A potent storm system brought deadly tornadoes and severe weather to North Texas on the 26th followed by waves of heavy rainfall that resulted in significant flooding across parts of North and Central Texas. Twelve tornadoes were confirmed on the afternoon and evening of the 26th, killing 13 and injuring over 300.
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 potent storm system brought deadly tornadoes and severe weather to North Texas on the 26th followed by waves of heavy rainfall that resulted in significant flooding across parts of North and Central Texas. Twelve tornadoes were confirmed on the afternoon and evening of the 26th, killing 13 and injuring over 300. The strongest tornado was an EF-4 that struck the Garland and Rowlett areas of Dallas and Rockwall County and where most of the fatalities occurred. Then the waves of heavy rain persisted through the night of the 27th until the upper level low moved past the region. The heaviest rainfall and thus most significant flooding was along and east of Interstate 35 where an average of 3-6+ of rain fell.
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 26, 12:16 PM CST, 1 hour 47 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX 1216 PM CST SAT DEC 26 2015 .DISCUSSION... TRICKY FORECAST...AS NEARLY ALL AVAILABLE GUIDANCE SUGGESTS IFR CONDITIONS ALL DAY AND ALL NIGHT. OBSERVATIONAL DATA HAS MVFR CEILINGS ACROSS MUCH OF THE AREA. AT NOON...THERE IS EVEN A FEW BREAKS IN THE CLOUDS...WHICH WILL CONTINUE TO HELP DESTABILIZE AN ALREADY UNSTABLE ATMOSPHERE. EXPECTING THUNDERSTORMS TO DEVELOP AND INTENSIFY FOR BOTH THE AFTERNOON HOURS AND OVERNIGHT...WITH A TWO TO FOUR HOUR PERIOD WHERE PREVAILING THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE...CENTERED AROUND 06Z SUNDAY. EXPECT FRONTAL PASSAGE IN THE METROPLEX TO OCCUR LATE THIS EVENING...AND ONCE THE FRONT MOVES THROUGH...CONDITIONS WILL FURTHER DETERIORATE. FOX && .AVIATION... /ISSUED 556 AM CST SAT DEC 26 2015/ MOIST SOUTHERLY FLOW WILL PREVAIL THROUGH TODAY WITH MVFR CIGS LIKELY. SOME IFR IS POSSIBLE...AND MOS SEEMS ESPECIALLY ADAMANT ON AN IFR OR LIFR CIG FORECAST THROUGH TODAY. HOWEVER CURRENT TEMPERATURES ARE NEARLY EQUAL TO UPSTREAM DEWPOINTS AND THIS RULE OF THUMB SUGGESTS IFR THREAT MAY BE OVER. OTHERWISE WILL SHOW VCSH THROUGH THE DAY FOR SHOWERS THAT WILL STREAM ACROSS THE AREA. MOST RAIN ACTIVITY WILL BE LIGHT AND BRIEF. WILL HAVE TO KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR MORE INTENSE CONVECTION/THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON/EVENING...BUT RIGHT NOW THE CHANCE FOR THIS IS TOO LOW TO DELINEATE ANY ONE HOUR SO WILL HAVE TO LEAVE IT OUT OF THE TAF. SOUTH WINDS WILL INCREASE TODAY TO NEAR 20KT AND GUSTY. PREFER THE HI-RES MODELS WHICH SHOW A SLIGHTLY EARLIER COLD FRONTAL PASSAGE...PUTTING IT THROUGH KAFW AROUND 3Z...DFW AROUND 5Z...AND WACO AROUND 7Z. WINDS WILL BECOME NORTHERLY BEHIND THE FRONT AND RAIN/STORM CHANCES WILL ALSO INCREASE NEAR AND JUST BEHIND THE FRONT SO WILL SHOW SHRA AND VCTS AFTER FROPA. STRONGEST PERIOD OF UPPER LEVEL FORCING OCCURS AFTER 7 OR 8Z /1AM OR 2AM TONIGHT/ AND WILL INDICATE PREVAILING TSRA THROUGH EARLY MORNING SUNDAY. TR.92 && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... DALLAS-FT. WORTH, TX 52 54 34 42 29 / 100 100 90 30 5 WACO, TX 56 56 34 45 27 / 90 90 70 20 5 PARIS, TX 59 62 38 43 27 / 100 100 90 40 5 DENTON, TX 48 50 33 39 25 / 100 100 90 30 5 MCKINNEY, TX 53 55 34 41 27 / 100 100 90 40 5 DALLAS, TX 53 56 35 43 30 / 100 100 90 30 5 TERRELL, TX 58 59 36 43 28 / 100 100 90 30 5 CORSICANA, TX 60 61 35 44 31 / 90 90 80 20 5 TEMPLE, TX 54 54 34 48 30 / 90 90 60 20 5 MINERAL WELLS, TX 42 42 30 39 22 / 90 90 80 30 5 && .FWD WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH LATE SUNDAY NIGHT FOR TXZ091>095- 102>107-117>123-131>135-144>148-158>162-174-175. WINTER STORM WATCH FROM SUNDAY EVENING THROUGH MONDAY MORNING FOR TXZ091-100-101-115-116-129. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX 503 AM CST SAT DEC 26 2015 TXZ091>095-100>107-115>123-129>135-141>148-156>162-174-175-271115- 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- 503 AM CST SAT DEC 26 2015 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTH AND CENTRAL TEXAS. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. THUNDERSTORM CHANCES WILL INCREASE THROUGH THE DAY AND BECOME LIKELY BY TONIGHT ACROSS ALL OF NORTH TEXAS. SOME THUNDERSTORMS MAY BE SEVERE WITH A THREAT OF DAMAGING WINDS...ISOLATED TORNADOES AND HAIL. HEAVY RAIN MAY LEAD TO FLASH FLOODING IN SOME AREAS. A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR AREAS GENERALLY ALONG AND EAST OF A LINE FROM BOWIE TO KILLEEN. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE LIKELY ACROSS ALL OF NORTH AND CENTRAL TEXAS SUNDAY...ESPECIALLY DURING THE MORNING HOURS. THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ALONG AND EAST OF A COLD FRONT WHICH SHOULD BE NEAR A LINE FROM BONHAM TO TERRELL TO KILLEN AT DAYBREAK. THE SEVERE WEATHER THREAT WILL END AS THE FRONT MOVES EAST THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF NORTH AND CENTRAL TEXAS SUNDAY AFTERNOON. HEAVY RAIN MAY LEAD TO FLASH FLOODING IN SOME AREAS. A FLASH FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR AREAS GENERALLY ALONG AND EAST OF A LINE FROM BOWIE TO KILLEEN THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT. SNOW SHOULD DEVELOP WEST OF A LINE FROM COMANCHE TO MINERAL WELLS TO GAINESVILLE LINE SUNDAY NIGHT. SOME ACCUMULATIONS AND IMPACTS TO TRAVEL ARE POSSIBLE...ESPECIALLY ACROSS THE COUNTIES OF EASTLAND...JACK...STEPHENS...PALO PINTO...YOUNG AND MONTAGUE WHERE A WINTER STORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT. A RAIN AND SNOW MIX IS POSSIBLE AS FAR EAST AS BONHAM TO DALLAS TO HILLSBORO TO LAMPASAS. GENERALLY LITTLE TO NO ACCUMUALTION OR IMPACTS TO TRAVELS ARE EXPECTED IN THESE AREAS DUE TO TEMPERATURES STAYING ABOVE FREEZING. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS POSSIBLE TODAY AND TONIGHT ACROSS ALL OF NORTH AND CENTRAL TEXAS. 92
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX 137 PM CST SAT DEC 26 2015 TXZ158>160-262000- MCLENNAN TX-BELL TX-FALLS TX- 137 PM CST SAT DEC 26 2015 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR NORTHEASTERN BELL...WEST CENTRAL FALLS AND SOUTH CENTRAL MCLENNAN COUNTIES UNTIL 200 PM CST... AT 137 PM CST...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR TEMPLE...MOVING NORTH AT 50 MPH. NICKEL SIZE HAIL AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM. LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE... WACO...TEMPLE...HEWITT...ROBINSON...WOODWAY...MCGREGOR...BEVERLY HILLS...LORENA...TROY...BRUCEVILLE-EDDY AND MOODY. THIS INCLUDES INTERSTATE 35 BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 295 AND 333. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... HEAVY RAINFALL IS ALSO OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM...AND MAY LEAD TO FLASH FLOODING. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE THROUGH FLOODED ROADWAYS. THIS STORM MAY INTENSIFY...SO BE CERTAIN TO MONITOR LOCAL RADIO AND TV STATIONS...AS WELL AS LOCAL CABLE TV OUTLETS...FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. && A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 800 PM CST FOR CENTRAL TEXAS. LAT...LON 3104 9720 3105 9743 3162 9741 3154 9712 TIME...MOT...LOC 1937Z 184DEG 43KT 3113 9732 JLDUNN
The Dallas/Ft Worth radar (KFWS), 89 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 20:01 UTC.
22 flash flood, 16 flood, 14 tornado, 9 hail, 2 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
The Hubbard Volunteer Fire Department observed a tornado just north of the city of Hubbard.
Trained spotters observed and photographed a brief tornado over open land to the northeast of Eustace.
Trained spotters observed and photographed a brief tornado near the south shore of Lake Fork.
Trained spotters reported a brief tornado to the northwest of the city of Hillsboro. The Hill County Emergency Manager relayed the report to the NWS office in Fort Worth.
A storm chaser observed a brief tornado south of Sulphur Springs at 5:33 PM.
The Maypearl Volunteer Fire Department reported an observed tornado just north of the city, over open fields.
The Midlothian AWOS recorded a wind gust of 105 mph as the Midlothian / Ovilla / Glenn Heights tornado was beginning.
This tornado produced a long and narrow damage path from just northeast of the Mid-Way Regional airport near Midlothian to the Ellis County line. The tornado then continued into Dallas County. Sixty-seven single family homes were affected, with 23 of these being completely destroyed. The strongest portion of the tornado occurred near the Ellis / Dallas County line, with EF3 damage observed in both counties.
The Midlothian / Ovilla / Glenn Heights tornado began near Midlothian, before ending on the city border of DeSoto and Glenn Heights. In Dallas County, the tornado damaged approximately 35 homes, along with an additional 10 mobile homes. The strongest portion of the tornado occurred near the Ellis / Dallas County line, with EF3 damage observed in both counties.
The Garland and Rowlett tornado began in Sunnyvale, where several mobile homes were destroyed along a wide and long path. The full tornado length was a little over 13 miles, with nearly ten miles within Dallas County. Nine people lost their lives in vehicles as the tornado crossed Interstate 30 at the President George Bush Turnpike. Another male died after sustaining injuries in a collapsed home in Rowlett. Eight of the 10 died that night, but one died on January 8th from his injuries, and another passed away on January 18th. The tornado affected nearly 600 homes in Dallas County, destroying nearly 400 of these homes. Twenty-two businesses were affected by this tornado, with one business being completely destroyed.
The Garland / Rowlett tornado continued across a small tract of land in western Rockwall County. The tornado continued doing significant damage in the City of Rowlett, before moving onto Lake Ray Hubbard and dissipating over the lake.
Trained Spotters observed a tornado approximately six to eight miles northeast of Ennis, just north of Highway 34. This tornado damaged a few barns.
A National Weather Service damage survey team found damage consistent with an EF-2 tornado in and near Copeville. The damage began in a residential area, damaging over 30 homes. The strongest part of the storm was along State Highway 78, where several businesses were destroyed, including a gas station / convenience store at SH 78 and FM 1778, where two people were killed. The tornado had a serpentine path, going on both sides of SH 78, before lifting in an open field about halfway between Copeville and Farmersville.
The National Weather Service damage survey crew found damage that began near U.S 380 and traveled north, just on the northwest side of Farmersville. Several homes, including six mobile homes in close proximity, were either damaged or destroyed.
Strong thunderstorm winds damaged shingles on roofs, tore down wood fences, and broke tree limbs around Gardenia Lane in McKinney.
A National Weather Service damage survey crew found evidence of an EF-1 tornado for the last tornado of 2015. This tornado produced a fairly wide, serpentine path as it moved through northeastern Collin County. As the tornado was ending, it hit a cluster of mobile homes to the northeast of Blue Ridge, killing a two day old baby.
Portions of McMillen Road in Wylie were covered in water.
Numerous reports of flash flooding were ongoing in Dallas County. Most notably was along Mockingbird Lane near Dallas Love Field, Lemmon Ave and University Blvd, Keist Blvd at Hampton Rd and Westmoreland Road, Cockrell Hill Road at Illinois Ave, I-35 at Colorado Blvd, Good Latimer at Canton Road, and Hillcrest and Royal Lane.
A car was trapped in high water in Valley View.
Seven roads were closed on the 27th due to high water from creek and stream flooding: Eakin Cemetery Rd, Jackson, Old Alton, Rector, Swafford, and C Wolfe Roads. On the 28th, high water forced the closure of one lane in each direction on I-35E at North Texas Blvd in Denton.
Flooding was occurring across the county including the closures of numerous roads and in areas near creeks and streams. Road closures were reported in Tioga, Collinsville, Whitesboro, and Denison and also in Precincts 3 & 4. A few roads remained covered in water on the 28th and 29th.
Multiple county roads were closed across the county due to flood waters. The service road along Interstate 35 near Valley View was also closed due to high water. Many areas saw improvement of the flood waters on the 27th but up to 15 areas were still closed off on the morning of the 28th according to the local newspaper.
Flood waters were reported over Highway 64 between Interstate 20 and Canton, and also near and at the grounds of the First Monday Trade Days.
Flood waters were reported over some roads in Tehuacana and also at FM 27 and FM 638 between Tehuacana and Wortham.
Several roads in Groesbeck and the city park were underwater due to flooding.
Flooding was reported across roads in Wortham.
State Highway 14 north of the Navasota River was barricaded due to water over the road.
FM 1246 west of Thornton was barricaded due to water over the road.
Several FM and county roads were closed across the county due to flooding. Several streets in Emory were also closed.
Several roads were closed across the county after several inches of rain fell in a few hours. Some areas that had closures were Tehuacana, Mexia, Thornton, & Groesbeck.
Roads were closed in Jewett due to flood waters.
Low water crossings along CR 1174 south of Sulphur Springs were flooded.
Flooding was occurring along Interstate 30 near mile marker 120 west of Sulphur Springs.
League Street from the railroad track to across Main Street in Sulphur Springs and many of the service roads south of Sulphur Springs were barricaded due to flooding. In addition, many low-lying areas were flooded in the city.
Several areas across the county were flooded including parts of FM 27 between Fairfield and Kirvin. Local officials and the newspaper also reported flooding of Hwy 84W in Teague at the railroad bridge, Hwy 75 in Streetman at the railroad bridge, CR 750, FM 488 at 2570, CR 1040 at Hwy 80, FM 2547 near FM 833, FM 830 near FM 488, FM 930, part of FM 80 in the Donie area, and FM 290 near its intersection with FM 280 where a high water rescue was performed.
The Emergency Manager reported many farm-to-market and rural roads were covered in water. A social media report specifically mentioned flash flooding along Highway 110 between Grand Saline and Van.
Several roads across the county were covered in water due to heavy rain.
County roads across the western portion of the county were flooded due to heavy rain.
County Road 466 north of OSR was underwater after heavy rain fell over the county.
Golfball sized hail was reported near Northeast Mall in Hurst.
Widespread flooding was occurring across the county with many county roads covered with at least some water. Many unpaved roads were unusable due to mud and water on the roads. Also, water was collecting on small portions of Interstate 30 between Cumby and Sulphur Springs.
Several roads remained flooded across the county after an average of 4-6 inches of heavy rainfall.
A high water rescue was performed near Highway 271 and CR 14250 southeast of Paris.
Several roads remained flooded across the county after over 5 inches of rain fell. The closed roads included FM 3273/Peach Tree Road in Gun Barrel City, CR 2930, CR 41513, CR 4304, CR 4305, CR 1201, and CR 1500. A high water rescue was performed during the early morning hours of the 28th on FM 733 at Kickapoo Creek.
Several roads and areas near creeks and streams remained flooded across the county after several hours of rain.
Several roads remained flooded across the county after an average of 3-5 inches of heavy rainfall.
Farm to Market Road 321 was closed at Catfish Creek west of Tennessee Colony due to flooding of the creek.
Several roads remained flooded across the county after an average of 3-7 inches of heavy rainfall. Several creeks also overflowed their banks flooding nearby parks and land.
Penny to nickel sized hail was reported in Mansfield.
Nickel sized hail reported near Davis Blvd and North Tarrant Parkway in North Richland Hills.
Penny sized hail reported 2 miles northeast of Northlake.
Numerous county and farm-to-market roads remained flooded across the county after several inches of heavy rain. On the 28th, a couple of FM and CR roads were still closed, mainly across the east and southeast portions of the county; including Highway 69 north of Interstate 30. Some city roads across the county also had to be barricaded due to high water. At one point, a high water rescue was need on FM 1567 after a car was washed into a flooded creek. Once section of CR 1174 near SH 154 was closed due to the culvert being washed out.
Numerous county roads remained flooded across the county after several inches of heavy rain. Highway 271 southeast of Paris near CR 14250 remained closed through about noon on the 28th.
Several county and farm-to-market roads remained flooded across the county after several inches of heavy rain.
A HAM radio operator reported several streets in Ladonia had water covering the surfaces.
Several county roads were closed across the county due to flood waters but most of the closed roads were south of Interstate 30 and Highway 380. This included FM 1564 near Highway 34 near Cash.
County Road 466 north of OSR remained underwater for several hours after heavy rain fell over the county.
Several roads remained flooded and closed due to high water after 3-6 inches of rain fell across the county.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado, Dallas | 2015-12-26 | 1 | Female | Vehicle/Towed Trailer | Direct |
| Tornado, Dallas | 2015-12-26 | 27 | Female | Vehicle/Towed Trailer | Direct |
| Tornado, Dallas | 2015-12-26 | 19 | Male | Vehicle/Towed Trailer | Direct |
| Tornado, Dallas | 2015-12-26 | 30 | Female | Vehicle/Towed Trailer | Direct |
| Tornado, Dallas | 2015-12-26 | 32 | Female | Vehicle/Towed Trailer | Direct |
| Tornado, Dallas | 2015-12-26 | 58 | Male | Vehicle/Towed Trailer | Direct |
| Tornado, Dallas | 2015-12-26 | 77 | Male | Vehicle/Towed Trailer | Direct |
| Tornado, Dallas | 2015-12-26 | 42 | Female | Vehicle/Towed Trailer | Direct |
| Tornado, Collin | 2015-12-26 | 49 | Male | Business | Direct |
| Tornado, Collin | 2015-12-26 | 65 | Male | Business | Direct |
| Tornado, Collin | 2015-12-26 | 0 | Female | Mobile/Trailer Home | Direct |
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Texas in 2015Every state in 2015This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Texas, 2015Warnings in Texas, December 2015
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: 606454, 606455, 606456, 606457, 606458, 606459, 606460, 606461, 606463, 611048, 606471, 606472, 608855, 606480, 606483, 612859, 606484, 611676, 611672, 611673, 612180, 612113, 612115, 611680, 611682, 611685, 611686, 611683, 611684, 611690, 611687, 611688, 611984, 611985, 612239, 611988, 611681, 612848, 611990, 611982, and more.