Texas, 2004

Hail and Damaging Winds in Texas, March 20 to 21, 2004

March 20 to 21, 2004 · NWS FWD · 22 events in 9 counties and zones

18 hail, 4 thunderstorm wind, as filed by the National Weather Service.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. 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

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
$50,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
22

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.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Fort Worth, TX wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Mar 20, 6:05 PM CST, 43 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Mar 20, 6:05 PM CST, 43 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX
605 PM CST SAT MAR 20 2004

.UPDATE...
WILL BE ISSUING UPDATED ZONES TO INCREASE POPS...LIKELY TO
CATEGORICAL... EAST OF A GAINESVILLE TO ENNIS LINE FOR THIS
EVENING.  ALSO...MADE MINOR CHANGES TO OVERNIGHT POPS ACROSS THE
SOUTHERN HALF.

LINE OF VERY STRONG (POSSIBLY SEVERE) TSRA PUSHING SOUTH OF THE RED
RIVER THROUGH 700 PM WILL AFFECT AREA FROM SHERMAN TO PARIS...
AND THEN AREA FROM DENTON TO COOPER 7 TO 8 PM. LARGE HAIL REMAINS
THE MOST LIKELY THREAT THIS EVENING FROM GAINESVILLE TO ENNIS TO
ATHENS.  75

&&

.AVIATION...
525 PM.
COLD FRONT CONTINUES MOVING SOUTH INTO NORTH TEXAS THIS EVENING.
CONVECTION NEAR FRONT BEGINNING TO INCREASE IN THE INSTABILITY AXIS
ALONG THE RED RIVER. WILL BRING THE FRONT INTO THE METRO TAF SITES
BY 03Z...AND INTO KACT AROUND 06Z. THUNDERSTORM CHANCES LOOK PRETTY
HIGH FOR THIS EVENING ALONG AND BEHIND THE FRONT...AND WILL CONTINUE
WITH MENTION OF CONVECTION IN TAFS. MODERATE NORTH WINDS AND
WIDESPREAD CLOUD COVER AROUND 5KFT EXPECTED TO DEVELOP BEHIND THE
FRONT OVERNIGHT. 09

&&

.DISCUSSION...
THE 21Z ANALYSIS SHOWS THAT THE COLD FRONT HAS MOVED TO NEAR AN
ARDMORE OKLAHOMA...TO WICHITA FALLS...TO HOBBS NEW MEXICO LINE. THE
CAP HAS BEEN HOLDING SO FAR...WITH ONLY AN ISOLATED THUNDERSTORM
HAVING DEVELOPED NORTHWEST OF ABILENE. WE SHOULD SEE ADDITIONAL
STORMS DEVELOP THROUGH EARLY THIS EVENING...BUT AM NOT CONFIDENT
THAT THE LIFT...AND MOISTURE CONVERGENCE IS GOING TO BE ENOUGH TO
DEVELOP A FULL LINE OF STORMS ALONG THE FRONT. THE BEST CHANCE OF
THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE THIS EVENING ACROSS THE NORTH...AND ACROSS THE
SOUTH AFTER MIDNIGHT AS THE COLD FRONT TRACKS SOUTHEASTWARD. THERE
WILL BE A LINGERING CHANCE OF SHOWERS/THUNDERSTORMS SUNDAY MORNING
IN THE SOUTH. CLOUD COVER AND COLD ADVECTION SHOULD HOLD HIGH
TEMPERATURES SUNDAY INTO THE 60S. HAVE NOT MADE ANY SIGNIFICANT
CHANGES TO THE EXTENDED PORTION OF THE FORECAST.  #58

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
DALLAS-FT. WORTH, TX   50  63  41  63 /  40  10   0   0
WACO, TX               52  66  42  67 /  50  30  10   0
PARIS, TX              49  61  39  60 /  50  10   0   0
DENTON, TX             49  61  40  63 /  50  10   0   0
MCKINNEY, TX           49  62  40  62 /  50  10   0   0
DALLAS, TX             50  63  41  63 /  40  10   0   0
TERRELL, TX            50  64  41  63 /  40  10   0   0
CORSICANA, TX          52  66  41  65 /  50  20   0   0
TEMPLE, TX             56  67  44  67 /  50  40  10   0

&&

.FWD WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
TX...NONE.

&&
Hazardous weather outlook, Mar 20, 3:50 PM CST, 2 hours 58 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR NORTH TEXAS
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX
350 PM CST SAT MAR 20 2004

TXZ091>095-100>107-115>123-129>135-141>148-156>162-174-175-211200-
ANDERSON-BELL-BOSQUE-COLLIN-COMANCHE-COOKE-CORYELL-DALLAS-DELTA-
DENTON-EASTLAND-ELLIS-ERATH-FALLS-FANNIN-FREESTONE-GRAYSON-HAMILTON-
HENDERSON-HILL-HOOD-HOPKINS-HUNT-JACK-JOHNSON-KAUFMAN-LAMAR-LAMPASAS-
LEON-LIMESTONE-MCLENNAN-MILAM-MILLS-MONTAGUE-NAVARRO-PALO PINTO-
PARKER-RAINS-ROBERTSON-ROCKWALL-SOMERVELL-STEPHENS-TARRANT-VAN ZANDT-
WISE-YOUNG-
350 PM CST SAT MAR 20 2004

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTH TEXAS.

.DAY ONE...
THERE IS A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS ALL OF NORTH TEXAS THIS
EVENING AND OVERNIGHT...AS A STRONG COLD FRONT MOVES SOUTHWARD ACROSS
THE AREA. STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE...ESPECIALLY
THIS EVENING AND ACROSS THE NORTHERN HALF OF NORTH TEXAS. THE PRIMARY
SEVERE WEATHER THREATS WILL COME FROM DAMAGING STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS
AND LARGE HAIL.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...
THUNDERSTORMS WILL LINGER ACROSS THE SOUTHERN PORTION OF NORTH TEXAS
ON SUNDAY MORNING. THERE WILL BE ANOTHER CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS
ACROSS THE ENTIRE AREA ON WEDNESDAY. ORGANIZED SEVERE WEATHER IS
NOT ANTICIPATED.

.SPOTTER CALL TO ACTION STATEMENT...
SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE REQUIRED LATE THIS EVENING AND OVERNGIHT...
ESPECIALLY FOR AREAS NORTH OF INTERSTATE 20.

65/DD

The radar

The Dallas/Ft Worth radar (KFWS), 144 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 00:50 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

18 hail, 4 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Grayson

When
March 20, 6:48 PM CST to March 21, 6:48 PM CST
Where
Grayson County, Pottsboro
Measured
0.88 in hail
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
33.750, -96.667

Hail, Grayson

When
March 20, 6:58 PM CST
Where
Grayson County, 5 mi S of Pottsboro
Measured
0.88 in hail
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
33.683, -96.667

Hail, Grayson

When
March 20, 7:05 PM CST
Where
Grayson County, 2 mi N of Sherman
Measured
0.88 in hail
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
33.667, -96.567

Hail, Denton

When
March 20, 7:50 PM CST
Where
Denton County, Pilot Pt
Measured
0.88 in hail
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
33.400, -96.967

Hail, Denton

When
March 20, 8:16 PM CST
Where
Denton County, Ponder
Measured
0.88 in hail
Reported by
AMATEUR RADIO
Coordinates
33.183, -97.300

Hail, Parker

When
March 20, 8:48 PM CST
Where
Parker County, Springtown
Measured
0.75 in hail
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
32.967, -97.683

Hail, Parker

When
March 20, 8:55 PM CST
Where
Parker County, 2 mi N of Springtown
Measured
0.88 in hail
Reported by
AMATEUR RADIO
Coordinates
33.000, -97.683

Hail, Wise

When
March 20, 8:56 PM CST
Where
Wise County, Boyd
Measured
0.75 in hail
Reported by
AMATEUR RADIO
Coordinates
33.083, -97.583

Hail, Wise

When
March 20, 8:56 PM CST
Where
Wise County, Newark
Measured
0.75 in hail
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
33.000, -97.483

Hail, Tarrant

When
March 20, 9:15 PM CST
Where
Tarrant County, Keller
Measured
0.88 in hail
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
32.933, -97.250

Hail, Parker

When
March 20, 9:33 PM CST
Where
Parker County, 10 mi NW of Weatherford
Measured
0.88 in hail
Reported by
AMATEUR RADIO
Coordinates
32.867, -97.917

Occurred in Peaster.

Thunderstorm Wind, Hopkins

When
March 20, 9:34 PM CST
Where
Hopkins County, 15 mi E of Sulphur Spgs
Measured
52 kt (60 mph) estimated sustained
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
33.133, -95.333

Occurred in Saltillo and Weaver communities.

Hail, Hopkins

When
March 20, 9:34 PM CST
Where
Hopkins County, 15 mi E of Sulphur Spgs
Measured
1.75 in hail
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
33.133, -95.333

Occurred in Saltillo and Weaver communities.

Thunderstorm Wind, Hopkins

When
March 20, 9:36 PM CST
Where
Hopkins County, 15 mi E of Sulphur Spgs
Measured
61 kt (70 mph) estimated sustained
Property damage
$50,000
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
33.133, -95.333

Occurred near the community of Pine Forest. 3 large transmission towers were blown down, and there were numerous reports of trees and power lines down.

Hail, Hopkins

When
March 20, 9:36 PM CST
Where
Hopkins County, 15 mi E of Sulphur Spgs
Measured
1.75 in hail
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
33.133, -95.333

Occurred near the community of Pine Forest.

Thunderstorm Wind, Hopkins

When
March 20, 9:38 PM CST
Where
Hopkins County, 10 mi SE of Sulphur Spgs
Measured
52 kt (60 mph) estimated sustained
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
33.033, -95.483

Occurred near Como.

Hail, Hopkins

When
March 20, 9:38 PM CST
Where
Hopkins County, 10 mi SE of Sulphur Spgs
Measured
1.75 in hail
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
33.033, -95.483

Occurred near Como.

Hail, Parker

When
March 20, 9:40 PM CST
Where
Parker County, Aledo
Measured
0.88 in hail
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
32.700, -97.600

Hail, Rains

When
March 20, 10:25 PM CST
Where
Rains County, 7 mi SE of Emory
Measured
0.75 in hail
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
32.800, -95.667

Hail, Hood

When
March 20, 10:30 PM CST
Where
Hood County, 2 mi S of Granbury
Measured
0.75 in hail
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
32.417, -97.800

Thunderstorm Wind, Hood

When
March 20, 10:30 PM CST
Where
Hood County, 2 mi S of Granbury
Measured
60 kt (69 mph) estimated sustained
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
32.417, -97.800

Hail, Van Zandt

When
March 20, 11:09 PM CST
Where
Van Zandt County, 2 mi N of Canton
Measured
0.75 in hail
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
32.583, -95.867

What these are

Hail
Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
Thunderstorm Wind
Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Texas in 2004Every state in 2004This day in weather historyWarnings in Texas, March 2004

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: 5388725, 5388727, 5388726, 5388728, 5388729, 5388730, 5388732, 5388731, 5388733, 5388814, 5388815, 5388816, 5388817, 5388818, 5388819, 5388820, 5388821, 5388822, 5388823, 5388824, 5388825, 5388826.