Storms slam central and west El Paso

Storms slammed El Paso’s central and west side Friday evening.

Strong gusts caused damage, rain flooded streets and hail pummeled everything in its path.

The day started with heavy wind gusts.

At Coronado High School a large air conditioning cover toppled over onto a pathway. School officials told ABC-7 students were on campus at the time but no one was injured.

As the day went on heavy rains hit El Paso’s west side.

The freeway backed up and frustrated drivers were looking for any route to escape the traffic.

Meanwhile, hail slammed area.

“It came down pretty hard,” Abner Robles said.

Robles was at a tire shop when he says the hail worsened.

“It started off little and it kept going up quarter size,” Robles said.

Down the street at the intersection of Cotton Street and I-10, fire crews closed off the road after flood waters rose up to four feet.

Several cars were stranded ABC-7 video shows several people pushing cars out of the flood zone.

Meanwhile, up above on the freeway, congestion backed up from flooded roads.

In downtown at the annual Christmas fair, floors went from dry to soaked after rain started coming through the doors.

Lourdes Delagado was inside convention center the whole time.

“I didn’t know it was raining,” Delgado said.

Outside sheets of hail covered the plaza floor while crews were pumping inch deep water out of the Abraham Chavez Theater.

Delgado had no clue what was happening on the freeway

“How am I going to get home,” Delgado said.

There is 40 percent chance of rain Saturday as well.