Breckenridge experiences damage from storm that moved through area Friday, May 13
By Carla McKeown and Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan
Breckenridge and Stephens County residents experienced some damage from a storm system that moved through the area this evening, Friday, May 13.
Friday’s setting sun turned the storm clouds over West Lindsey St. brilliant shades of orange, pink and purple. (Photo by Will Holt)
In Breckenridge, there were reports of hail that was between golf ball- and baseball-sized. Some residents reported damage to their vehicles. Additionally, the National Theatre suffered some roof damage and has had to cancel the showing of the movie “Dog,” which had been scheduled for Saturday night.
Throughout the city, many leaves and small branches had been knocked from trees and were covering sidewalks and parts of streets. There were also reports of downed data, phone and power lines, a gas leak, and some home windows broken by the hail.
“(The storm) was just incredible — the ferocity of that and the hail that was associated with it– how fast that it came on. So there’s some significant damage in town,” said County Judge Michael Roach. “We have people here with windows that are busted out. There are limbs that are down; there are homes that have the windows busted out.”
Bill Woodall shows some of the hail that hit at the KLXK-KROO studio in central Breckenridge. (Photo by Bill Woodall)
There were at least two fires were reported in the area, a grassfire on Park Road 33 and a house fire on County Road 179. According to the the Breckenridge Fire Department, the house on CR 179 was fully involved when firefighters arrived on the scene, and Hubbard Creek Volunteer Fire Department was assisting in putting out the fire. There were no occupants in the residence at the time of the fire, the BFD said.
Stephens County Fire Marshal Wayne McMullen was on the scene of the house fire late Friday. “It’s going to be a total loss on the house, so it’s a little more difficult to figure out where exactly it started at or what started it,” he said. “We believe it’s going to be weather related at this time, but we’re probably going to need some daylight to really get a good look.”
According to the National Weather Service, there is a 30 percent chance of continued rain and thunderstorms through about 1 a.m. Saturday, May 14. The forecast shows no more rain chances for the next week.
The Breckenridge United Supermarket lost power at about 10 p.m. Friday, and the store is closed until further notice, according to a post on the store’s Facebook page.
Leaves and small tree branches covered the sidewalk in front of the Stephens County Courthouse Friday evening, May 13, after a storm including high winds and hail moved through the area. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)
Cutline, top photo: As Friday evening’s storm cleared in the City of Breckenridge, storm clouds continued to move across Stephens County, as seen from State Highway 67. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)
Editor’s note: This story was updated at about 10 a.m. Saturday, May 14, to include information about United Supermarket.
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