Strong storm drops damaging hail

BROOKSHIRE, Texas – Residents in Brookshire were woken up in the middle of the night because quarter-sized hail was falling.

The nearly 10-minute hail storm moved through about 2:15 a.m. on Wednesday, the first day of spring.

Thousands of pieces of hail littered the Meadowood Apartments in the 6000 block of Meadowood Lane. Residents there found damage to their homes and vehicles. Every north-facing window in the complex was hit by the hail.

Michelle Clark said the hail sounded like shotgun blasts.

"It was very scary," she said. "It's like snow in March. Man, those jokers were big -- size of a quarter, doggone."

A nonprofit facility less than a mile away from the apartment complex was also hit hard. Hail ruined the greenhouses at the Brookwood Community, causing thousands of dollars worth of damage.

"We have taken a hit, said Joe Mazzu, Brookwood Community's community development director. "We have 47 greenhouses which are part of our broad industry program here at Brookwood, where we employ adults with special needs. As we've gone through this morning, it's significant."

Anyone who would like to make a donation to Brookwood Community may do so by calling 281-375-2100 or  www.brookwoodcommunity.org.

"Lets just hope, pray that Houston gets behind us and keeps doing business with us," Mazzu said. "We need you, Houston."

In a nearby home, David Berry said he found his 3-year-old daughter hiding under a blanket during the storm.

"The damage mainly happened where my daughter's room is," Berry said. "She was laying in the bed with the covers over her head because she didn't know what was going on. She's still in shock. She doesn't even like to look at it."

Glass and pieces of siding crashed onto the little girl's bed.

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Strong storms moved through southeast Texas early Wednesday, dumping damage-causing hail in some areas.