TL;DR

Two gustnadoes were reported in west Texas on Sunday, May 10, 2026. The brief tornadoes were part of a broader severe weather outbreak that produced 72 hail reports and 40 wind reports across Texas, Florida, Louisiana, and Mississippi. Very large hail — up to 4 inches in Hamilton and Coryell counties — battered central Texas, and a measured 75 mph gust struck Ballinger as the storms verified the Storm Prediction Center's Enhanced Risk.

What Happened in West Texas

Storm chasers documented two gustnadoes southeast of Colorado City on the afternoon of May 10, 2026. Both reports came from the same general area near the intersection of Highway 208 and County Road 337, approximately 14 miles southeast of the city.

The first gustnado was reported at 2011 UTC (3:11 PM CDT), followed by a second at 2029 UTC (3:29 PM CDT). According to the National Weather Service office in Midland (MAF), the second gustnado "was persistent for at least" several minutes, though the full duration was not specified in the local storm report.

Gustnadoes are short-lived, ground-level vortices that form along the leading edge of thunderstorm outflow boundaries. Unlike traditional tornadoes, they do not descend from the cloud base and are typically weaker. SPC logs gustnadoes separately from tornadoes and landspouts in its storm reports — gustnadoes form along outflow boundaries, while landspouts form under updrafts. No damage was reported from either vortex.

Hail Dominates the Severe Weather Reports

While tornado activity remained minimal, hail was the dominant hazard across Texas on May 10. A total of 72 hail reports were logged across the state and Florida, with the most significant stones falling in central Texas during the late afternoon and evening hours.

The largest hail of the day fell in Hamilton and Coryell counties. A media chaser measured a 4.00-inch grapefruit-size stone in Hamilton County, east of the intersection of Highway 22 and County Road 224. Coryell County reported hail up to 4 inches across multiple locations. In Runnels County, a 3.25-inch baseball-plus stone was logged via mPING.

Dublin, located roughly 80 miles southwest of Fort Worth, was one of several hard-hit communities. Multiple reports confirmed stones ranging from golf ball size (1.75 inches) to baseball size (2.75 inches) between 2128 and 2140 UTC (4:28 PM to 4:40 PM CDT). Social media photos showed the large hailstones alongside quarters for scale, and several residents reported damage to vehicles and structures.

Other notable hail reports included:

  • Tennis ball-size hail (2.75 inches) along Texas Highway 208, 18 miles south of Loraine, at 2030 UTC
  • Hen egg-size hail (2.0 inches) in Westbrook at 1939 UTC
  • Golf ball-size hail (1.75 inches) in Snyder, Breckenridge, Blackwell, and multiple other communities
  • Ping pong ball-size hail (1.5 inches) near Ponce Inlet, Florida, at 1946 UTC

The hail swath extended from west Texas through the central part of the state, with isolated reports in east Texas and along Florida's Atlantic coast.

Wind Damage Across Texas and the Gulf Coast

Damaging wind reports accompanied the hail-producing storms. A total of 40 wind reports were filed across Texas, Florida, Mississippi, and Louisiana.

In east Texas, a chicken truck was blown over near Hainesville at 1856 UTC, and multiple trees were downed across Wood and Upshur counties. One tree fell onto a house on FM 49 near Big Sandy, though no injuries were reported.

Central Texas saw the most significant wind damage. In Hamilton, power poles were broken on Coke Street at 2324 UTC. The Hamilton Municipal Airport (KMNZ) recorded a 59 mph gust at 2315 UTC. In Ballinger, wind damaged the KRUN Radio station building at 2230 UTC, and a measured gust of 75 mph was reported just north of the city at 2228 UTC.

The Austin metro area experienced widespread wind damage after midnight. Downed power lines left more than 18,000 customers without power across the region, according to the National Weather Service office in Austin/San Antonio (EWX). Medium to large tree limbs were reported down throughout South Austin, and an awning was blown off a deck in Creedmoor.

Florida's Space Coast also saw strong winds. A U.S. Space Force wind sensor on tower 110 at Kennedy Space Center measured a peak gust of 67 mph from the northwest at 2215 UTC (6:15 PM EDT).

The Broader Severe Weather Setup

The severe weather on May 10 unfolded under a large upper-level trough positioned over the eastern United States. The Storm Prediction Center's Day 1 Convective Outlook placed central and west Texas under an Enhanced Risk (level 3 of 5) for severe thunderstorms, with a separate Marginal Risk covering portions of the Carolinas, the Florida Peninsula, and the central Gulf Coast.

In Texas, a convectively-aided shortwave trough tracked eastward across the region, providing the lift needed for thunderstorm development. Dewpoints in the mid-to-upper 60s combined with daytime heating to generate moderate instability. The SPC noted that "cooler temperatures aloft and degree of instability will support a risk of occasionally intense cells capable of damaging winds and hail."

The outlook proved accurate. While large-scale wind shear remained limited—reducing the tornado threat—sufficient instability allowed for strong updrafts capable of producing large hail and localized damaging winds.

An Enhanced Risk That Verified

Sunday's storms verified SPC's Enhanced Risk across central and west Texas. Very large hail — up to 4 inches in Hamilton and Coryell counties — combined with measured gusts above 75 mph in Ballinger and brief gustnadoes near Colorado City matched what an Enhanced outlook anticipates: scattered intense cells producing high-end hail and damaging winds.

Texas averages around 130+ tornadoes per year, with peak activity typically in April and May. Gustnadoes and landspouts are common during the spring months when strong outflow boundaries intersect with unstable air masses.

The hail reports, while numerous, also fit the seasonal pattern. Central Texas is particularly prone to large hail during May due to the combination of Gulf moisture, strong upper-level winds, and favorable thermodynamic profiles that support robust supercell thunderstorms.

Takeaways

Sunday's outbreak verified SPC's Enhanced Risk. Hamilton and Coryell counties saw grapefruit-size hail, Ballinger recorded a measured 75 mph gust, and Austin lost power to more than 18,000 customers — outcomes consistent with what an Enhanced Risk anticipates. The Dublin hail core, the central Texas wind damage, and the late-evening Austin squall line were not surprises against the morning outlook.

For residents of Texas and the Gulf Coast, May remains an active month. Enhanced and Moderate Risk days demand a clear response: monitor radar, take warnings seriously, and have a plan for sheltering from large hail and high winds.

The two gustnadoes reported near Colorado City were weak and short-lived, but they underscore the dynamic nature of spring thunderstorms. Outflow boundaries can spin up brief vortices with little warning, particularly in open terrain where storm chasers and trained spotters are present to document them.

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