This is what the met office had to say: Thunderstorms strike south-east Texas 09 May 2005 A series of severe thunderstorms hit Texas, USA yesterday, bringing heavy rain, hail and high winds and causing spot flooding and power outages. Most of south-east Texas - including Harris, Brazoria, Galveston and Fort Bend counties - was affected, as hailstones up to 1.75 inches in diameter lashed the state. Spot floods necessitated the rescue of several motorists from rising water near Interstate 10 and Beltway 8, Post Oak Boulevard and West Loop, Chimney Rock and U.S. 59, according to the Houston Fire Department. A spokeswoman for Centerpoint Energy said that about 183,000 customers lost power as a result of the storms, with some areas still without electricity this morning. Sustained winds were measured at between 35 and 50 miles per hour, with some gusts reaching 60 miles per hour. A National Weather Service spokeswoman said that the west and north-west areas of Houston saw as much as 3.5 inches of rain. A tug in the Houston Ship Channel is believed to have sunk as a result of the weather. Every crew member was saved when high waves caused the boat to capsize near the Bolivar Ferry Landing. The thunderstorms are expected to continue today. © DeHavilland Information Services plc Taken from Met Office web site.