Tornado-Like Storm Brings Crazy Clouds, Golf Ball-Sized Hail to NorCal

What a Friday night in NorCal!

We all knew a storm was heading our direction for Memorial Day Weekend, but it was very surprising to see the National Weather Service announcing a Severe Thunderstorm Warning at 7:49 pm:

A Severe Thunderstorm Warning has been issued for a storm near Redding, Large hail, strong winds and heavy rain are possible with this storms. Take shelter if near this storm. #CAwx pic.twitter.com/lH6uga89Xh

— NWS Sacramento (@NWSSacramento) May 25, 2019

While the smart took shelter from the rare-May storm, some brave photographers headed outside to see the golf ball-sized hail and insane cloud cell that looked more like Mordor than NorCal.

The size of the hail was absolutely shocking:

Chunks of hail falling in north Redding. Some one and a half inches long! pic.twitter.com/ftCKOi3LTa

— Mike Chapman (@mikechapman_RS) May 25, 2019

Redding California summer wildfires and spring storms, truly Fire & Ice! pic.twitter.com/PzLipRJh06

— Rodney Page (@Renegade_Rodney) May 25, 2019

This #hail is colossal and absolutely beautiful here in #Redding! pic.twitter.com/9d3uywvd9C

— Minnie (@ShastaMerch) May 25, 2019

Sandy Trent took this picture in Redding Friday evening. These are golf ball to egg sized hailstones, the biggest I've ever seen in the North State… definitely bigger than the October 5, 2011 Chico hailstorm. pic.twitter.com/zcDS6E75AR

— Kris Kuyper (@Weather1224) May 25, 2019

But it was the incredible clouds of the low-precipitation supercell thunderstorm that put onlookers in awe. Here are some of the best photos and videos of the storm:

#TORNADO WARNING #SHASTA COUNTY: Warning until 9:16 pm. Take shelter if you are around I5 between Anderson and Redding.

Monica Leard took this picture of the cloud formation. @ABC10 #wxforce10 pic.twitter.com/wAJN2D65Ec

— Madison Wade (@madisoncwade) May 25, 2019

This photo was sent to us from Steve Laymon, looking at the Shasta County supercell near Redding this evening. Amazing storm structure. #cawx pic.twitter.com/5vn4ipYOBV

— Meteorologist Eric McCormick (@KIEM_Eric) May 25, 2019

View this post on Instagram

It was one of those days. As I was spinning for this pano a burst of lightning flashed right as I Centered on the clouds perfectly back lighting the image. Happy Memorial Day weekend everyone! #redding #clouds #ilovethisstuff

A post shared by David Woods (@freedomwoods) on May 24, 2019 at 9:01pm PDT

Downtown #ReddingCA right now. Scary. pic.twitter.com/X2aBHnp5pT

— Marc Beauchamp (@MarcBeauchamp1) May 25, 2019

A Tornado Warning to our north in Shasta County and my friend sends me these pics of the cell from her back porch near Redding. Wow. pic.twitter.com/9IS7sOxooL

— Drew Tuma (@DrewTumaABC7) May 25, 2019

While the storm has settled and moved through the area, more precipitation is expected throughout the 3-day weekend. Stay dry, NorCal!