Rare Weather Event Caused It to Rain Fish in East Texas Last Week

Something must have gotten lost in translation the last time the ladies of Texarkana sang about it raining men because it was fish, not handsome bachelors, that fell out of the sky and onto the Texas city on December 29.

According to local media reports, residents got the surprise of their lives when a thunderstorm that blew through parts of the tri-state region that afternoon left behind tiny fish in addition to water. That's right: fish.

While it might have appeared like a scene out of an apocalyptic movie, the city of Texarkana assured residents that while rare, it's not unheard of for fish and other small aquatic creatures to fall out of the sky.

"Animal rain is a phenomenon that occurs when small water animals like frogs, crabs, and small fish are swept up in waterspouts or drafts that occur on the surface of the earth," the city explained on Facebook. "They are then rained down at the same time as the rain. While it's uncommon, it happens, as evidenced in several places in Texarkana today."

James Audirsch, who works at a used car dealership in the area, told WCIA that he and his co-worker Brad heard loud noises and looked outside to see fish falling from the sky.

"There was a loud crack of thunder and when we opened up the bay door, I looked outside and it was raining real hard and a fish hit the ground, and then I said, 'It's raining fish!" Audirsch recalled. "Brad was like, 'No it's not,' and I'm like, 'No, it really is!' and fish were droppin' here and everywhere."

The most recent reported incident of animal rain in America took place in 2017, when fish fell from the sky over an elementary school in Oroville, California.

It's a unique event city officials hope doesn't portend a bad year.

"Please, for the sake of everyone, let's tiptoe into 2022 as quietly as possible," Texarkana officials joked.