Hail, gusty winds return to Dallas-Fort Worth. Will storms stick around to spoil eclipse?

Severe storms with hail and gusty winds return to Dallas-Fort Worth over the weekend, .

North Texas began the week with severe weather, where a few counties saw hail and strong winds. A tornado watch was issued for Denton and Grayson counties as well.

After a dry and sunny Thursday and Friday, winds will begin to pick up Saturday with gusts up to 35 mph, according to the National Weather Service’s Fort Worth office.

By Saturday night, strong to severe storms will roll into North Texas bringing possible hail and gusty winds. Low temperatures are expected to stay in the 50s, according to the NWS.

Storms will continue until daybreak Sunday, moving east across the Metroplex.

WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR DALLAS-FORT WORTH FOR APRIL 8 TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE

The NWS forecast shows partly to mostly cloudy skies, with 40% to 80% cloud cover, for the total solar eclipse on Monday.

Fort Worth is on the path of totality and will see over two minutes of darkness around 1:41 p.m. Several local organizations are hosting eclipse watch parties and events across Fort Worth.

“Eclipse viewability will largely depend on how far dense low clouds spread north Monday and how dense high clouds will be,” according to the NWS.

Steve Wilson swilson@star-telegram.com

Can Fort Worth still see the rare sight with clouds covering the sun?

According to an eclipse chaser from Space.com, Joe Rao, recounting his experience during the Oct. 12, 1977, eclipse in South America, the cloud cover may actually provide a “projection screen of sorts... Along with the sudden darkness came a change in the clouds’ color. Along the very edge of the disappearing sun at the start and end of totality, an arc of ruby red or fuchsia associated with the solar chromosphere appeared. It looked bright red because the hydrogen in the sun was emitting a reddish light at high temperatures, and some of this light may become evident in the clouds at the beginning and end of totality.”

After the solar eclipse passes through North Texas Monday afternoon, storms are expected in the region later in the evening.

Widespread showers and thunderstorms are expected Monday night into Tuesday, according to the NWS. Another round of storms is likely for later in the day on Tuesday, where heavy rain and flooding are possible.

This story was originally published April 5, 2024 at 4:47 AM.

Brayden Garcia

Fort Worth Star-Telegram

Brayden Garcia is a service journalism reporter at the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. He is part of a team of local journalists who answer reader questions and write about life in North Texas. Brayden mainly writes about weather and all things Taylor Sheridan-related.