A mesoscale convective system moved through the north Texas region during the overnight and early morning hours on the 23rd.
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 mesoscale convective system moved through the north Texas region during the overnight and early morning hours on the 23rd.
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 Mar 23, 3:16 AM CST, 2 hours 24 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX 416 AM CDT SAT MAR 23 2013 .DISCUSSION... SHORT TERM FORECAST CONCERNS...FOR A DETAILED DISCUSSION REGARDING THUNDERSTORMS THIS MORNING ACROSS NORTH TEXAS...PLEASE REFER TO THE AREA WEATHER UPDATE /AWUFWD/ SENT AROUND 2 AM CDT. CHANGES FROM THE 2 AM AREA WEATHER UPDATE...REGIONAL RADARS OBSERVED A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDING FROM BIG SPRING TX TO BRECKENRIDGE AT 0830Z /330 AM CDT/. THIS IS MORE OR LESS IN LINE WITH THE EXPECTED EVOLUTION OF CONVECTION INITIATION DISCUSSED IN THE AREA WEATHER UPDATE THIS MORNING...SO NOT MUCH TO ADD HERE AT THIS TIME. THIS LINE OF STORMS WILL LIKELY MOVE EAST AND SHOULD SPREAD IN COVERAGE NORTH AND SOUTH A BIT FROM THE NARROW BAND OF CONVECTION BEING OBSERVED AT THE TIME OF THIS DISCUSSION. THE STORM PREDICTION CENTERS MESOSCALE SURFACE OBJECTIVE ANALYSIS SCHEME /SPC SFCOA/ INDICATES THAT THE H850 MOISTURE MAXIMA WAS LOCATED JUST TO THE SOUTH OF THIS LINE OF STORMS AT 08Z. AREA VAD WIND PROFILES FROM REGIONAL RADARS INDICATE THAT THE LLJ HAS STRENGTHENED SLIGHTLY...TO 35 KTS UPSTREAM OF THIS LINE OF STORMS. THE LLJ WILL CONTINUE TO FEED THESE STORMS AS THEY SPREAD EAST THIS MORNING INTO NORTH TX AND TOWARDS THE INTERSTATE 35 CORRIDOR AFTER SUNRISE. THE 08Z SFCOA INDICATED THAT THERE WAS AROUND 2000 J/KG OF MOST UNSTABLE CAPE /MUCAPE/ ASSOCIATED WITH THE H850 MOISTURE MAXIMA. FORECAST SOUNDINGS ACROSS NORTH TX FOR THIS MORNING INDICATE ABOUT HALF THIS MUCH ELEVATED OR MUCAPE SO ITS NOT ENTIRELY OBVIOUS HOW MUCH POTENTIAL ENERGY WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR STORMS WHEN THEY SPREAD EAST INTO NORTH TX. AT THIS TIME...JUST LOOKING AT THE INTENSITY OF ONGOING CONVECTION...TEND TO SIDE WITH THE MORE CONSERVATIVE FORECAST FOR MUCAPE ADVERTISED IN RAP/NAM FORECAST SOUNDINGS AS I WOULD EXPECT TO SEE MORE EXPLOSIVE THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT WITH NEARLY 2000 J/KG OF MUCAPE TO WORK WITH. REGARDLESS...500 TO 1000 J/KG OF MUCAPE COMBINED WITH RELATIVELY STRONG EFFECTIVE BULK SHEAR WILL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT A MARGINAL SEVERE HAIL THREAT ACROSS NORTH TX TODAY. IF STORMS CAN MAINTAIN A DISCRETE MODE...SUPERCELL STRUCTURES ARE POSSIBLE AND ANY SUPERCELLS THAT DEVELOP WOULD BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING LARGER HAIL. OF COURSE IF SFCOA IS ACTUALLY MORE REALISTIC WITH MUCAPE VALUES THAT MAY BE AVAILABLE OVER NORTH TX LATER THIS MORNING...A MORE WIDESPREAD HAIL THREAT MAY BE WARRANTED IN GENERAL. AS IT STANDS...NEARLY ALL HIGH RESOLUTION GUIDANCE CONTINUES TO FAVOR A MULTI-CELLULAR STORM MODE WHICH WILL LIKELY LIMIT THE POTENTIAL FOR GREATER THAN QUARTER SIZED HAIL. STORMS ARE STILL EXPECTED TO MOVE EAST OF INTERSTATE 35 BY THIS AFTERNOON...SO NO CHANGES MADE TO THE PREVIOUS FORECAST FOR THIS PERIOD. FOR TONIGHT...A STRONG UPPER LEVEL TROUGH WILL SWING A STRONG LOBE OF ENERGY OUT OVER THE PLAINS WHICH WILL SEND A POWERFUL COLD FRONT SOUTH THROUGH NORTH TX OVERNIGHT. HIGH RESOLUTION GUIDANCE YESTERDAY INDICATED THAT A NARROW FETCH OF MOISTURE WOULD BE FED INTO A SURFACE LOW CURRENTLY LOCATED NEAR THE TX PANHANDLE AS THE FRONT SURGES SOUTH TONIGHT. THIS LED TO A CLUSTER OF THUNDERSTORMS THAT RACED SOUTHEAST JUST OUT AHEAD OF THE STRONG COLD FRONT LATE THIS EVENING THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT HRS. LATEST /TODAYS/ HIGH RESOLUTION GUIDANCE IS MUCH LESS OPTIMISTIC WITH AVAILABLE POTENTIAL ENERGY FOR CONVECTION...SO WENT AHEAD AND BUMPED DOWN POPS ALONG THE FRONT AND REMOVED A MENTION OF THUNDER FROM THE FORECAST THIS EVENING AND OVERNIGHT. THINK WE WILL STILL SEE A BRIEF LINE OF RAIN SHOWERS ALONG THE FRONT...BUT RAINFALL AMOUNTS WILL LIKELY BE A FEW HUNDREDTHS OF AN INCH AT BEST. OF COURSE WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR SHORT TERM SURFACE OBSERVATION TRENDS FOR SIGNS THAT A NARROW BAND OF MOISTURE IS BEING ADVECTED OUT AHEAD OF THE SURFACE LOW THIS EVENING. BEHIND THE STRONG COLD FRONT...WE MAY NEED TO CONSIDER A WIND ADVISORY TONIGHT INTO TOMORROW AS NORTH WINDS BEHIND THE FRONT ARE EXPECTED TO BE QUITE STRONG. DID NOT GO WITH A WIND ADVISORY AT THIS TIME BECAUSE CONFIDENCE IN STRONG WINDS MIXING DOWN TO THE SURFACE IS TEMPERED BY THE FACT THAT THE FRONT IS PROGGED TO MOVE THROUGH OVERNIGHT...WHEN LOW-LEVEL MIXING IS DAMPENED BY THE NOCTURNAL INVERSION. GRANTED...THE COLD AIR ADVECTION BEHIND THE FRONT IS EXPECTED TO BE VERY STRONG...AND THIS MAY REDUCE LOW- LEVEL STABILITY SUFFICIENTLY TO MIX STRONG WINDS ALOFT DOWN TO THE SURFACE. AT ANY RATE...THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WILL BE REASSESSED THIS AFTERNOON OR EVENING. WINDS BEHIND THE FRONT WILL LIKELY BE STRONGEST WEST OF INTERSTATE 35 WHERE SUSTAINED WINDS OF AT LEAST 25 MPH ARE POSSIBLE AFTER MIDNIGHT. AFTER SOME SUNSHINE SUNDAY MORNING...SURFACE HEATING MAY BE ENOUGH TO MIX STRONGER WINDS DOWN TO THE SURFACE IF THEY REMAINED ELEVATED THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT HOURS. IF WINDS ALOFT CONTINUE TO HOLD IN THE 30 KT RANGE...WE MAY NEED TO CONSIDER A WIND ADVISORY ACROSS PART OR ALL OF NORTH/CENTRAL TX ON SUNDAY. TEMPERATURES TONIGHT MAY APPROACH FREEZING...BUT WILL LIKELY REMAIN JUST ABOVE FREEZING BEHIND THE FRONT DUE TO STRONG MECHANICAL TURBULENCE ASSOCIATED WITH WINDS BEHIND THE FRONT. LIGHTER WINDS AND MOSTLY CLEAR SKIES SUNDAY NIGHT INTO MONDAY MORNING WILL LIKELY ALLOW TEMPERATURES TO FALL BELOW FREEZING FOR MOST OUTLYING AREAS ACROSS THE CWA. URBAN AREAS WILL LIKELY BE THE ONLY LOCATIONS THAT DO NOT SEE TEMPERATURES FALL BELOW FREEZING BY MONDAY MORNING. HIGHS WILL REMAIN COOL EARLY IN THE UPCOMING WEEK WITH A CANADIAN AIR MASS FIRMLY ENTRENCHED IN THE REGION. THIS AIR WILL BE MODIFIED BY MOSTLY SUNNY SKIES EACH DAY...BUT ANY WARM UP WILL BE SLOW UNTIL WE SEE A RETURN TO SOUTH WINDS AND THAT SEEMS LIKELY TO OCCUR TUESDAY NIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY MORNING. THAT MEANS THAT TUESDAY MORNING WILL LIKELY BE ANOTHER FREEZE FOR MANY LOCATIONS ACROSS NORTH TX. WEDNESDAY MORNING SHOULD STAY JUST ABOVE FREEZING WITH LIGHT SOUTH WINDS RETURNING TO THE CWA. OUR NEXT STORM SYSTEM APPROACHES THE REGION TOWARDS THE END OF NEXT WEEK INTO NEXT WEEKEND. THE GFS AND ECMWF BOTH INDICATE THAT A STRONG UPPER TROUGH WILL BECOME CUT OFF OVER THE SOUTHWESTERN CONUS DURING THE PERIOD. ASSUMING THIS OCCURS...THIS WOULD LEAD TO AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF SOUTHWEST FLOW ALOFT OVER NORTH TX AND THE SOUTH PLAINS IN GENERAL. THIS COULD BRING A WET PATTERN TO NORTH TX LATE NEXT WEEK THROUGH THE WEEKEND ASSUMING THE GFS AND ECMWF ARE DOING A GOOD JOB RESOLVING THIS SYSTEM. AT THIS TIME WENT AHEAD WITH BROAD BRUSHED 20 POPS DURING THE PERIOD AS WE SHOULD HAVE PLENTY OF MOISTURE IN PLACE WITH PERSISTENT LOW-LEVEL SOUTH FLOW THAT RETURNS TO NORTH TX WEDNESDAY MORNING. THERE COULD BE SOME CHANCES FOR SEVERE STORMS DURING THIS PERIOD...BUT IT IS TOO DIFFICULT TO WHITTLE DOWN TO ANY PARTICULAR TIME THIS FAR OUT AS SEVERE STORM CHANCES WILL DEPEND ON SMALLER PIECES OF ENERGY THAT THE MODELS ARE NOT RESOLVING WELL AT THIS TIME. CAVANAUGH && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... DALLAS-FT. WORTH, TX 61 40 56 33 56 / 50 20 5 0 0 WACO, TX 69 40 59 30 60 / 40 20 5 0 0 PARIS, TX 56 38 51 29 53 / 50 20 5 0 0 DENTON, TX 60 35 54 28 53 / 50 20 5 0 0 MCKINNEY, TX 58 37 53 29 55 / 50 20 5 0 0 DALLAS, TX 61 41 57 36 58 / 50 20 5 0 0 TERRELL, TX 60 40 56 31 56 / 50 20 5 0 0 CORSICANA, TX 64 44 57 34 58 / 40 20 5 0 0 TEMPLE, TX 73 42 60 32 59 / 30 20 5 0 0 MINERAL WELLS, TX 65 34 55 29 55 / 50 20 5 0 0 && .FWD WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX 427 AM CDT SAT MAR 23 2013 TXZ091>095-100>107-115>123-129>135-141>148-156>162-174-175-240930- 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- 427 AM CDT SAT MAR 23 2013 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTH TEXAS. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO SPREAD FROM WEST TO EAST ACROSS NORTH TEXAS THIS MORNING. A FEW STORMS MAY BECOME SEVERE...WITH LARGE HAIL BEING THE MAIN THREAT. THUNDERSTORM CHANCES WILL CONTINUE EAST OF INTERSTATE 35 THIS AFTERNOON WITH AN ATTENDANT RISK FOR QUARTER SIZE HAIL PERSISTING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. THERE IS A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS ALL OF NORTH TEXAS ON FRIDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... LIMITED SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE REQUESTED TODAY ACROSS ALL OF NORTH TEXAS.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX
435 AM CDT SAT MAR 23 2013
TXZ129-231000-
EASTLAND TX-
435 AM CDT SAT MAR 23 2013
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR...
EASTLAND COUNTY
AT 435 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS DETECTED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM 12 MILES SOUTHWEST OF CISCO...MOVING EAST AT 40
MPH.
PENNY-SIZED HAIL CAN BE EXPECTED FROM THIS STORM.
LAT...LON 3237 9911 3251 9911 3251 9848 3230 9848
3229 9849 3208 9893 3208 9912 3236 9913
TIME...MOT...LOC 0935Z 261DEG 34KT 3227 9910SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX
508 AM CDT SAT MAR 23 2013
TXZ129-141-231045-
EASTLAND TX-COMANCHE TX-
508 AM CDT SAT MAR 23 2013
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR...
NORTH CENTRAL COMANCHE COUNTY
EASTERN EASTLAND COUNTY
AT 508 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS DETECTED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM 17 MILES WEST OF DUBLIN...MOVING EAST AT 40 MPH.
PENNY-SIZED HAIL CAN BE EXPECTED FROM THIS STORM.
LAT...LON 3252 9882 3251 9848 3230 9848 3226 9855
3203 9840 3192 9879
TIME...MOT...LOC 1008Z 249DEG 35KT 3216 9861SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX
537 AM CDT SAT MAR 23 2013
TXZ115-129-231100-
EASTLAND TX-STEPHENS TX-
537 AM CDT SAT MAR 23 2013
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR...
EASTLAND COUNTY
STEPHENS COUNTY
AT 537 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS DETECTED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM 11 MILES NORTHWEST OF CISCO...MOVING NORTHEAST AT
50 MPH.
PENNY-SIZED HAIL AND WIND GUSTS TO 40 MPH CAN BE EXPECTED FROM THIS
STORM.
IF THIS STORM INTENSIFIES...A SEVERE WEATHER WARNING MAY BE NEEDED.
LAT...LON 3251 9912 3252 9910 3295 9909 3296 9858
3252 9858 3251 9848 3230 9848 3208 9893
3208 9912
TIME...MOT...LOC 1037Z 246DEG 42KT 3253 9906SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX
547 AM CDT SAT MAR 23 2013
TXZ131-132-231115-
HOOD TX-SOMERVELL TX-
547 AM CDT SAT MAR 23 2013
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR...
HOOD COUNTY
SOMERVELL COUNTY
AT 547 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS DETECTED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM 11 MILES NORTHEAST OF STEPHENVILLE...MOVING EAST
AT 50 MPH.
PENNY-SIZED HAIL CAN BE EXPECTED FROM THIS STORM.
LAT...LON 3256 9807 3255 9762 3220 9761 3220 9765
3209 9787 3220 9793 3245 9805 3251 9807
TIME...MOT...LOC 1047Z 255DEG 44KT 3233 9803SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX
610 AM CDT SAT MAR 23 2013
TXZ133-231145-
JOHNSON TX-
610 AM CDT SAT MAR 23 2013
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR...
JOHNSON COUNTY
AT 610 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS DETECTED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM 9 MILES SOUTHEAST OF GRANBURY...MOVING EAST AT 55
MPH.
PENNY-SIZED HAIL CAN BE EXPECTED FROM THIS STORM.
IF THIS STORM INTENSIFIES...A SEVERE WEATHER WARNING MAY BE NEEDED.
LAT...LON 3255 9761 3254 9708 3227 9708 3218 9747
3216 9751 3213 9752 3215 9757 3218 9758
3218 9760 3220 9759 3220 9761 3226 9762
TIME...MOT...LOC 1110Z 261DEG 49KT 3235 9762SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX
613 AM CDT SAT MAR 23 2013
TXZ115-116-129-130-231145-
EASTLAND TX-ERATH TX-PALO PINTO TX-STEPHENS TX-
613 AM CDT SAT MAR 23 2013
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR...
EASTLAND COUNTY
NORTHERN ERATH COUNTY
PALO PINTO COUNTY
STEPHENS COUNTY
AT 613 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS DETECTED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM 5 MILES NORTHEAST OF RANGER...MOVING EAST AT 50
MPH.
PENNY-SIZED HAIL CAN BE EXPECTED FROM THIS STORM.
IF THIS STORM INTENSIFIES...A SEVERE WEATHER WARNING MAY BE NEEDED.
LAT...LON 3295 9909 3295 9843 3301 9842 3301 9806
3300 9806 3251 9807 3242 9803 3231 9848
3208 9893 3208 9912
TIME...MOT...LOC 1113Z 265DEG 45KT 3251 9855The Dallas/Ft Worth radar (KFWS), 80 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 11:40 UTC.
11 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
Nickel sized hail was reported approximately 3 miles west of the intersection of I-20 and U.S. Highway 281.
Trained spotters reported penny sized hail in Granbury.
Hail up to the size of nickels covered the ground in Burleson.
Amateur radio operators reported ping pong ball sized hail in Crowley.
Amateur radio operators reported hail to the size of a half dollar.
Pea to nickel sized hail was reported via broadcast media.
Amateur radio operators reported quarter sized hail in Red Oak.
Quarter sized hail was reported in DeSoto.
Trained spotters reported quarter sized hail in Seagoville.
Broadcast media reported nickel sized hail.
Nickel sized hail was reported near Prosper.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Texas in 2013Every state in 2013This day in weather historyWarnings in Texas, March 2013
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: 438405, 438409, 438410, 439228, 439227, 438407, 439229, 439230, 439231, 438408, 438406.