Severe thunderstorms battered Central Texas on May 20, 2026, causing widespread power outages, toppling trees, and damaging infrastructure across the region.
The storm system generated destructive straight-line winds and intense rainfall that quickly created hazardous conditions.
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Thousands of residents lost electricity, and localized flooding disrupted local traffic.
In Austin, a man sustained critical injuries after a tree collapsed on him outside Green Mesquite BBQ off Barton Springs Road during the height of the storm.
The establishment was forced to close.
Austin Energy reported that more than 5,400 customers lost power simultaneously before utility crews restored service to the majority of affected residents.
In Georgetown, rising waters washed away the ground underneath a section of roadway on Berry Creek Drive, causing substantial traffic delays.
Significant structural damage occurred at a local gas station where resident Chalmer Williams sought cover while driving along Interstate 35.
"If you see the video, the cashier who was in front of me was trying to signal people to come inside," said Williams.
Williams noted that the situation deteriorated rapidly once he entered the building, forcing those inside to wait out the peak of the storm as winds began tearing at the commercial structure.
"Luckily, she lets me in, and in my mind I’m thinking ‘man, maybe this isn’t just a thunderstorm,’" said Williams.
The force of the straight-line winds eventually began dismantling parts of the facility, increasing the anxiety of those sheltering inside.
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"Especially when the roof of the gas station started to come off, I’m like ‘man, maybe I’m in the middle of a tornado and don’t even know it,’" said Williams.
Reflecting on the dangerous encounter, Williams emphasized the importance of prioritizing personal safety over attempting to travel through severe weather.
"There’s going to be hardships, and sometimes we just want to fight through it like I was on I-35," said Williams.
"The best answer is to seek refuge, to seek safety, to seek comfort, and then when it’s time, get back out there and fight."
Meteorologists noted that the severe weather system tracked accurately alongside predictive computer models as it advanced toward major population centers in Central Texas.
"The storm moved into the Austin area and the I-35 corridor right at 9 o’clock, and that was basically what time the model suggested would happen," said Troy Kimmel, an incident response meteorologist.
Kimmel explained that straight-line winds frequently result in extensive destruction that mimics tornado damage across large geographic sectors.
"The straight lines wind do what? They spread out, and they can cause more damage over a wider area.
It can affect utilities, bring down trees, and, of course, the power lines over a wider area," said Kimmel.
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Weather experts from FOX 7 Austin reported that a stalled front and an upper low will bring additional rounds of storms, with cumulative rainfall totals potentially reaching two to five inches over the next seven days.
