NWS Ft. Worth

Severe Thunderstorms in the Southern Plains; Heavy to Excessive Rainfall in South Central Texas

Widespread rain may produce flash flooding across the Southern Plains into the Ozarks today. Numerous instances of flash flooding are expected in south-central Texas, including the Hill Country. There will also be a risk of isolated severe thunderstorms across the southern Plains today, where an instance or two of severe wind, hail, or a brief tornado may occur. Read More >

Supercells of April 25, 2005

Radar image from Ft. Worth Radar showing supercell storms across Erath County at 5:02 pm CDT.

Around 3 PM, strong thunderstorms began forming in southern Parker and northern Erath counties. These storms quickly became supercellular and split into several individual storms. This activity generally moved east at around 35 mph. The strongest storms of the afternoon occurred over Dallas, Johnson, and Ellis counties. Quarter size hail was reported at 3:20 PM in Weatherford. Hail reports continued as the storms moved across the Dallas Fort Worth metroplex, ranging from marble to quarter size. Most impressive was not the size of the hail, but the quantity that fell! Drifts of hail up to 1 foot deep were common just south of the metroplex.

Five weak, brief tornadoes were reported with these storms. One was reported at 4:14 PM in south Fort Worth, just east of the Miller Brewery.

A second tornado occurred west of Alvarado, in Johnson County, at approximately 4:25 PM. Brief tornadoes were reported near Mansfield; between Cedar Hill and Midlothian; and near Maypearl in Ellis county at 5:00. Damage to tree limbs, television antennas, and outbuildings resulted from this activity.

Supercell in Ellis County at 5:02 pm CDT

Later that evening, severe weather continued as storms moved across extreme north Texas. Hail to the size of golf balls and larger was reported in Fannin, Delta, and Hopkins counties. Downburst winds combined with the hail to damage homes and vehicles, especially in the Bailey community in southern Fannin County.


Hail Covered the Ground in Alvarado	Funnel Clouds at Lake Whitney State Park

Radar image from Ft. Worth Radar showing supercell storms across SE Tarrant and East Johnson counties.

Supercells in Tarrant/Johnson
counties at 4:32 pm CDT



Wall Cloud near Miller Brewery in Southern Tarrant Co.	Wall Cloud in Southwest Ft. Worth (near Alta Mesa Blvd)