Flash Flooding and Flood in Texas, May 6, 2006

Name: Flash Flooding and Flood in Texas, May 6, 2006
Start: 2006-05-06T00:18
End: 2006-05-06T10:40
Location: Texas

May 6, 2006 · NWS FWD · 12 events in 7 counties and zones

5 flash flood, 5 thunderstorm wind, 1 hail, 1 flood, as filed by the National Weather Service.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 6 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: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: $68,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 12

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 May 6, 12:03 AM CST, 15 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 6, 12:03 AM CST, 15 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX
103 AM CDT SAT MAY 6 2006

.UPDATE...
HAVE SENT AN UPDATE TO ADD FREESTONE...LIMESTONE...LEON...AND
ROBERTSON COUNTIES TO TORNADO WATCH #297. HAVE ALSO CLEARED JACK
AND YOUNG COUNTIES FROM SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH #296 AND HAVE
CLEARED ELLIS...HOOD...JOHNSON...PALO PINTO...PARKER...AND
STEPHENS FROM TORNADO WATCH #297.

#58

&&

.AVIATION...
645 PM FRI MAY 5 2006
TSTMS BUILDING THIS EVENING TO THE WEST AND WILL CONTINUE THROUGH
TONIGHT. NO SIG CHANGES TO THE TAFS WITH THE EXCEPTION OF SOME
LOWER CIGS TOWARD MORNING. MODELS CONTINUE TO DISAGREE WITH WIND
FIELDS AND TIMING OF PRECIP...BUT CURRENTLY THINK THAT TSTMS WILL
CONGLOMERATE SOMETIME AFTER DARK TO THE WEST AND MOVE EAST
OVERNIGHT. CURRENT TIMING SHOWS TEMPO 06-10Z AT DFW FOR TSTM
ARRIVAL. THIS MAY NEED TO BE ADJUSTED UPWARD LATER. PRECIP SHOULD
END SOMETIME DURING THE MID MORNING TOMORROW...AND WILL SHOW
IMPROVING CIGS/VSBY BY MID MORNING. /DUNN/

&&

.PREV DISCUSSION...
1153 PM CDT FRI MAY 5 2006
WILL TAKE THE SEVERE AND HEAVY RAIN WORDING OUT OF THE
NORTHEASTERN HALF OF NORTH TEXAS FOR THE OVERNIGHT PERIOD. SEVERE
STORMS WILL CONTINUE TO AFFECT THE SOUTHWEST HALF. REST OF PACKAGE
OKAY.

926 PM CDT FRI MAY 5 2006
SEVERE TSTM WATCH UPGRADED TO TORNADO AND EXTENDED SOUTHEAST.
UPDATE OUT ASAP.

711 PM CDT FRI MAY 5 2006
QUICK UPDATE TO PUBLISH FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 296...ALONG
AND WEST OF A LINE THROUGH
JACK...PARKER...HOOD...SOMERVELL...BOSQUE...CORYELL TO LAMPASAS.
STRONG SUPERCELLS OUT IN THE ROLLING PLAINS MOVING TOWARDS
EASTLAND AS THIS IS WRITTEN. 84

343 PM CDT FRI MAY 5 2006
ANOTHER TRICKY FORECAST FOR TONIGHT WITH ANOTHER OVERNIGHT RAIN
AND THUNDERSTORM EVENT ON THE HORIZON. RIGHT NOW...THE STATIONARY
BOUNDARY THAT HAS BEEN SLOWLY MOVING AROUND NORTH TEXAS THE PAST
FEW DAYS IS IN THE FAR SOUTHERN SECTIONS OF THE CWA. CUMULUS CAN
BE SEEN ON SATELLITE DEVELOPING ALONG THIS LINE BUT NO SHOWERS OR
STORMS HAVE DEVELOPED YET. WILL HAVE TO WATCH THIS AREA FIRST FOR
DEVELOPMENT THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. ALSO...SOME SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS ARE MOVING INTO THE COUNTIES ALONG THE RED
RIVER...BUT THOSE SHOWERS AND STORMS HAVE QUICKLY DISSIPATED AND
HAVE BEEN OF NO CONCERN AT THIS TIME.

MODELS ARE IN AGREEMENT THAT ANOTHER MCS WILL DEVELOP IN WEST
TEXAS AND THEN TRACK EAST ACROSS NORTH TEXAS DURING THE OVERNIGHT
HOURS. TIMING AND PLACEMENT OF THE MCS HAS BEEN THE TRICKY PART
BUT HAVE OPTED TO TAKE THE SOUTHERN ROUTE AND MOVE THE MAIN MCS
ALONG THE BOUNDARY TO OUR SOUTH. IT APPEARS THAT ANOTHER MCS WILL
ALSO DEVELOP AND MOVE OFF TO THE NORTHEAST ACROSS OUR NORTHERN
COUNTIES AND INTO OKLAHOMA. THEREFORE...HAVE KEPT HIGH POPS ACROSS
ALL THE CWA TONIGHT. SEVERE WEATHER WILL BE POSSIBLE AGAIN ACROSS
ALL THE AREA TONIGHT WITH DAMAGING WINDS...HAIL...AND LOCALLY
HEAVY RAINFALL AS THE MAIN THREATS. HAVE DECIDED NOT TO ISSUE A
FLASH FLOOD WATCH AT THIS TIME AS IT APPEARS THE STORMS WILL BE
MOVING FAST ENOUGH TO CAUSE NO MORE THAN JUST LOCALIZED FLOODING.
GENERAL CONSENSUS IS THAT THE STORMS WILL NOT REALLY GET GOING IN
NORTH TEXAS UNTIL AFTER 10 PM AND THEN SPREAD FROM WEST TO
EAST...BUT COULD STILL SEE SOME SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS POP UP
DURING THE EVENING HOURS.

BEGINNING LATE SATURDAY MORNING/EARLY AFTERNOON WE WILL BEGIN TO
DRY OUT FROM WEST TO EAST. THE REST OF THE WEEKEND LOOKS DRY AND
THEN BEGIN TO INTRODUCE LOW POPS BEGINNING MONDAY AND LASTING
THROUGH THE WEEK. BEST CHANCES FOR RAIN WILL BE MONDAY NIGHT INTO
TUESDAY AS AN UPPER LEVEL SYSTEM SKIRTS JUST NORTH OF THE RED
RIVER...AND AGAIN ON WEDNESDAY/THURSDAY WHEN A COLD FRONT COMES
THROUGH THE REGION. TEMPERATURES WILL COOL SLIGHTLY WITH THIS
FRONT AND HAVE OPTED TO SIDE WITH THE GFS ON THIS SITUATION. AS
FOR TEMPERATURES THIS WEEK...HAVE GENERALLY GONE A DEGREE OR SO
COOLER THAN GUIDANCE GIVEN THAT GUIDANCE HAS BEEN RUNNING A LITTLE
WARM LATELY. TEMPERATURES WILL BE WARM ON TUESDAY BEFORE THE FRONT
AND WILL SEE A WARMING TREND INTO THE WEEKEND AFTER THE FRONT.

82/JLD

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
DALLAS-FT. WORTH, TX  57  78  59  82 /  20   0  20  30
WACO, TX              60  82  61  86 /  20   0  10  30
PARIS, TX             56  72  55  77 /  30   0  10  30
DENTON, TX            55  76  57  80 /  20   0  20  30
MCKINNEY, TX          56  76  57  80 /  20   0  20  30
DALLAS, TX            57  78  59  82 /  20   0  20  30
TERRELL, TX           57  78  57  81 /  30   0  10  30
CORSICANA, TX         57  79  59  84 /  20   0  10  30
TEMPLE, TX            60  83  63  87 /  20   0  10  30

&&

.FWD WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
TORNADO WATCH UNTIL 5 AM SATURDAY FOR TXZ129-TXZ130-TXZ132-
TXZ141-TXZ142-TXZ143-TXZ144-TXZ145-TXZ147-TXZ156-TXZ157-TXZ158-
TXZ159-TXZ160-TXZ161-TXZ162-TXZ174-TXZ175.

&&

/58

Hazardous weather outlook, May 5, 3:00 PM CST, 9 hours 18 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR NORTH TEXAS
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX
400 PM CDT FRI MAY 5 2006

TXZ091>095-100>107-115>123-129>135-141>148-156>162-174-175-061100-
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-
400 PM CDT FRI MAY 5 2006

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTH TEXAS.

.DAY ONE...
THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS LATE THIS AFTERNOON
THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT HOURS ALONG AND SOUTH OF A LINE FROM BOWIE TO
DENTON TO SULPHUR SPRINGS.

THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP OVER WEST TEXAS THIS AFTERNOON
AND MOVE EAST ALONG A NEARLY STATIONARY FRONTAL BOUNDARY THAT EXTENDS
ACROSS CENTRAL TEXAS.  A COMPLEX OF STRONG TO SEVERE STORMS WILL
LIKELY AFFECT THE GOLDTHWAITE...LAMPASAS...AND TEMPLE AREAS LATE
THIS EVENING AND TONIGHT. LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS ARE THE
PRIMARY THREATS.

ADDITIONAL THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT IS EXPECTED OVERNIGHT ALONG AND
NORTH OF THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY AS MOISTURE IS LIFTED NORTH. A SECOND
COMPLEX OF STORMS SHOULD THEN MOVE EAST ACROSS THE NORTHERN HALF OF
NORTH TEXAS...INCLUDING THE DALLAS FORT WORTH METROPLEX DURING THE
EARLY MORNING HOURS. LARGE HAIL AND ISOLATED STRONG WINDS WILL BE
THE PRIMARY THREATS. LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL IS ALSO LIKELY...
RESULTING IN FLOODING PROBLEMS...ESPECIALLY IN AREAS THAT HAVE
RECEIVED HEAVY RAIN IN RECENT DAYS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...
THERE IS A CHANCE THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS ALL OF NORTH TEXAS SATURDAY.
SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE...WITH LARGE HAIL BEING THE MAIN
SEVERE WEATHER THREAT.

THERE WILL BE ANOTHER CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS MONDAY AND AGAIN
THURSDAY.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...
SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED IN SOUTHERN SECTIONS OF NORTH TEXAS
AFTER 6 PM....AND ELSEWHERE IN THE SLIGHT RISK AREA AFTER 11 PM.

07

In the hours before

Local storm report, May 5, 11:43 PM CST, 35 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX
1243 AM CDT SAT MAY 06 2006

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

1241 AM     HAIL             10 SE GATESVILLE        31.34N  97.61W
05/06/2006  E1.75 INCH       CORYELL            TX   TRAINED SPOTTER

            PLUS 50 MPH WIND

Local storm report, May 5, 11:47 PM CST, 31 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX
1247 AM CDT SAT MAY 06 2006

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

1247 AM     TSTM WND GST     WACO                    31.57N  97.18W
05/06/2006  E60 MPH          MCLENNAN           TX   TRAINED SPOTTER

            WEST SIDE OF WACO

Local storm report, May 5, 11:53 PM CST, 25 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX
1253 AM CDT SAT MAY 06 2006

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

1245 AM     TORNADO          WACO                    31.57N  97.18W
05/06/2006                   MCLENNAN           TX   BROADCAST MEDIA

            TORNADO REPORTED AT WACO DRIVE

Local storm report, May 6, 12:03 AM CST, 15 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX
103 AM CDT SAT MAY 06 2006

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

1245 AM     TSTM WND DMG     WACO                    31.57N  97.18W
05/06/2006                   MCLENNAN           TX   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            ROOF BLOWN OUT ONTO PATROL CAR

Local storm report, May 6, 12:05 AM CST, 13 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX
105 AM CDT SAT MAY 06 2006

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

1240 AM     TSTM WND DMG     WACO                    31.57N  97.18W
05/06/2006                   MCLENNAN           TX   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            INTERSTATE 35 AT MILE MARKER 330. TRACTOR TRAILER BLOWN
            OVER.

Local storm report, May 6, 12:07 AM CST, 11 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX
107 AM CDT SAT MAY 06 2006

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

1247 AM     TSTM WND GST     WACO                    31.57N  97.18W
05/06/2006  M87 MPH          MCLENNAN           TX   BROADCAST MEDIA

            AT NEW ROAD AND INTERSTATE 35 BY KXXV-TV

The radar

The Ft Hood radar (KGRK), 115 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 06:19 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

5 flash flood, 5 thunderstorm wind, 1 hail, 1 flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Lampasas

When: May 6, 12:18 AM CST
Where: Lampasas County, 7 mi SW of Lometa
Measured: 4 in hail
Property damage: $20,000
Reported by: AMATEUR RADIO
Coordinates: 31.167, -98.467

Grapefruit-size hail reported in Bend.

Flash Flood, Bell

When: May 6, 12:35 AM CST to 4:30 AM CST
Where: Bell County, 4 mi SE of Killeen
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 31.038, -97.478 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Several streets were flooded and barricaded in Harker Heights, Nolanville, Temple, and Belton with two feet of water over them. Interstate 35 at Troy was closed due to flash flooding.

Thunderstorm Wind, Falls

When: May 6, 12:43 AM CST
Where: Falls County, 5 mi NNE of Marlin
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated sustained
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 31.367, -96.867

Trees down over the northern part of the county.

Flash Flood, Coryell

When: May 6, 1:00 AM CST to 4:00 AM CST
Where: Coryell County, Gatesville
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 31.391, -97.799 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Road closures were reported across the county due to flash flooding.

Thunderstorm Wind, Limestone

When: May 6, 1:14 AM CST
Where: Limestone County, Thornton
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated sustained
Property damage: $30,000
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 31.400, -96.583

Trees were uprooted and a roof was blown off a building. Reported by cooperative observer.

Thunderstorm Wind, Milam

When: May 6, 1:30 AM CST
Where: Milam County, Rockdale
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated sustained
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 30.650, -97.000

Numerous large trees down across county roads.

Flash Flood, Limestone

When: May 6, 1:40 AM CST to 4:00 AM CST
Where: Limestone County, Groesbeck
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 31.546, -96.580 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Several streets were flooded in town.

Flash Flood, Falls

When: May 6, 1:55 AM CST to 5:00 AM CST
Where: Falls County, Marlin
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 31.253, -96.936 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flooding reported on Highway 6.

Thunderstorm Wind, Robertson

When: May 6, 2:00 AM CST
Where: Robertson County, Hearne
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated sustained
Property damage: $3,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 30.883, -96.600

A tree fell on a power line.

Thunderstorm Wind, Milam

When: May 6, 2:00 AM CST
Where: Milam County, Countywide
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated sustained
Property damage: $10,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 30.800, -96.967

Trees and power lines down across the county.

Flash Flood, Milam

When: May 6, 2:00 AM CST to 3:30 AM CST
Where: Milam County, Rockdale
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 30.786, -96.977 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Street flooding was reported at U.S. 79 at Meadow and Childress, on Belton Avenue, and at the intersections of Bowser and Cedar and Murray and Jackson.

Flood, Bell

When: May 6, 10:40 AM CST
Where: Bell forecast zone
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 31.038, -97.478 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A small girl and boy were swept away while trying to cross a bridge over rain-swollen Nolan Creek. They were rescued by a bystander and did not suffer any injuries.

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.
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.
Flood: Flooding that develops more slowly than a flash flood: rivers leaving their banks, or water standing over land for an extended time.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Texas in 2006 Every state in 2006 This day in weather history Warnings in Texas, May 2006

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: 5510903, 5510904, 5510905, 5510906, 5510907, 5510913, 5510908, 5510909, 5510910, 5510911, 5510980, 5510912.