Texas, 1997

Flash Flooding and Lightning Strike in Texas, May 19, 1997

May 19, 1997 · NWS FWD · 8 events in 5 counties and zones

7 flash flood, 1 lightning, as filed by the National Weather Service.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 8 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

  • Tornadoes
  • Tropical storms and surge
  • Floods
  • Wind
  • Hail
  • Winter weather
  • Heat and drought
  • Cold
  • Fire, smoke and dust
  • Marine and coastal
  • Other

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
$40,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
8

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

The radar

The Dallas/Ft Worth radar (KFWS), 72 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 00:06 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

7 flash flood, 1 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.

Flash Flood, Denton

When
May 19, 6:08 PM CST to 8:00 PM CST
Where
Denton County, 4 mi E of Lewisville
Coordinates
33.205, -97.117 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Several streets were reported impassable due to high water.

Flash Flood, Dallas

When
May 19, 7:05 PM CST
Where
Dallas County, Dallas
Coordinates
32.767, -96.778 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Streets were flooded in the northern portion of the city.

Flash Flood, Denton

When
May 19, 7:28 PM CST to 9:00 PM CST
Where
Denton County, Denton
Coordinates
33.205, -97.117 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Several roads were flooded in the southeastern portion of town.

Lightning, Rockwall

When
May 19, 8:00 PM CST
Where
Rockwall County, Rockwall
Property damage
$40,000
Coordinates
32.898, -96.408 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Lightning struck a house and caused a fire that resulted in considerable damage.

Flash Flood, Kaufman

When
May 19, 8:09 PM CST
Where
Kaufman County, Terrell
Coordinates
32.599, -96.288 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Street flooding was reported in town.

Flash Flood, Kaufman

When
May 19, 8:09 PM CST to 10:00 PM CST
Where
Kaufman County, Kaufman
Coordinates
32.599, -96.288 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Street flooding was reported in town.

Flash Flood, Denton

When
May 19, 8:18 PM CST to 10:00 PM CST
Where
Denton County, 4 mi E of Lewisville
Coordinates
33.205, -97.117 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Several roads remained flooded and impassable in The Colony.

Flash Flood, Cooke

When
May 19, 10:30 PM CST to 11:30 PM CST
Where
Cooke County, 4 mi W of Lindsay
Coordinates
33.639, -97.213 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Water was reported over Highway 82 between Lindsay and Muenster.

What these are

Flash Flood
Flooding that begins within six hours of the rain that causes it, or of a dam or levee failure or ice jam release, often with deadly speed.
Lightning
A lightning strike that killed, injured or caused damage.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Texas in 1997Every state in 1997This day in weather historyWarnings in Texas, May 1997

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5598957, 5598960, 5598958, 5598961, 5598962, 5598963, 5598959, 5598964.