Hail Storm Caused Nearly $250,000 in Damages to City Buildings and Cars
200 city-owned cars were damaged
By Maggie Quinlan, 2:16PM, Wed. Oct. 4, 2023
The Sept. 24 storm that barraged Austin with golf ball- and baseball-sized hail caused roughly a quarter million dollars in damage to city-owned vehicles and buildings, a city spokesperson told the Chronicle Wednesday.
The city is still assessing the extent of the damage and associated costs, but staff estimate that roughly 200 vehicles, or 2% of the city’s fleet, sustained damage, mostly in the form of broken windshields and dents. Ballpark, they predict the damage will total $150,000.
The city’s preliminary estimate includes another $88,000 in damage to buildings – hail broke a skylight at the Austin Fire Department’s Fire Station #14, several rooftop solar panels at Austin Energy’s Mueller headquarters were smashed, and the Combined Transportation, Emergency, and Communications Center sustained roof damage, among other damages.
The city is focusing on repairs related to safety first, so they’re starting with broken glass, a spokesperson said.
Got something to say on the subject? Send a letter to the editor.
A note to readers: Bold and uncensored, The Austin Chronicle has been Austin’s independent news source for over 40 years, expressing the community’s political and environmental concerns and supporting its active cultural scene. Now more than ever, we need your support to continue supplying Austin with independent, free press. If real news is important to you, please consider making a donation of $5, $10 or whatever you can afford, to help keep our journalism on stands.
May 23, 2025
May 21, 2025
hail, City of Austin, climate change
