Severe storm watch in Dallas-Fort Worth until 8 p.m. Friday; large hail is possible
Storms began moving into the Dallas-Fort Worth region Friday afternoon, bringing the potential for severe weather including heavy rain, strong winds and hail as big as ping pong balls.
Smaller hail between dime and quarter size already has been reported with some storms.
There will also be a threat for tornadoes, especially anywhere south of Interstate 20 and east of Interstate 35W, according to the National Weather Service in Fort Worth. They could be a possibility anywhere across North Texas.
A severe thunderstorm watch is in effect for the region, including Tarrant and Dallas counties, until 8 p.m.
The storm systems were expected to develop southwest of DFW in the mid-to-late morning and head north, arriving in the Metroplex in the early afternoon and continuing into the evening, according to Patrcia Sanchez, a weather service meteorologist. The most severe weather should occur within this time frame, Sanchez said, which would include the large hail and damaging winds. The forecast indicates there could be gusts up to 25 mph.
There will likely be heavy rain, too, with the most severe downpours coming east of DFW, Sanchez said. Still, she said, there could be ponding and flooding in urban areas like Fort Worth.
And Sanchez said tornadoes “can’t be ruled out.”
“If you have plans in the afternoon, check the weather frequently,” Sanchez said. “And then have multiple ways to receive warnings. If you’re heading out, the phone might not be the only way, and if you lose cell service you may not have another way to receive the warnings.”
She said the conditions are right on Friday for storms, with a warm front over the area before a cold front will move into the region late at night.
The chance of showers and storms will fall to 30% by Friday night, and are expected to be over by 9 p.m., according to the weather service forecast. It’s expected that between a half and three quarters of an inch of rain could fall during the day.
The high on Friday was expected to be around 72, according to the forecast, before dropping to around 56 in the night.
A hazardous weather outlook from the weather service notes there will be a chance for storms again late Tuesday through early Thursday.
This story was originally published April 23, 2021 at 8:14 AM.
