Lightning struck a house in the Sand Flat area in Van Zandt County causing minor damage.
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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.
Lightning struck a house in the Sand Flat area in Van Zandt County causing minor damage.
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 Dec 4, 11:26 PM CST, 4 hours 4 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX 1126 PM CST SUN DEC 4 2011 .AVIATION... SOME SLIGHTLY DRIER AIR HAS WORKED INTO THE AREA WITH THE REINFORCING COLD FRONT AND CIGS HAVE IMPROVED TO VFR IN MANY LOCATIONS. THERE IS ALSO A TEMPORARY BREAK IN THE RAIN...BUT NEXT BATCH OF RAIN WILL MOVE IN AROUND 8 OR 9Z. FORCING AHEAD OF THE SHORTWAVE LOOKS STRONG AND THERE MAY BE ENOUGH INSTABILITY TO WARRANT THE INCLUSION OF VCTS FROM ABOUT 8 TO 11Z. RAIN WILL HELP SATURATE LOW LEVELS WITH CIGS FALLING BACK TO NEAR 010...AND CANT RULE OUT A BRIEF PERIOD OF IFR AROUND SUNRISE EITHER. RAIN SHOULD END BY 15Z WITH CIGS RISING TO MVFR...AND TO VFR BY MID-LATE AFTERNOON. LOW VFR CIGS WITH DRY NORTH WINDS SHOULD PREVAIL MONDAY EVENING. WINTER PRECIP POTENTIAL...STILL HAVE HIGH CONFIDENCE THAT TEMPS WILL REMAIN ABOVE FREEZING AT THE METROPLEX AIRPORTS. IT IS POSSIBLE SOME SLEET...OR TECHNICALLY SMALL HAIL...MAY FALL FROM ANY OF THUNDERSTORMS THAT WILL BE IN THE METROPLEX BETWEEN 9Z- 11Z...AND CAN NOT RULE OUT SOME SNOW FLURRIES AROUND OR JUST AFTER SUNRISE. AGAIN...ANY OF THIS PRECIP WOULD OCCUR WITH TEMPS ABOVE FREEZING AND MELT ON CONTACT. PUTTING THIS PRECIP IN TAF WOULD GIVE A FALSE IMPRESSION OF A HIGHER IMPACT EVENT THAN EXPECTED. WILL CONTINUE TO CLOSELY MONITOR TRENDS THROUGH THE NEXT FEW HOURS. TR.92 && .UPDATE... THE NEXT 15 HOURS WILL BE INTERESTING ACROSS OUR NORTHWESTERN ZONES. LATEST WATER VAPOR IMAGERY SHOWS A VERY STRONG SHORTWAVE TROUGH ENTERING WEST TEXAS. THIS SHORTWAVE HAS VERY STRONG LIFT ASSOCIATED WITH IT...AS EVIDENT BY LIGHTNING STRIKES WITH ACTIVITY IN WEST TEXAS. THIS TROUGH IS EXPECTED TO MOVE NORTHEAST THOUGH THE OVERNIGHT AREAS...OVERSPREADING DEEP LIFT ACROSS NORTH TEXAS BRINGING MORE PRECIPITATION TO THE REGION. PREVIOUS SHORT-TERM MODELS HAVE HAD A HARD TIME INITIALIZING THE TROUGH AND THUS HAS HAD SUBSEQUENT PROBLEMS WITH ITS MODEL PROGS. THE 00Z MODELS HAVE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF INGESTING 00Z UPPER AIR DATA AND HAVE DIFFERENT SOLUTIONS WHICH SEEM MORE REALISTIC LOOKING AT CURRENT DATA. THE NAM/HRRR SEEM TO HAVE INITIALIZED THE SYSTEM WELL AND DEVELOP A SWATH OF PRECIP ACROSS THE CWA WITH TWO MAIN BANDS IN THE SOUTHEASTERN AND NORTHWESTERN ZONES ASSOCIATED WITH SEPARATE FRONTOGENESIS MAXIMA. THE STRONG LIFT ASSOCIATED WITH THE NORTHWESTERN BAND WILL MOST LIKELY LEAD TO DYNAMIC COOLING OF THE VERTICAL COLUMN SUFFICIENT FOR SNOW REACHING THE SURFACE. THIS IS MOST LIKELY TO OCCUR WEST OF A GAINESVILLE TO MINERAL WELLS TO EASTLAND LINE. THE HEAVIER ACCUMULATIONS ARE LIKELY TO OCCUR IN STEPHENS AND YOUNG COUNTY...AS SNOW IS EXPECTED TO FALL FOR A LONGER PERIOD OF TIME. GIVEN THE STRONG LIFT IN PLACE AND HIGH MIXING RATIOS...A SNOW BAND AIDED BY FRONTOGENTICAL LIFTING COULD PRODUCE SNOWFALL RATES UP TO AN INCH PER HOUR AND WILL FORECAST 1-2 INCHES OF TOTAL SNOW FOR YOUNG/STEPHENS COUNTY. ROADS SHOULD BE PASSABLE GIVEN TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED TO REMAIN AT OR ABOVE FREEZING. WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR TRENDS...AND MAY HAVE TO ISSUE AN ADVISORY IF CONDITIONS LOOK TO BE WORSE THAN EXPECTED. LIFT AND MOISTURE ARE EXPECTED TO QUICKLY MOVE EAST AFTER 12Z SHUTTING OFF PRECIP FROM WEST TO EAST MONDAY MORNING. THINK LOCATIONS FURTHER TO THE EAST SHOULD STAY ALL RAIN...AS DIURNAL WARMING TAKES PLACE AFTER 12Z BUT THERE MAY BE A FEW FLURRIES AS FAR EAST AS I-35 IN THE 8-10AM TIME FRAME AS THE PRECIP IS ENDING. 85/NH && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 244 PM CST SUN DEC 4 2011/ WIDESPREAD LIGHT TO MODERATE RAIN WITH EMBEDDED THUNDER ARE CONTINUING THIS AFTERNOON SOUTHEAST OF A CISCO...TO DECATUR...TO GAINESVILLE LINE. MAIN DRIVING FORCE HAS BEEN WARM ADVECTION/ ISENTROPIC LIFT OVER A SHALLOW FRONTAL INVERSION CURRENTLY OVER NORTH TEXAS. WILL CONTINUE THE HIGH RAIN CHANCES ACROSS THE MAJORITY OF NORTH TEXAS TONIGHT AS THE NEXT STRONG SHORTWAVE BEGINS TO APPROACH NORTH TEXAS. MODERATE RAIN IS OCCURRING ACROSS THE EASTERN COUNTIES AND 1 TO 2 INCHES..WITH LOCALIZED AMOUNTS ACROSS NORTHEAST COUNTIES POSSIBLY NEARING 3 INCHES...IS EXPECTED THROUGH MONDAY MORNING. THE 850MB FRONT IS CURRENTLY SITUATED FROM NEAR LUBBOCK TO OKLAHOMA CITY THIS AFTERNOON AND SHOULD PROGRESS SOUTHWARD..REACHING OUR NORTHWEST COUNTIES BY DAYBREAK MONDAY MORNING PER THE WRF AND HRRR MODELS. MODEL FORECAST SOUNDINGS FOR THIS AREA HAVE SATURATION AT/ ABOVE 800MB WITH THE THERMAL PROFILE STRADDLING THE 0 DEG C ISOTHERM THROUGH THE MORNING HOURS MONDAY. BOTH MODELS SHOW SOME DRY POCKETS ...PARTICULARLY BELOW 850MB WHICH SHOULD KEEP ANY PRECIPITATION VERY LIGHT WITH A VERY LIGHT RAIN/SNOW MIX POSSIBLE. THE SHORTWAVE DISTURBANCE PASSES EAST OF NORTH TEXAS MONDAY AFTERNOON WITH SUBSIDENCE AND ISENTROPIC DOWNGLIDE IN ITS WAKE. THIS PROCESS WILL RAPIDLY SHUT OFF MOST PRECIPITATION FROM WEST TO EAST THROUGH MON EVENING WITH BRISK AND COLD CONDITIONS CONTINUING THROUGH THE NIGHT TUESDAY. WITH THE POSITIVELY TILTED UPPER TROUGH TO OUR WEST...PLENTY OF MID-HIGH CLOUDINESS SHOULD REMAIN MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY MORNING. THE COMBINATION OF MOSTLY CLOUDY SKIES AND CONTINUED CAA IN THE LOWER LEVELS WILL MAINTAIN A COLD START TO THE FIRST HALF OF THE WEEK. STUBBORN UPPER LOW WILL OPEN AND LIFT OUT TUES NIGHT AND WEDNESDAY MORNING...AS STRONG JET STREAK ROUNDS ITS BASE. MODELS SHOW SOME ELEVATED LIFT AND SHALLOW SATURATED LAYER ACROSS THE NORTHERN HALF OF NORTH TEXAS AS THE UPPER TROUGH LIFTS OUT. IT APPEARS A FEW FLURRIES COULD OCCUR CLOSER TO THE RED RIVER...BUT WILL LEAVE OUT FOR NOW UNTIL MOISTURE PROFILES ARE BETTER RESOLVED. IN WAKE OF OUR UPPER TROUGH...BRIEF MID LEVEL HEIGHT RISES OCCUR LATER WEDNESDAY INTO THURSDAY ALLOWING FOR A MOSTLY CLEAR FORECAST. CHILLY NIGHTS AND COOL DAYS WILL BE THE RULE LATE WEEK. ANOTHER REINFORCING COLD FRONT ARRIVES BY FRIDAY AND WILL KEEP THE AREA COOL INTO NEXT WEEKEND...AS ZONAL FLOW ALOFT PREVAILS. 05/42 && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... DALLAS-FT. WORTH, TX 36 42 32 40 28 / 100 60 10 10 10 WACO, TX 40 44 32 42 28 / 100 60 10 10 10 PARIS, TX 37 43 34 44 28 / 100 80 20 10 10 DENTON, TX 35 41 29 40 25 / 80 60 10 10 10 MCKINNEY, TX 36 42 31 42 26 / 100 60 10 10 10 DALLAS, TX 37 43 33 42 27 / 100 60 10 10 10 TERRELL, TX 38 43 31 43 28 / 100 80 10 10 10 CORSICANA, TX 39 44 35 44 30 / 100 70 10 10 10 TEMPLE, TX 39 43 32 43 28 / 100 60 10 10 10 MINERAL WELLS, TX 32 41 25 41 24 / 80 50 10 10 10 && .FWD WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX 909 PM CST SUN DEC 4 2011 TXZ091>095-100>107-115>123-129>135-141>148-156>162-174-175-060315- 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- 909 PM CST SUN DEC 4 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTH TEXAS. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE ACROSS ALL NORTH TEXAS. HOWEVER... SEVERE WEATHER IS NOT EXPECTED. A MIX OF RAIN AND SNOW IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP NORTHWEST OF AN EASTLAND TO GAINESVILLE LINE LATE TONIGHT AND MAY CHANGE OVER TO ALL SNOW BY DAYBREAK. 1 TO 2 INCHES OF SNOW ACCUMULATION ON GRASS AND ELEVATED SURFACES MAY OCCUR. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY. THERE IS A CHANCE OF SNOW NORTHWEST OF AN EASTLAND TO GAINESVILLE LINE MONDAY MORNING. ACCUMULATIONS ARE EXPECTED TO BE LESS THAN AN INCH...MAINLY ON GRASS AND ELEVATED SURFACES. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX
309 AM CST MON DEC 5 2011
TXZ135-148-050945-
HENDERSON TX-ANDERSON TX-
309 AM CST MON DEC 5 2011
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR...
NORTHWESTERN ANDERSON COUNTY
HENDERSON COUNTY
AT 309 AM CST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS DETECTED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM 17 MILES NORTH OF FAIRFIELD...MOVING NORTHEAST AT
60 MPH.
CITIES IN THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE ATHENS...BERRYVILLE...
BROWNSBORO...CANEY CITY...CHANDLER...COFFEE CITY...EUSTACE...
FRANKSTON AND MALAKOFF.
PENNY-SIZED HAIL AND WIND GUSTS TO 40 MPH CAN BE EXPECTED FROM THIS
STORM.
LAT...LON 3185 9598 3188 9597 3187 9602 3190 9602
3191 9600 3195 9603 3195 9605 3236 9607
3236 9545 3228 9544 3223 9548 3221 9546
3215 9547 3209 9543 3201 9542
TIME...MOT...LOC 0909Z 227DEG 60KT 3200 9601The Dallas/Ft Worth radar (KFWS), 157 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 09:30 UTC.
1 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.
Lightning struck a house on County Road 1522 near FM 857. Only one bedroom in the home sustained minor smoke damage thanks to a quick response from the local fire department.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Texas in 2011Every state in 2011This day in weather historyWarnings in Texas, December 2011
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: 353790.