Parts of Texas were pummeled with so-called “gorilla” hail Monday, leaving smashed windshields and other property damage in its wake.
Just how big is gorilla hail? The severe thunderstorm that hit the Texas Hill Country Monday evening produced hailstones that were as large as a grapefruit.
The hail was not only remarkable for its size, but also for the fact that it reportedly accumulated up to three inches on the ground in Llano, Texas, about 75 miles northwest of Austin.
The term “gorilla hail” was coined by storm chaser Reed Timmer, who met the storm Monday just west of Llano. He shared video driving through the storm with a broken windshield, caused by what he called one of the “top 5 most intense hail cores” he’s encountered.
When the storm ended, he stepped outside his vehicle to show how it had been battered.
As the storm approached Llano, the National Weather Service said it was capable of producing hail the size of a baseball or larger.
