Dry conditions and above normal temperatures across the region left the area susceptible to grass fires during the early part of September. A few grass fires caused damage between the 10th and 15th.
Every event with a place to put it; 7 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. 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.
Dry conditions and above normal temperatures across the region left the area susceptible to grass fires during the early part of September. A few grass fires caused damage between the 10th and 15th. A large grass fire in Montague County burned 5000 acres and another large fire in Coryell County burned 1023 acres.
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 Sep 11, 11:23 AM CST, 1 hour 37 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX 1223 PM CDT SUN SEP 11 2011 .AVIATION... LIGHT WINDS WILL CONTINUE TODAY WITH A COMPONENT RANGING FROM THE WEST TO THE NORTH. WINDS WILL BECOME SOUTHERLY TOMORROW MORNING AND SPEEDS SHOULD REMAIN LIGHT. NO SIGNIFICANT PROBLEMS ARE EXPECTED. 85/NH && .UPDATE... WESTERLY WINDS ACROSS THE SOUTH ARE ALLOWING TEMPERATURES TO WARM UP BETTER THAN HAD BEEN EXPECTED. THUS HAVE BUMPED TEMPERATURES UP A FEW DEGREES THERE. OTHERWISE...NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGES WERE MADE TO THE PREVIOUS FORECAST. UPDATES HAVE BEEN SENT. 58 && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 436 AM CDT SUN SEP 11 2011/ WATER VAPOR IMAGERY INDICATED A SHORTWAVE TROUGH ROTATING SOUTHEAST OVER NORTHEASTERN TX EARLY THIS MORNING. LARGE SCALE FORCING FOR ASCENT ASSOCIATED WITH THIS TROUGH RESULTED IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN EXTENSIVE BANK OF MID LEVEL CLOUDS NORTHEAST OF THE METROPLEX AND SOME MID LEVEL RADAR RETURNS ON REGIONAL RADARS. THE LOW LEVEL AIRMASS REMAINS TOO DRY FOR MUCH IF ANY OF THIS PRECIPITATION TO MAKE IT TO THE GROUND. SFC OBSERVATIONS INDICATE LOWEST CLOUD BASES OF 10 KFT ASSOCIATED WITH THIS ACTIVITY. A SECOND BANK OF CLOUDS REMAINED IN PLACE OVER THE WESTERN THIRD OF THE FORECAST AREA EARLY THIS MORNING. THESE CLOUDS WERE LIKELY THE RESULT OF LIFT ASSOCIATED WITH A WEAK DISTURBANCE MOVING THRU THE FLOW ON THE PERIPHERY OF THE SHORTWAVE TROUGH OVER NORTHEAST TX. THERE IS NO OBVIOUS SIGN OF THIS ON WATER VAPOR IMAGERY...HOWEVER THE JAYTON WIND PROFILER OBSERVED A CYCLONIC WIND SHIFT AT THE H500 LEVEL IN BETWEEN 03 AND 05Z OVERNIGHT WHICH WAS SUBSEQUENTLY FOLLOWED BY AN INCREASE IN MID LEVEL CLOUD COVERAGE AND THE APPEARANCE OF SOME MID LEVEL RADAR RETURNS. ONCE AGAIN...THE ATMOSPHERE APPEARS TO BE TOO DRY FOR ANY MEASURABLE PRECIPITATION TO MAKE IT TO THE SURFACE...HOWEVER THESE TWO AREAS OF LIFT WILL MAKE FOR A CLOUDY START TO THE DAY FOR AREAS WEST AND NORTHEAST OF THE METROPLEX. TODAY THRU TUESDAY...THE SHORTWAVE TROUGH IS EXPECTED TO BE LOCATED DIRECTLY OVER THE NORTHEASTERN COUNTIES OF THE CWA AFTER SUNRISE THIS MORNING. THIS MEANS THAT THE LARGE SCALE FORCING FOR ASCENT ASSOCIATED WITH THE TROUGH WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE EAST OUT OF THE AREA FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE DAY WHICH WILL RESULT IN CLEARING SKIES BY THIS AFTERNOON. ALTHOUGH THE WEAK DISTURBANCE OVER THE WESTERN CWA IS NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO TRACK ON SATELLITE...WOULD THINK THAT THIS FEATURE WILL ALSO MOVE OUT OF THE CWA BY THIS AFTERNOON RESULTING IN SUNNY SKIES AREA WIDE. THE PASSAGE OF THE SHORTWAVE TROUGH IS EXPECTED TO BRING LIGHT LOW LEVEL FLOW BACK AROUND TO THE NORTH FOR THIS AFTERNOON AS IT AIDS IN SENDING A WEAK FRONTAL BOUNDARY SOUTH THRU NORTH TX. THERE IS NEARLY NO CHANGE IN TEMPERATURE ON EITHER SIDE OF THE FRONT AND ONLY A SLIGHT INCREASE IN MOISTURE AS IT MOVES THRU THE AREA. ANY DIFFERENCES IN TEMPERATURE AND MOISTURE ARE EXPECTED TO BE ERASED BY DEEP MIXING THIS AFTERNOON WITH MOSTLY SUNNY SKIES OVER NORTH TX. THE SHORTWAVE TROUGH WILL CONTINUE OFF TO THE EAST TODAY AND BY TONIGHT UPPER LVL RIDGING WILL BEGIN TO BUILD BACK OVER THE SOUTHERN PLAINS. LOW LEVEL WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO COME BACK AROUND TO THE SOUTH BY MONDAY MORNING WHICH WILL ALLOW FOR A RAPID INCREASE IN TEMPERATURES FOR MONDAY AND TUESDAY. A STRONG UPPER TROUGH REMAINS ON TRACK TO MOVE THRU THE NORTHERN PLAINS MONDAY NIGHT AND TUESDAY MORNING...SENDING A COLD FRONT SOUTH TOWARDS NORTH TX DURING THE DAY ON TUESDAY. SURFACE LOW PRESSURE IS EXPECTED TO STRENGTHEN OVER SOUTHWEST OK DURING THE DAY ON TUESDAY WHICH IS EXPECTED TO VEER OUR LOW LEVEL WINDS AROUND TO THE SOUTHWEST BY TUESDAY AFTERNOON. LOW LEVEL SOUTHWESTERLY FLOW WILL RESULT IN THE ADVECTION OF A THERMAL RIDGE OVER NORTH TX TUESDAY AFTERNOON. WHILE GUIDANCE DIFFERS ON JUST HOW HOT IT WILL GET...ALL GUIDANCE NOW SUGGESTS 100 PLUS DEGREE HEAT FOR MOST OF NORTH TX TUESDAY AFTERNOON. THE NAM IS MOST AGGRESSIVE WITH THE HEAT ON TUESDAY WITH 2 METER TEMPS FORECAST TO BE 109 TO 110 DEGREES OVER THE METROPLEX TUESDAY AFTERNOON. WHILE THE NAM SEEMS TO HAVE A BETTER HANDLE ON THE DYNAMICS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS PATTERN COMPARED TO THE GFS...THINK THAT THESE NUMBERS ARE A BIT TOO AGGRESSIVE. AN UPPER LEVEL LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM IS EXPECTED TO REMAIN IN PLACE OVER THE FAR SOUTHWESTERN CONUS THRU TUESDAY. THIS WILL RESULT IN PERSISTENT SOUTHWESTERLY FLOW ALOFT OVER THE SOUTHERN ROCKIES AND SOUTHERN PLAINS. GUIDANCE IS FAIRLY CONSISTENT IN BRINGING PACIFIC TROPICAL MOISTURE NORTHEAST AND OVER THE SOUTHERN PLAINS BY TUESDAY AFTERNOON. WHILE THIS MOISTURE WILL BE RELEGATED TO THE H600 LEVEL OR ABOVE...IT WILL RESULT IN EXTENSIVE MID OR UPPER LEVEL CLOUDINESS OVER MUCH OF THE TX PANHANDLE AND OKLAHOMA BY TUESDAY AFTERNOON. THE ONSET OF THESE UPPER LVL CLOUDS IS EXPECTED TO LIMIT HIGHS BY A FEW DEGREES ON TUESDAY. EVEN WITH CLOUDS BUILDING SOUTH ON TUESDAY...CONFIDENCE IS HIGH THAT MOST AREAS WILL EASILY ECLIPSE 100 DEGREES TUESDAY AFTERNOON WHICH WILL TIE THE DFW RECORD FOR MOST TRIPLE DIGIT DAYS IN A YEAR. EXTENDED...THE COLD FRONT SINKING SOUTH ON TUESDAY IS EXPECTED TO STALL OUT NEAR THE RED RIVER TUESDAY EVENING. THIS WILL LIKELY RESULT IN ANOTHER HOT DAY ACROSS NORTH TX FOR WEDNESDAY AS IT WILL TAKE A COUPLE OF DAYS OF SOUTHERLY FLOW TO COOL THE STRONG THERMAL RIDGE IN PLACE OVER THE CWA. ASSUMING THE FRONT REMAINS NORTH OF THE CWA...THERE IS NO OBVIOUS FORCING FOR ASCENT THAT WILL BRING US PRECIPITATION...SO WILL MAINTAIN A DRY FORECAST AT THIS TIME. TEMPERATURES WILL COOL OFF FOR THE END OF THE WEEK AS PERSISTENT SOUTHERLY FLOW BRINGS H850 TEMPERATURES BACK DOWN TO THE 18 TO 20 DEG C RANGE AND MID AND UPPER LEVEL CLOUDS CONTINUE TO STREAM OVER THE SOUTHERN ROCKIES. PRECIPITATION CHANCES CONTINUE TO LOOK SMALL WITH WEAK RIDGING HOLDING IN PLACE OVER NORTH TX THRU THE END OF THE WEEK. BY NEXT WEEKEND NEARLY ZONAL FLOW SETS UP OVER THE SOUTHERN PLAINS WHICH MAY ALLOW FOR SOME UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCES TO TRANSLATE OVER THE CWA. ZONAL FLOW WILL RESULT IN PERSISTENT SOUTHERLY FLOW OVER NORTH TX WHICH SHOULD RESULT IN DEEPER MOISTURE FOR NEXT WEEKEND AS WELL. WITH BETTER MOISTURE AND THE LACK OF A STRONG RIDGE IN PLACE...PRECIPITATION CHANCES LOOK BETTER AS WE HEAD INTO NEXT WEEKEND AND BEYOND...HOWEVER THERE ARE NO OBVIOUS STRONG FORCING MECHANISMS THAT WILL AFFECT THE AREA NEXT WEEKEND. WITHOUT ANYTHING OBVIOUS TO PROVIDE LIFT OVER NORTH TX...WILL MAINTAIN A DRY FORECAST AT THIS TIME. CAVANAUGH && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... DALLAS-FT. WORTH, TX 95 68 99 73 102 / 0 0 0 0 0 WACO, TX 103 63 101 70 103 / 0 0 0 0 0 PARIS, TX 94 62 96 66 99 / 0 0 0 0 0 DENTON, TX 94 62 98 68 100 / 0 0 0 0 0 MCKINNEY, TX 95 60 99 67 102 / 0 0 0 0 0 DALLAS, TX 96 68 100 74 102 / 0 0 0 0 0 TERRELL, TX 96 63 100 68 102 / 0 0 0 0 0 CORSICANA, TX 100 64 100 69 103 / 0 0 0 0 0 TEMPLE, TX 103 65 101 70 102 / 0 0 0 0 0 MINERAL WELLS, TX 97 62 100 67 102 / 0 0 0 0 0 && .FWD WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && 85/85
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX 355 AM CDT SUN SEP 11 2011 TXZ091>095-100>107-115>123-129>135-141>148-156>162-174-175-121200- 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- 355 AM CDT SUN SEP 11 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTH TEXAS. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. THERE WILL BE A HIGH GRASS FIRE DANGER ACROSS ALL OF NORTH TEXAS TODAY WITH AFTERNOON HUMIDITY DROPPING TO BETWEEN 13 AND 18 PERCENT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY. HIGH FIRE DANGER WILL CONTINUE ACROSS ALL OF NORTH TEXAS THROUGH NEXT WEEK WITH LOW AFTERNOON HUMIDITY AND WARMING TEMPERATURES EXPECTED. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. DUNN
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
7 wildfire. Local standard time, as filed.
A 15-acre fire near SH 31 and Highway 175 in Athens moderately damaged 2 unoccupied mobile homes and also caused minor damage to two other occupied mobile homes.
The Manton Fire began in southern Clay County 3 miles south of Bellevue but spread northeast into Montague County. The fire jumped FM 174 west of Bowie then moved over Highway 287 northwest of Bowie. Highway 287 was closed for some time. About 5000 acres burned in this fire.
The Ike Road Fire burned 200 acres near Ike Road and FM 879, east of Waxahachie. The fire was started by mowing equipment and burned a travel trailer, a truck, and a boat.
The Texas DEM reported a 2-acre grass fire in the county destroyed a mobile home.
The Union Grove Fire was located near Stillhouse Hollow Lake along CR 2484 by Union Grove Park. The fire started when a transformer exploded causing a power line to drop. The fire threatened the South Shores, River's Bend and Woods of Salado developments, and burned 500 acres.
The Texas DEM reported a 25-acre grass fire along FM 219 near Hico destroyed 5 outbuildings and damaged a garage and a house.
The Ireland Fire burned 1023 acres. The fire began near CR 102 and FM 932 and threatened the community of Ireland. One abandoned home was destroyed.
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, September 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: 348906, 348912, 348806, 348987, 348804, 348989, 348990.