Blog Article
April 29, 2026 Severe Weather Recap: TX Hail & MS Tornado
A complete weather recap of the April 29, 2026 severe weather event, featuring 5-inch hail in Texas, a Mississippi tornado, and widespread wind damage.
The Headline: 5-Inch Hail and a Mississippi Tornado
Y'all, yesterday was an intense one. We saw a little bit of everything across the South. The standout report came from Camp Wood, Texas, where a trained spotter measured hail 5.00 inches in diameter. That is larger than a softball and a significant size measurement for any storm.
We also had an observed tornado reported 6 miles east-southeast of Poplarville in Carriere, Mississippi. The atmosphere did exactly what the parameters suggested it could do, and the impacts were felt across multiple states.
How the Day Unfolded
The day started messy. We had a weakening overnight convective complex that transitioned into a significant flood threat by morning. Colt, Arkansas, saw confirmed structural flooding with water a foot deep inside buildings.
By the afternoon, the atmosphere re-intensified. New supercells fired up in Texas and the Ark-La-Tex region. This prompted the issuance of Tornado Watches 179 and 180 across the Deep South.
The National Weather Service even had to use the rare 'Destructive' tag on multiple Severe Thunderstorm Warnings for 80 mph winds and baseball-sized hail. Radar indicated those 80 mph winds sweeping through the Mississippi Delta region during the morning hours.
Wind Damage Reports
The wind left a mark across the Southeast. In Sandersville, Mississippi, emergency managers reported a tree fell on a house on Bonner road, along with multiple trees and powerlines down in the area. We also saw a thousand power outages near Fearrington, North Carolina, after trees fell on powerlines.
Forecast vs. Reality
Yesterday morning, we talked about the heavy rain setup and the lingering severe risks around San Antonio and Austin. The forecast held up well. We expected the heavy rain, and the structural flooding in Arkansas proved that the moisture was there.
The Storm Prediction Center had the risk areas highlighted, and the storms initiated right where the data suggested they would. The transition from a morning flood threat to an evening severe threat is exactly what we were tracking.
What Comes Next
The giant hail is gone, but the Texas flood threat remains. The Weather Prediction Center has a Slight Risk for excessive rainfall posted today for Central Texas. A slow-moving front is stalled over the Gulf Coast, and a prolonged influx of moisture is going to support several hours of continuous rainfall.
If you are driving the I-10 corridor from Houston over to New Orleans today or Friday, you need to plan for delays. We could see localized spots picking up heavy rain where those storms decide to park.
The Bottom Line
Yesterday proved why we pay attention to the environment even when the morning starts quiet. A morning flood threat evolved into an evening severe weather event with 5-inch hail and a tornado. Now, the pattern shifts back to a heavy rain and flooding concern for Texas and the Lower Mississippi Valley.