Large hail and strong winds cause damage in San Marcos and the Hill Country

A severe storm pummeled a swath of Hays County with high winds and large hail more than 5 inches in diameter.

Local social media posts show damage to home and car windows from hail, as well as large trees knocked down by the storm. A storm chaser located west of Dripping Springs was hit by 4.2-inch hail — what some chasers call “gorilla hail,” referring to particularly large hailstones.

San Marcos CISD announced it was operating on a 2-hour delay Friday to allow staff time to inspect school buildings for damage.

A tornado warning was triggered Thursday evening after weather radar showed strong rotation in the storm heading directly into downtown San Marcos. The warning expired at 8:45 p.m. as the threat of a tornado decreased.

This is a developing story. If you have photos of hail or storm damage, send them to us at news@KUT.org.