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Austin endures days-long blackouts and one fatality after severe storms

Power crews are carrying out days-long restoration after hail toppled over 100 power poles.

Charles White looks at the damage to his rental property on Leslie Avenue in East Austin, Thursday, May 29, 2025, after a large tree fell during a storm Wednesday. “We’ve never seen anything like this,” said White, who has lived in the neighborhood his whole life.
Charles White looks at the damage to his rental property on Leslie Avenue in East Austin, Thursday, May 29, 2025, after a large tree fell during a storm Wednesday. “We’ve never seen anything like this,” said White, who has lived in the neighborhood his whole life.
Two houses on Springdale Road and Overhill Drive in Austin, shown Thursday, May 29, 2025, had part of their roofs blown away in a storm on Wednesday.
Hail remains on the ground on Heflin Lane in East Austin, Thursday, May 29, 2025, after a destructive storm Wednesday.

Overview

  • The May 28 storm produced hail up to 7 cm and wind gusts of 124 km/h, triggering flash floods and widespread damage across Austin.
  • One person died after being swept away in floodwaters during the storm and multiple water rescues were conducted by Austin’s emergency services.
  • More than 68,000 Austin Energy customers lost power and crews have reported over 100 downed utility poles with outages expected to last several days.
  • Significant damage was recorded at the University of Texas’s Disch-Falk Field and other landmarks, where windows shattered and fencing was torn off by hail and wind.
  • The severe weather pattern that struck Texas is now moving toward the Mid-Atlantic and southern states, where forecasters warn of continued risks of heavy rain and flash flooding.