Hail in Duval County, Texas

Measured quarter size hail near the intersection of Hahl Street and TX-16 with reports of power outages in the area.

On March 7, a cold front approaching South Texas interacted with a warm, moist, and unstable air mass already in place across the region, leading to the development of showers and thunderstorms during the afternoon and evening hours. Deep Gulf moisture transported northward by a strengthening low-level jet combined with strong upper-level dynamics and steep mid-level lapse rates to create an environment supportive of organized convection. Daytime heating ahead of the front further destabilized the atmosphere, with moderate to strong instability and strong deep-layer shear promoting storm development by late afternoon.

Storms moved into the region between approximately 4 PM and 6 PM, with conditions supportive of severe thunderstorms. The primary severe hazard was large hail, particularly across the Brush Country where lapse rates were steepest and instability was greatest.