A split in the upper levels of the atmosphere steered several southern stream impulses into north Texas, producing flash flooding, strong winds, and a few tornadoes. The most impressive of these events was a derecho which moved through North Texas on May 2.
Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.
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 episode as NWS FWD wrote it up.
A split in the upper levels of the atmosphere steered several southern stream impulses into north Texas, producing flash flooding, strong winds, and a few tornadoes. The most impressive of these events was a derecho which moved through North Texas on May 2. It produced winds in excess of 85 MPH.
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 1, 5:50 AM CST, 40 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX 650 AM CDT TUE MAY 1 2007 .AVIATION... 12Z TAF ISSUANCE. DIFFICULT TAF FORECAST WHEN TRYING TO PINPOINT TIMEFRAMES FOR CONVECTION DURING THE NEXT 12-18 HOURS. WACO WILL HAVE THE WORST CONDITIONS THROUGH 15Z...WITH PERHAPS A BREAK BEFORE THINGS REGENERATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. THE METRO SITES WILL CONTEND WITH SHOWERS THROUGH 15Z...BUT ACTIVITY NEAR ABILENE WILL LIKELY BE ARRIVING SOMETIME AFTER 14-15Z. HAVE BROUGHT THE VCTS INTO METRO SITES THEN WITH A TEMPO FOR SOME REDUCED VSBYS IN TSRA. KEPT MVFR CIGS THROUGH THE MORNING HOURS...BUT LIFTED CIGS BY THIS AFTERNOON. LOW CONFIDENCE BEYOND 18Z...BUT GENERALLY TRIED TO SHOW CONVECTION CHANCES IN THE AFTERNOON...WITH IMPROVEMENT THIS EVENING AS AXIS OF LIFT SHIFTS EAST. BROUGHT BACK SOME MVFR CIGS BY LATE TONIGHT. TR.92 && .DISCUSSION... A PRONOUNCED SPLIT FLOW IN THE MIDDLE LEVELS OF THE ATMOSPHERE CONTINUES ACROSS SOUTHERN PORTIONS OF ARIZONA AND NEW MEXICO. THE STRONGEST PART OF THE SPLIT (WIND WISE) IS THE NORTHERN AIR STREAM...MOVING ACROSS THE NORTHERN PLAINS. HOWEVER...THE SOUTHERN FETCH CONTINUES TO BE EXTREMELY ADEPT AT PRODUCING ONE SLOW MOVING UPPER LOW PRESSURE CENTER AFTER ANOTHER...WITH THE LOWS CONSISTENTLY MOVING ACROSS NORTH TEXAS. THIS HAS RESULTED IN VERY WET WEATHER...WITH OCCASIONAL EPISODES OF FLASH FLOODING AND SOME SEVERE WEATHER. ONE OF THESE MIDDLE/UPPER LEVEL LOWS WILL MOVE OUT OF NORTH TEXAS TODAY...AS ANOTHER MOVE ONSHORE INTO EXTREME SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA AND BAJA CALIFORNIA. ADDITIONAL SHOWERS/THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TODAY WITH THE EXITING LOW...WHICH WILL UTILIZE LOW LEVEL GULF MOISTURE... SYNOPTIC SCALE LIFT...AND RESIDUAL BOUNDARIES TO SET OFF ADDITIONAL RAINFALL. A FEW STORMS COULD PRODUCE HAIL AND HIGH WINDS...AS PER THE SPC SLIGHT RISK OUTPUT. HOWEVER...EXTENSIVE COOL AIR OUTFLOW COULD PUT A CAP ON WIDESPREAD SEVERE CONVECTION. WE LIKELY WILL START ALL OVER WITH FRESH CONVECTIVE STORMS LATE IN THE WORK WEEK...AS THE SECOND UPPER LOW MOVES EASTWARD INTO NORTH TEXAS. WE HAVE KEPT RAIN CHANCES HIGH OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS...WITH LOWER POPS FURTHER INTO THE WEEK...AS UNCERTAINTIES IN DAY-TO-DAY PRECIPITATION PATTERNS ARISE. RAIN CHANCES WILL DIMINISH FRIDAY AND SATURDAY THEN REAPPEAR NEXT WEEK...AS THE SPLIT FLOW RESUMES...AND ANOTHER UPPER LOW APPROACHES. WE HAVE RAISED THE POPS OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS...AND MADE MINOR CHANGES TO MOS TEMPERATURES. #26 && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... DALLAS-FT. WORTH, TX 77 63 80 65 77 / 80 60 40 40 40 WACO, TX 79 65 83 68 80 / 80 60 40 40 40 PARIS, TX 73 63 76 64 76 / 80 70 60 50 40 DENTON, TX 78 64 80 65 78 / 80 60 40 40 40 MCKINNEY, TX 76 63 78 63 78 / 80 60 60 40 40 DALLAS, TX 78 64 83 66 80 / 80 60 40 40 40 TERRELL, TX 77 64 80 66 79 / 80 70 40 40 40 CORSICANA, TX 77 66 80 66 79 / 80 60 40 40 50 TEMPLE, TX 82 66 82 67 79 / 80 50 30 30 40 && .FWD WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES: TXZ092>095-102>107-117>123-131>135-143>148-156>162-174-175. && 92/26
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX 500 AM CDT TUE MAY 1 2007 TXZ091>095-100>107-115>123-129>135-141>148-156>162-174-175-012100- MONTAGUE-COOKE-GRAYSON-FANNIN-LAMAR-YOUNG-JACK-WISE-DENTON-COLLIN- HUNT-DELTA-HOPKINS-STEPHENS-PALO PINTO-PARKER-TARRANT-DALLAS- ROCKWALL-KAUFMAN-VAN ZANDT-RAINS-EASTLAND-ERATH-HOOD-SOMERVELL- JOHNSON-ELLIS-HENDERSON-COMANCHE-MILLS-HAMILTON-BOSQUE-HILL- NAVARRO-FREESTONE-ANDERSON-LAMPASAS-CORYELL-BELL-MCLENNAN-FALLS- LIMESTONE-LEON-MILAM-ROBERTSON- 500 AM CDT TUE MAY 1 2007 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTH TEXAS. .DAY ONE... A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT TODAY ALONG AND EAST OF A GAINESVILLE...BRIDGEPORT...HAMILTON...LAMPASAS LINE. THUNDERSTORMS ARE LIKELY ACROSS NORTH TEXAS THROUGH TONIGHT AS A SLOW MOVING UPPER LEVEL STORM SYSTEM TRACKS ACROSS OKLAHOMA. THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING HEAVY RAINFALL WHICH MAY CAUSE FLOODING OF LOW LYING AND FLOOD PRONE AREAS. OTHERWISE...SOME THUNDERSTORMS MAY BECOME SEVERE WITH DAMAGING WINDS AND HAIL TO THE SIZE OF QUARTERS POSSIBLE. THE SEVERE THREAT IS GREATEST ALONG AND TO THE SOUTH OF THE INTERSTATE 20 CORRIDOR. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN... THE CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE INTO FRIDAY MORNING. ALTHOUGH WIDESPREAD SEVERE WEATHER IS NOT ANTICIPATED...ATMOSPHERIC CONDITIONS WILL BE FAVORABLE FOR SOME STORMS TO BRIEFLY REACH SEVERE LEVELS WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY. LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL WILL CONTINUE TO REMAIN A HAZARD WITH ANY SLOW MOVING THUNDERSTORMS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS POSSIBLE TODAY...ESPECIALLY TO THE SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 20. 92
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX 335 AM CDT TUE MAY 1 2007 TXZ143-010900- HAMILTON TX- 335 AM CDT TUE MAY 1 2007 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR... CENTRAL HAMILTON COUNTY AT 335 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS DETECTED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 11 MILES WEST OF HAMILTON...MOVING EAST AT 20 MPH. CITIES IN THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE HAMILTON. FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING...VERY HEAVY RAINFALL...PEA-SIZED HAIL...AND WIND GUSTS TO 50 MPH CAN BE EXPECTED FROM THIS STORM. HEAVY RAINFALL MAY RESULT IN FLOODING OF LOW LYING AREAS SUCH AS DITCHES AND UNDERPASSES. AVOID THESE AREAS AND DO NOT CROSS FLOODED ROADS. IF THIS STORM CONTINUES TO INTENSIFY...SEVERE WEATHER WARNINGS MAY BE NEEDED. STAY TUNED TO THE LATEST WEATHER INFORMATION IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF THIS STORM. LAT...LON 3182 9836 3165 9838 3158 9794 3181 9791 92
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX 418 AM CDT TUE MAY 1 2007 TXZ142-156-010945- MILLS TX-LAMPASAS TX- 418 AM CDT TUE MAY 1 2007 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR... LAMPASAS COUNTY EASTERN MILLS COUNTY AT 418 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS DETECTED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 6 MILES SOUTHWEST OF GOLDTHWAITE...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 35 MPH. CITIES IN THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE LOMETA AND LAMPASAS. FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING...VERY HEAVY RAINFALL...PEA-SIZED HAIL...AND WIND GUSTS TO 50 MPH CAN BE EXPECTED FROM THIS STORM. HEAVY RAINFALL MAY RESULT IN FLOODING OF LOW LYING AREAS SUCH AS DITCHES AND UNDERPASSES. AVOID THESE AREAS AND DO NOT CROSS FLOODED ROADS. IF THIS STORM INTENSIFIES...A SEVERE WEATHER WARNING MAY BE NEEDED FOR LAMPASAS COUNTY. LAT...LON 3165 9848 3131 9865 3102 9841 3106 9790 92
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX 507 AM CDT TUE MAY 1 2007 TXZ157-011030- CORYELL TX- 507 AM CDT TUE MAY 1 2007 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR... CENTRAL CORYELL COUNTY AT 507 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS DETECTED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 16 MILES NORTHWEST OF COPPERAS COVE...MOVING EAST AT 40 MPH. CITIES IN THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE FORT GATES AND GATESVILLE. FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING...VERY HEAVY RAINFALL...PEA-SIZED HAIL...AND WIND GUSTS TO 50 MPH CAN BE EXPECTED FROM THIS STORM. HEAVY RAINFALL MAY RESULT IN FLOODING OF LOW LYING AREAS SUCH AS DITCHES AND UNDERPASSES. AVOID THESE AREAS AND DO NOT CROSS FLOODED ROADS. IF THIS STORM INTENSIFIES...A SEVERE WEATHER WARNING MAY BE NEEDED FOR CORYELL COUNTY. STAY TUNED TO YOUR FAVORITE WEATHER SOURCE FOR THE LATEST INFORMATION. LAT...LON 3148 9817 3124 9799 3125 9755 3158 9758 92
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX 543 AM CDT TUE MAY 1 2007 TXZ142-011115- MILLS TX- 543 AM CDT TUE MAY 1 2007 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR... CENTRAL MILLS COUNTY AT 543 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS DETECTED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 17 MILES NORTH OF SAN SABA...MOVING EAST AT 50 MPH. CITIES IN THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE GOLDTHWAITE. FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING...VERY HEAVY RAINFALL...PEA-SIZED HAIL...AND WIND GUSTS TO 50 MPH CAN BE EXPECTED FROM THIS STORM. HEAVY RAINFALL MAY RESULT IN FLOODING OF LOW LYING AREAS SUCH AS DITCHES AND UNDERPASSES. AVOID THESE AREAS AND DO NOT CROSS FLOODED ROADS AS THEY MAY BE WASHED OUT. IF THIS STORM INTENSIFIES...A SEVERE WEATHER WARNING MAY BE NEEDED. LAT...LON 3154 9877 3137 9881 3133 9846 3157 9837 92
The Dallas/Ft Worth radar (KFWS), 123 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 12:29 UTC.
53 thunderstorm wind, 12 flash flood, 12 hail, 6 lightning, 2 tornado, 1 heavy rain. Local standard time, as filed.
A pick-up truck was stranded at a low-water crossing and had to be retrieved by the fire department.
Lightning knocked out power to the county's dispatch center, forcing employees to move to another building.
Several roads were flooded.
Flooding reported in town and along Highways 6 and 485.
Two people were struck by lightning while fishing at the edge of a pond. One was killed and the other injured.
Several houses flooded in town.
Damage to several small structures in Dew and Teague.
FM 486 at Mustang Creek closed for high water.
Numerous roads were flooded including FM 913 in Selden.
Large tree limbs blown down.
Relayed by Comanche County Sheriff.
Relayed by Comanche County Sheriff.
A number of barns and sheds had roofs ripped off in the Edna Hill area.
Numerous trees down across the county; two trailers were damaged with one person trapped inside.
Spotter and law enforcement reported a brief tornado over Cleburne. No damage reported.
Dozens of downed trees over northern Bosque county. Twenty-two structures sustained some type of wind damage, with four of those being mobile homes.
Hundreds of trees were damaged or blown down across Northern Hill county. Windows were blown out on the west side of a school in Blum and temporary repair structures on a field house were blown away at Itasca High School. Two truck rigs were blown over on Interstate 35W.
Large tree limbs down...spotter estimated winds more than 80 MPH.
A theater sign and several large tree limbs were blown down.
A car was swept into a creek near CR 370 off of FM 1702 near the Hazeldell community. An 82-year-old man was rescued. A female occupant in the vehicle drowned. Also, in Proctor, a woman drove a truck into a flooded creek at Old Fleming Road at the Proctor cut off. She was rescued by two citizens who broke the back window of the truck out. She suffered minor injuries from broken glass and some bruises.
Six air conditioning units were blown from the roof of an elementary school, causing extensive damage to gas and electrical lines as well as the roof itself. At a nearby high school, a tree was blown down and several windows were blown out. Sheet metal was also blown loose. A roof was blown off of an apartment building, and a sign was bent at a nearby auto dealership. A few manufactured homes northeast of town lost roofs, walls, shingles, and suffered water damage.
Trees downed.
Trees blown down near the hospital.
Three doors and a roof blown down over an outdoor pool.
Numerous trees and power lines downed. Power outages occurred at about 300,000 homes and businesses in the metroplex. Two construction trailers were overturned in Mansfield, and a flagpole at a model home was bent at a 45-degree angle. One roof was ripped off a commercial business. There were numerous reports of fences and minor roof damage.
One person was struck and killed by lightning at Tradinghouse Creek Reservoir in Hallsburg while walking to her car after a boating trip.
Several large limbs blown down and minor roof damage to buildings near Grandview.
Power lines were downed by large tree branches.
Roof and structural damage to metal roofing; mailboxes blown over.
Several large trees blown down and minor roof damage to several buildings in the eastern half of the county.
Young trees bent to ground.
Seventeen electrical towers were knocked down. Numerous power lines and poles were also knocked down. About 30,000 homes lost power. A gas pump fell on top of the passenger cab of a truck. The man inside was not injured.
Lightning struck and burned a house still under construction. The loss was valued at $220,000.
Measured at Arlington Airport. Two small planes overturned.
Measured by a weather station owned by Lockheed Martin. Large limbs blown down.
Large limbs down in Bedford.
Flooding reported along East Broad Street between Highways 287 and 360.
Numerous fences blown down, as well as roof and window damage reported in South Grand Prairie.
Large limbs down in Grapevine.
Numerous trees and power lines downed. Power out to about 300,000 houses and businesses in the metroplex. Plymouth House Apartments in Oak Cliff suffered major roof damage, with a large portion of the roof thrown across the road. About 60 to 70 residents were displaced. In addition to wind damage, the units also suffered water damage. In Grand Prairie, the roof of a 20,000 square foot warehouse was torn off, damaging the walls and the fuse box. An overhead sign was ripped down on Interstate 20.
Lightning struck runway 18R and left a 2-inch hole in the pavement, shutting down the airport for over an hour.
Numerous roads underwater. Two cars were stranded in high water and rescues were required.
Large limbs blown down and power flashes reported just northwest of Addison Airport.
Measured at Dallas Executive Airport.
Parking lots were flooded and a creek was out of its banks near the intersection of Highways 121 and 360. Also, water 8-10 inches deep on Interstate 30 near Hulen Mall in Fort Worth. Multiple vehicles were stalled in high water, and officials estimate about 50 people had to be rescued. Less than ten homes received water damage. In Arlington, three schools were flooded.
Large tree limbs blown down.
Large trees blown down.
Dozens of trees blown down countywide.
Two construction trailers were rolled over and damage to roofs was reported in Mansfield. Trees were also blown down.
Large tree limbs blown down.
Trees downed.
Large tree limbs downed in West McDermott and Allen.
Large tree limbs downed with minor roof damage reported.
Sixty mph winds estimated by spotter.
Dozens of trees and power lines were blown down. Some of the trees fell across major roads and had to be removed by the city. A few residents on FM 1182 sustained significant damage to barns and carports, including roof loss.
Numerous trees, large tree limbs, and power poles were downed. A tree fell on a carport on FM 36 near Caddo Mills. Another roof collapsed near the vicinity of Polk and Pickett Streets in Greenville. In Celeste, a tree fell on the covered parking at a church.
Numerous trees and power lines downed.
Over a dozen trees blown down across central Henderson county. Several trees were blocking roads and had to be removed. One truck and one SUV were damaged by the falling trees.
Trees were blown down and power outages were reported. Also, dozens of neighborhood fences were destroyed.
Neighborhood streets were flooded, and at least one car was stranded. The Collin County Health Department was flooded as well, damaging the computer system.
Large tree limbs down.
Heavy rain caused a bridge on CR 326 and a culvert on CR 354 to wash out.
Dozens of trees, large tree limbs, power poles, and power lines were downed across the western half of the county. The roof of a barn was blown off onto State Highway 11, and a tree fell on a house on Cranford Street.
Numerous large trees were uprooted, and large limbs pulled down power lines. Several business signs in town were knocked over and the ceiling of a drive-thru bank was damaged. The damage to the ceiling was estimated at $15,000. Falling trees damaged houses and vehicles, and windows were blown out of one business.
Penny size hail was reported.
Lightning struck utility poles which then fell across a house. The house was almost completely destroyed by the fire.
Golfball to baseball-size hail reported near Moss Lake.
Brief touchdown just north of Lindsay. No damage reported.
Two to three feet of rushing water across city streets in Gainesville resulted in several stalled vehicles and high water rescues.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lightning, Milam | 2007-05-01 | 23 | Male | Outside/Open Areas | Direct |
| Flash Flood, Comanche | 2007-05-02 | 80 | Female | Vehicle/Towed Trailer | Direct |
| Lightning, McLennan | 2007-05-02 | 28 | Female | Outside/Open Areas | Direct |
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Texas in 2007Every state in 2007This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Texas, 2007Warnings in Texas, May 2007
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: 34013, 33741, 33739, 31305, 31308, 31309, 31306, 31310, 31307, 33740, 31311, 31313, 31314, 33730, 33172, 31312, 31320, 31318, 33732, 33159, 31316, 31319, 31317, 31321, 33111, 34041, 34056, 31323, 31322, 33086, 31324, 31742, 31738, 31739, 34095, 31329, 31762, 31741, 33093, 34096, and more.