as a reminder that severe weather can turn quickly in this part of Central Texas. With Gatesville and nearby communities directly in the storm’s path, the immediate concern was hail on cars and wind damage to homes, trees and other exposed property.