Flash Flooding and Hail in Texas, May 1, 2004

Name: Flash Flooding and Hail in Texas, May 1, 2004
Start: 2004-05-01T00:02
End: 2004-05-01T04:30
Location: Texas

May 1, 2004 · NWS FWD · 7 events in 3 counties and zones

5 flash flood, 2 hail, as filed by the National Weather Service.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 5 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

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 3
Injuries: 0
Property damage: $30,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 7

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 Apr 30, 9:27 PM CST, 2 hours 35 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 30, 9:27 PM CST, 2 hours 35 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX
1027 PM CDT FRI APR 30 2004

.DISCUSSION...
SEVERAL CLUSTERS OF SEVERE STORMS CONTINUE TO MOVE ACROSS NORTH
TEXAS THIS EVENING. EXPECT THE ACTIVITY TO CONTINUE ALONG AND AHEAD
OF THE SLOWLY ADVANCING COLD FRONT...WITH ONLY A GRADUAL DECREASE IN
INTENSITY EXPECTED AFTER MIDNIGHT.

FLOOD WATCH AREA LOOKS GOOD BASED ON CURRENT TRENDS. WITH DEWPOINTS
IN THE UPPER 60S AND LOWER 70S IN MOST AREAS AHEAD OF THE COLD FRONT
AND A RELATIVELY SLOW EASTWARD MOVEMENT TO CONVECTION...THE THREAT
OF FLOODING WILL CONTINUE OVERNIGHT.

UPDATED ZONES HAVE BEEN SENT. MAINLY MADE SOME MINOR CHANGES TO
FIRST PERIOD TO ACCOUNT FOR CURRENT ACTIVITY AND CURRENT
HEADLINES.   09

&&

.DISCUSSION...
311 PM FRIDAY
SEVERE WEATHER...IN THE WEST AT THE PRESENT TIME...WILL SPREAD EAST
ACROSS THE CWA TONIGHT...AND TURN INTO A HEAVY RAIN EVENT.  FLOOD
WATCH ISSUED FOR THE NORTHWESTERN TWO THIRDS OF NORTH TEXAS FOR
TONIGHT AS HEAVY RAINS WILL COVER AREAS ALREADY SATURATED FROM LAST
WEEKS RAINS.  THE RAINS WILL END SATURDAY OVER ALL BUT THE SOUTHEAST
AFTER A COLD FRONTAL PASSAGE. THIS IS A COLD AIRMASS FOR EARLY MAY
AND TEMPS WILL BE IN THE 40S BY SUNDAY MORNING OVER MOST OF NORTH
TEXAS. TEMPS WILL BEGIN TO RISE WITH THE NEW WEEK AS HIGH PRESSURE
BUILDS AND THE ATMOSPHERE DRIES.  THE REMAINDER OF THE WEEK SHOULD
BE RAIN FREE WITH MORE SEASONAL TEMPERATURES.

&&

.FWD WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
TX...FLOOD WATCH UNTIL 700 AM CDT SATURDAY FOR ZONES TXZ091>095...
TXZ100>107...TXZ115>123...TXZ129>135...TXZ141>146...TXZ156>157...
TXZ159.

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH UNTIL 100 AM CDT SATURDAY FOR ZONES
TXC001...TXC085...TXC113...TXC119...TXC139...TXC161...TXC213...
TXC217...TXC223...TXC231...TXC257...TXC277...TXC293...TXC309...
TXC349...TXC379...TXC397...TXC467.

&&

Hazardous weather outlook, Apr 30, 10:10 PM CST, 1 hour 52 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR NORTH TEXAS
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX
1110 PM CDT FRI APR 30 2004

TXZ091>095-100>107-115>123-129>135-141>148-156>162-174-175-011200-
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-
1110 PM CDT FRI APR 30 2004

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTH TEXAS.

.DAY ONE...
THERE IS A MODERATE RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS FOR THE REST OF
THE NIGHT ACROSS PARTS OF NORTH TEXAS. THE MODERATE RISK AREA IS
EAST OF A LINE EXTENDING FROM PARIS TO DALLAS TO GOLDTHWAITE.
THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE REMAINDER OF
NORTH TEXAS FOR TONIGHT. THE MAIN SEVERE WEATHER THREATS WILL BE FROM
LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING STRAIGHT LINE WINDS. LOCALLY HEAVY RAINS AND
SOME FLOODING PROBLEMS ARE ALSO EXPECTED.

A SLOW MOVING COLD FRONT WAS LOCATED FROM NEAR SHERMAN TO
DALLAS TO GOLDTHWAITE AT 11 PM FRIDAY. SEVERAL CLUSTERS OF
STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE TO
DEVELOP ALONG AND AHEAD OF THE COLD FRONT FOR THE REST OF
THE NIGHT. THE AIRMASS REMAINS VERY UNSTABLE IN AREAS
AHEAD OF THE COLD FRONT...AND SEVERE WEATHER WILL REMAIN
POSSIBLE THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT HOURS.

ALTHOUGH THE AIRMASS IS LESS UNSTABLE TO THE WEST OF THE COLD
FRONT...A FEW SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH LARGE HAIL WILL BE
POSSIBLE. LIFTING FROM AN APPROACHING UPPER LEVEL SYSTEM WILL
CONTRIBUTE TO THE ELEVATED INSTABILITY AND THUNDERSTORM POTENTIAL
OVERNIGHT.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...
THERE WILL BE A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS THE AREA ON
SATURDAY...WITH CHANCES CONTINUING ACROSS THE SOUTH SATURDAY NIGHT.
SOME OF THESE STORMS MAY BE SEVERE...PRODUCING LARGE HAIL AND
DAMAGING WINDS. HEAVY RAIN AND LIGHTNING WILL ALSO PRESENT WEATHER
HAZARDS. THERE WILL BE ANOTHER CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS THURSDAY.

.SPOTTER CALL TO ACTION STATEMENT...
SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL BE NEEDED FOR MUCH OF THE NIGHT...
ESPECIALLY IN THE MODERATE RISK AREA AHEAD OF THE COLD FRONT.

09

In the hours before

Local storm report, Apr 30, 9:57 PM CST, 2 hours 5 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX
1057 PM CDT FRI APR 30 2004

..TIME..    ...EVENT...     ...CITY LOCATION...      ...LAT.LON...
..DATE..    ....MAG....     ..COUNTY LOCATION.. ST   ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

1056 PM     HAIL            RED OAK                  32.52N  96.81W
04/30/2004  1.00 INCH       ELLIS               TX   TRAINED SPOTTER

Local storm report, Apr 30, 10:32 PM CST, 1 hour 30 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX
1132 PM CDT FRI APR 30 2004

..TIME..    ...EVENT...     ...CITY LOCATION...      ...LAT.LON...
..DATE..    ....MAG....     ..COUNTY LOCATION.. ST   ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

1125 PM     HAIL            8 SW CANTON              32.47N  95.96W
04/30/2004  1.75 INCH       VAN ZANDT           TX   LAW ENFORCEMENT

Local storm report, Apr 30, 10:34 PM CST, 1 hour 28 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX
1134 PM CDT FRI APR 30 2004

..TIME..    ...EVENT...     ...CITY LOCATION...      ...LAT.LON...
..DATE..    ....MAG....     ..COUNTY LOCATION.. ST   ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

1130 PM     HAIL            WILLS POINT              32.71N  96.01W
04/30/2004  1.00 INCH       VAN ZANDT           TX   LAW ENFORCEMENT

Local storm report, Apr 30, 10:53 PM CST, 1 hour 9 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX
1153 PM CDT FRI APR 30 2004

..TIME..    ...EVENT...     ...CITY LOCATION...      ...LAT.LON...
..DATE..    ....MAG....     ..COUNTY LOCATION.. ST   ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

1105 PM     HAIL            8 SW CANTON              32.47N  95.96W
04/30/2004  2.50 INCH       VAN ZANDT           TX   TRAINED SPOTTER

            TENNIS BALL SIZED HAIL IN WHITTON, CAR AND MOBILE HOME
            WINDOWS BROKEN

Local storm report, Apr 30, 11:04 PM CST, 58 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX
1204 AM CDT SAT MAY 1 2004

..TIME..    ...EVENT...     ...CITY LOCATION...      ...LAT.LON...
..DATE..    ....MAG....     ..COUNTY LOCATION.. ST   ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

1136 AM     HAIL            MALAKOFF                 32.17N  96.01W
05/01/2004  2.00 INCH       HENDERSON           TX   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            RELAYED BY SHERIFF OFFICE

Local storm report, Apr 30, 11:25 PM CST, 37 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX
1225 AM CDT SAT MAY 1 2004

..TIME..    ...EVENT...     ...CITY LOCATION...      ...LAT.LON...
..DATE..    ....MAG....     ..COUNTY LOCATION.. ST   ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

1100 PM     HAIL            ATHENS                   32.20N  95.86W
04/30/2004  0.75 INCH       HENDERSON           TX   FIRE DEPT/RESCUE

The radar

The Dallas/Ft Worth radar (KFWS), 143 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 06:02 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

5 flash flood, 2 hail. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Henderson

When: May 1, 12:02 AM CST
Where: Henderson County, Athens
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: FIRE DEPT/RESCUE SQUAD
Coordinates: 32.200, -95.850

Flash Flood, Henderson

When: May 1, 12:10 AM CST to 1:10 AM CST
Where: Henderson County, Payne Springs
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 32.212, -95.854 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Water was over roads in town.

Flash Flood, Navarro

When: May 1, 12:30 AM CST to 2:30 AM CST
Where: Navarro County, 2 mi S of Corsicana
Deaths: 1 direct, 0 indirect
Property damage: $20,000
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 32.047, -96.472 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Northbound Interstate 45 at mile marker 231 was closed due to high water. Other areas of Interstate 45 were also closed. Numerous roads in Corsicana were closed. The bridge spanning Post Oak creek was heavily damaged. At 130 AM at mile marker 228 on Interstate 45, a truck drove into high water on the east side service road. The passenger escaped, but the 33 year old driver drowned.

Flash Flood, Navarro

When: May 1, 12:45 AM CST to 2:45 AM CST
Where: Navarro County, Corsicana
Deaths: 2 direct, 0 indirect
Property damage: $10,000
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 32.047, -96.472 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A car was swept off Bunert Road as it was trying to cross a low water crossing. The father driving escaped, but his two small children drowned.

Hail, Henderson

When: May 1, 1:26 AM CST
Where: Henderson County, Athens
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: FIRE DEPT/RESCUE SQUAD
Coordinates: 32.200, -95.850

Flash Flood, Henderson

When: May 1, 2:54 AM CST to 3:54 AM CST
Where: Henderson County, Athens
Reported by: FIRE DEPT/RESCUE SQUAD
Coordinates: 32.212, -95.854 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

At least one home was flooded in town due to high water.

Flash Flood, McLennan

When: May 1, 3:30 AM CST to 4:30 AM CST
Where: McLennan County, Hewitt
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 31.552, -97.202 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The Hewitt exit on Interstate 35 at mile marker 329 was closed due to flooding. Several cars were in ditches.

The people who died

As the offices recorded each death: direct deaths were caused by the weather itself, indirect ones by something it set in motion.

Event	Date	Age	Sex	Where	Kind
Flash Flood, Navarro	2004-05-01	33	Male	Vehicle/Towed Trailer	Direct
Flash Flood, Navarro	2004-05-01	1	Male	Vehicle/Towed Trailer	Direct
Flash Flood, Navarro	2004-05-01	2	Male	Vehicle/Towed Trailer	Direct

What these are

Hail: Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
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.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Texas in 2004 Every state in 2004 This day in weather history Warnings in Texas, May 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: 5402335, 5402337, 5402338, 5402340, 5402336, 5402339, 5402334.