A strong negatively tilted upper level trough slowly moved into the Central and Southern Plains during the morning of December 27th. This trough of low pressure was accompanied by a strong subtropical jet stream which provided abundant lift necessary for the development of widespread showers and thunderstorms.
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 SHV wrote it up.
A strong negatively tilted upper level trough slowly moved into the Central and Southern Plains during the morning of December 27th. This trough of low pressure was accompanied by a strong subtropical jet stream which provided abundant lift necessary for the development of widespread showers and thunderstorms. The trough was able to draw up not only Gulf of Mexico moisture but also Eastern Pacific moisture and with a very slow movement to the activity once it developed, the end result was widespread flooding across a large portion of Northeast Texas, Southeast Oklahoma, Southwest Arkansas and Northwest Louisiana. A very unstable airmass for late December was present across the region with a very strongly wind sheared environment. Discrete storms developed across the region ahead of an eventual line of strong to severe thunderstorms. Some of these discrete storms produced tornadoes across the region with several storms producing strong and damaging wind gusts as well. For the month of December, 2015, the city of Tyler, Texas recorded 9.77 inches of rain which was their 3rd wettest December on record. At the conclusion of December, the city of Tyler, Texas also recorded their all time wettest year on record with a total of 68.05 inches for the year. For the city of Longview, Texas ,the city recorded their 5th wettest year on record with a total of 68.02 inches.
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 Shreveport, LA wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Dec 27, 7:27 AM CST, 3 hours 13 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SHREVEPORT LA
727 AM CST SUN DEC 27 2015
.AVIATION...
A COLD FRONT WILL SLOWLY MOVE E THROUGH THE ARKLATEX. SHWRS/TSTMS
WILL INCREASE IN COVERAGE FROM W TO E THIS CYCLE W/ TSRA
CONDITIONS IFR/MVFR EXPECTED ACROSS OUR TX TERMINALS TODAY AS AN
INVERTED TROPICAL TROUGH CLOSES INTO A STACKING LOW OVHD...MOVING
NE AND THEN AFFECTING ALL OTHER TERMINALS TONIGHT. BEHIND THIS
DEEPENING LOW...RAIN WILL END QUICKLY DURING EARLY MONDAY AND
WINDS WILL END UP W/SW 10-20KTS AS THE LOW MOVES BY. SFC WINDS ARE
S/SE 10-20KTS NOW...OUR CLIMB WINDS TODAY SE 15-25KTS VEERING
QUICKLY TO S/SW 35-55KTS BY 4KFT AND SW 75KTS BY FL280. HIGHER
GUSTS NEAR DOWNPOURS WILL BE BEHIND THE FRONT WITH SOME N WINDS
15-25KTS. COLD FRONT IS AT KCRS...TO KSLR...TO K404...TO KMEZ.
/24/
&&
.PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 722 AM CST SUN DEC 27 2015/
DISCUSSION...
EARLY THIS MORNING A COLD FRONT WAS MOVING INTO THE NORTHWEST
SECTIONS OF THE FOUR STATE AREA AND EXTENDED FROM NORTHEAST
ARKANSAS INTO SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA...ACROSS NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS
AND INTO SOUTHWEST TEXAS. ABUNDANT GULF MOISTURE WAS FEEDING
INTO THE SURFACE BOUNDARY AROUND THE BACK SIDE OF SURFACE HIGH
PRESSURE ALONG THE EASTERN SEABOARD AND FRONT SIDE OF AN
ANCHORING SURFACE LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM OVER SOUTH TEXAS. A SHARP
TEMPERATURE GRADIENT BETWEEN THE COLD AIR APPROACHING AND THE
WARM AND MOIST AIR FROM THE GULF WAS PRODUCING SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS ALONG AND NEAR THE BOUNDARY. ADDED TO THE MIX WAS A
CLOSED UPPER LEVEL LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM OVER WEST TEXAS AND
NORTHEAST MEXICO WHICH WAS PROVIDING A SERIES OF DISTURBANCES
ALOFT MOVING THROUGH THE SOUTHWEST TO NORTHEAST FLOW HELPING WITH
LIFT AND INSTABILITY. THE UPPER LOW WILL CONTINUE TO SHIFT EAST
INTO THE BIG BEND AREA OF TEXAS LATER DURING THE DAY ALLOWING
THE COLD FRONT TO SHIFT SLOWLY EAST INTO EAST AND NORTHEAST
TEXAS AS THE ASSOCIATED SURFACE LOW MOVES INTO EAST TEXAS. THIS
WILL KEEP THE FRONT FROM MOVING INTO SOUTH CENTRAL ARKANSAS AS
THE WARMER AIR SPREADING INTO THE GULF WRAPS NORTH. A TIGHT
PRESSURE GRADIENT OVER THE FOUR STATE REGION WILL PRODUCE STRONG
AND GUSTY SURFACE WINDS OF 15 TO 20 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS TO NEAR
25-30 MPH. HAVE ISSUED A LAKE WIND ADVISORY FOR THIS. LOCALLYHEAVY
RAINFALL ALONG WITH THE THREAT OF SEVERE WEATHER WILL SHIFT EAST
OVER THE AREA TODAY AND TONIGHT WITH ISOLATED TORNADOES...DAMAGING
WINDS...AND LARGE HAIL POSSIBLE. THE HEAVY RAINFALL WILL CONTINUE
TO PROVIDE A THREAT FOR FLASH FLOODING AS THE STORMS TRAIN OVER
THE SAME GENERAL AREAS AND SHIFT EAST. BY DAYBREAK MONDAY THE
UPPER LOW WILL HAVE SHIFTED INTO SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA AND SOUTHWEST
ARKANSAS ALMOST STACKED OVER THE SURFACE LOW...WHILE THE COLD
FRONT WILL HAVE MOVED INTO SOUTH CENTRAL ARKANSAS INTO SOUTH
CENTRAL LOUISIANA AND AN OCCLUDED FRONT REACHING FROM THE SURFACE
LOW EAST INTO CENTRAL ARKANSAS. DRY AIR WILL SURGE INTO THE FOUR
STATE REGION FROM THE SOUTHWEST ALOFT AND ON THE SURFACE REDUCING
THE RAIN CHANCES FOR PARTS OF EAST AND NORTHEAST TEXAS WITH
SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUING OVER OKLAHOMA AND INTO SOUTH
ARKANSAS AND EASTERN PARTS OF NORTH LOUISIANA. BY MONDAY AFTERNOON
THE UPPER LOW WILL BE MOVING ACROSS MISSOURI WITH THE SURFACE LOW
AND ARCHING COLD FRONT WELL NORTH AND EAST ENDING OUR CHANCES FOR
RAINFALL. EXPECTING A DRY WEATHER PATTERN FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE
EXTENDED FORECAST PERIOD EXCEPT FOR LATER IN THE WEEK WITH
SOUTHERN ZONES HAVING THE ONLY RAIN CHANCES FOR TUESDAY NIGHT INTO
WEDNESDAY. COLD AIR WILL PROVIDE TEMPERATURES NEAR AND BELOW
FREEZING FOR MONDAY NIGHT WITH SOME WARM UP FOR TUESDAY NIGHT.
READINGS OVERNIGHT WILL RETURN TO NEAR AND BELOW FREEZING FOR THE
REST OF THE WEEK AND INTO THE WEEKEND WITH AREAS SOUTH OF
INTERSTATE HAVING THE WARMER TEMPERATURES JUST ABOVE FREEZING.
/06/
&&
.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
SHV 75 45 51 34 / 90 100 30 0
MLU 80 51 56 36 / 60 90 50 0
DEQ 64 44 45 29 / 100 100 50 0
TXK 72 46 47 32 / 100 100 50 0
ELD 76 48 52 33 / 90 90 50 0
TYR 69 39 46 33 / 100 100 20 0
GGG 73 39 47 33 / 100 100 20 0
LFK 74 41 51 34 / 100 100 20 0
&&
.SHV WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
AR...LAKE WIND ADVISORY UNTIL MIDNIGHT CST TONIGHT FOR ARZ070.
FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH LATE TONIGHT FOR ARZ050-051-059>061-
070>073.
LA...LAKE WIND ADVISORY UNTIL MIDNIGHT CST TONIGHT FOR LAZ001>006-
010>014-017>022.
OK...FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH LATE TONIGHT FOR OKZ077.
TX...LAKE WIND ADVISORY UNTIL MIDNIGHT CST TONIGHT FOR TXZ096-097-
108>112-124>126-136>138-149>153-165>167.
FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH LATE TONIGHT FOR TXZ096-097-108>112-
124>126-136>138-149-150.
&&
24/06HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SHREVEPORT LA 945 AM CST SUN DEC 27 2015 ARZ050-051-059>061-071>073-OKZ077-281545- SEVIER-HOWARD-LITTLE RIVER-HEMPSTEAD-NEVADA-LAFAYETTE-COLUMBIA- UNION-MCCURTAIN- 945 AM CST SUN DEC 27 2015 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTH CENTRAL ARKANSAS...SOUTHWEST ARKANSAS AND SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT... ...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT THROUGH TONIGHT... SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TO SPREAD OVER THE AREA ALONG AND NEAR A COLD FRONT MOVING SLOWLY ACROSS THE REGION. TRAINING OF THE STORMS WILL PRODUCE LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL...WITH AMOUNTS FROM FOUR TO TEN INCHES...WHICH WILL RESULT IN FLASH FLOODING AND PONDING OF WATER IN LOW LYING AND POOR DRAINAGE AREAS. DUE TO A SHARP TEMPERATURES GRADIENT BETWEEN THE COLD AIR ARRIVING AND THE WARM AND MOIST AIR FEEDING INTO THE AREA THERE WILL BE SOME STRONG STORMS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING HIGH AND DAMAGING WINDS AND ISOLATED TORNADOES...WITH A CHANCE FOR LARGE HAIL AS WELL. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY... SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE ENDING ON MONDAY AS THE COLD FRONT AND SURFACE LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM SHIFT AWAY FROM THE AREA ALLOWING DRIER AIR AND COOLER TEMPERATURES TO MOVE INTO THE REGION. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... ACTIVATION OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL...AMATEUR RADIO OPERATORS...AND STORM SPOTTERS WILL MOST LIKELY BE NEEDED TODAY AND TONIGHT. ARZ070-TXZ096-097-108>112-124>126-136>138-149-150-281545- MILLER-RED RIVER-BOWIE-FRANKLIN-TITUS-CAMP-MORRIS-CASS-WOOD- UPSHUR-MARION-SMITH-GREGG-HARRISON-CHEROKEE-RUSK- 945 AM CST SUN DEC 27 2015 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHWEST ARKANSAS AND NORTHEAST TEXAS. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT... ...TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT THROUGH 4 PM CST... ...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT THROUGH TONIGHT... SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TO SPREAD OVER THE AREA ALONG AND NEAR A COLD FRONT MOVING SLOWLY ACROSS THE REGION. TRAINING OF THE STORMS WILL PRODUCE LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL...WITH AMOUNTS FROM FOUR TO TEN INCHES...WHICH WILL RESULT IN FLASH FLOODING AND PONDING OF WATER IN LOW LYING AND POOR DRAINAGE AREAS. DUE TO A SHARP TEMPERATURES GRADIENT BETWEEN THE COLD AIR ARRIVING AND THE WARM AND MOIST AIR FEEDING INTO THE AREA THERE WILL BE SOME SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING HIGH AND DAMAGING WINDS AND ISOLATED TORNADOES...WITH A CHANCE FOR LARGE HAIL AS WELL. THERE WILL ALSO BE STRONG AND GUSTY SURFACE WINDS TODAY AND TONIGHT DUE TO A PRESSURE GRADIENT BETWEEN HIGH PRESSURE TO THE EAST AND SURFACE LOW PRESSURE OVER SOUTH TEXAS AND ALONG THE TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE WITH THE COLD FRONT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY... SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE ENDING ON MONDAY AS THE COLD FRONT AND SURFACE LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM SHIFT AWAY FROM THE AREA ALLOWING DRIER AIR AND COOLER TEMPERATURES TO MOVE INTO THE REGION. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... ACTIVATION OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL...AMATEUR RADIO OPERATORS...AND STORM SPOTTERS ARE ACTIVATED. LAZ001-002-010-017-TXZ151>153-165>167-281545- CADDO-BOSSIER-DE SOTO-SABINE-PANOLA-NACOGDOCHES-SHELBY-ANGELINA- SAN AUGUSTINE- 945 AM CST SUN DEC 27 2015 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHWEST LOUISIANA...EAST TEXAS AND NORTHEAST TEXAS. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT... ...TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT THROUGH 4 PM CST... ...LAKE WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT CST TONIGHT... SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE SLOWLY SPREAD OVER THE AREA ALONG AND NEAR A COLD FRONT MOVING SLOWLY ACROSS THE REGION TODAY. TRAINING OF THE STORMS WILL PRODUCE LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL WHICH COULD PRODUCE AMOUNTS OF ONE TO FOUR INCHES AND RESULT IN PONDING OF WATER IN STREETS...LOW LYING AND POOR DRAINAGE AREAS. SOME FLASH FLOODING MAY RESULT. DUE TO A SHARP TEMPERATURES GRADIENT BETWEEN THE COLD AIR ARRIVING AND THE WARM AND MOIST AIR FEEDING INTO THE AREA THERE WILL BE SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS POSSIBLE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING HIGH AND DAMAGING WINDS AND ISOLATED TORNADOES...WITH A CHANCE FOR LARGE HAIL AS WELL. THERE WILL ALSO BE STRONG AND GUSTY SURFACE WINDS TODAY AND TONIGHT DUE TO A PRESSURE GRADIENT BETWEEN HIGH PRESSURE TO THE EAST AND SURFACE LOW PRESSURE OVER SOUTH TEXAS AND ALONG THE TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE WITH THE COLD FRONT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY... SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE ENDING ON MONDAY AS THE COLD FRONT AND SURFACE LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM SHIFT AWAY FROM THE AREA ALLOWING DRIER AIR AND COOLER TEMPERATURES TO MOVE INTO THE REGION. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... ACTIVATION OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL...AMATEUR RADIO OPERATORS...AND STORM SPOTTERS ARE ACTIVATED. LAZ003>006-011>014-018>022-281545- WEBSTER-CLAIBORNE-LINCOLN-UNION-RED RIVER-BIENVILLE-JACKSON- OUACHITA-NATCHITOCHES-WINN-GRANT-CALDWELL-LA SALLE- 945 AM CST SUN DEC 27 2015 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTH CENTRAL LOUISIANA AND NORTHWEST LOUISIANA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT... ...LAKE WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT CST TONIGHT... SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE SLOWLY SPREAD OVER THE AREA ALONG AND NEAR A COLD FRONT MOVING SLOWLY ACROSS THE REGION TODAY. TRAINING OF THE STORMS WILL PRODUCE LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL WHICH COULD PRODUCE AMOUNTS OF ONE TO FOUR INCHES AND RESULT IN PONDING OF WATER IN STREETS...LOW LYING AND POOR DRAINAGE AREAS. SOME FLASH FLOODING MAY RESULT. DUE TO A SHARP TEMPERATURES GRADIENT BETWEEN THE COLD AIR ARRIVING AND THE WARM AND MOIST AIR FEEDING INTO THE AREA THERE WILL BE SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS POSSIBLE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING HIGH AND DAMAGING WINDS AND ISOLATED TORNADOES...WITH A CHANCE FOR LARGE HAIL AS WELL. THERE WILL ALSO BE STRONG AND GUSTY SURFACE WINDS TODAY AND TONIGHT DUE TO A PRESSURE GRADIENT BETWEEN HIGH PRESSURE TO THE EAST AND SURFACE LOW PRESSURE OVER SOUTH TEXAS AND ALONG THE TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE WITH THE COLD FRONT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY... SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE ENDING ON MONDAY AS THE COLD FRONT AND SURFACE LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM SHIFT AWAY FROM THE AREA ALLOWING DRIER AIR AND COOLER TEMPERATURES TO MOVE INTO THE REGION. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... ACTIVATION OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL...AMATEUR RADIO OPERATORS...AND STORM SPOTTERS WILL MOST LIKELY BE NEEDED LATER TODAY AND TONIGHT. PALMER
The Shreveport radar (KSHV), 155 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 16:40 UTC.
23 flash flood, 5 thunderstorm wind, 4 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.
Low lying crossing were flooded and closed including CR 2100, CR 1560 and CR 1680.
Hwy. 71 was flooded and closed across the northern portion of Titus County, Texas as was County Road 1915.
Hwy. 80 was flooded and closed in Mineola, Texas.
FM. 779 was flooded and closed north and northeast of Mineola, Texas.
Flood waters covered County Road 1560 at Dale Creek on Lake Fork.
Water covering parts of County Road 1681 south of Alba, Texas.
A high water rescue was reported 2 miles south of Lindale in the Wood Springs community.
A tree was downed blocking the east bound lane of Hwy. 11 at Leesburg, Texas.
Hwy. 71 between Talco and Sugar Hill has water covering the road in several locations. Other road surfaces were flooded and closed across the northern portion of Titus County, Texas.
Widespread flooding was reported in and around the Clarksville, Texas area.
Widespread flooding was reported in Mount Vernon and across the entire county.
Trees and powerlines were downed near FM. 1519 in Camp County.
County Road 1993 was flooded and closed in Wood County.
Widespread flooding was reported across all of Camp County, Texas with several high water rescues of people in automobiles in Pittsburg, Texas.
Trees were downed on County Road 2212.
An NWS Storm Survey team concluded that storm damage west of Dekalb Texas in far western Bowie County was consistent with that of a weak EF-0 tornado. This tornado snapped and uprooted several trees along its short path. The tornado lifted the roof off a mobile home along CR 4251 before moving north and lifting near CR 3306.
A NWS Storm Survey team determined that damage along the west side of Dekalb, Texas was consistent with that of rear flank storm damage. This rear flank was the remaining remnant of a tornado that touched down earlier west of this location. The rear flank downdraft caused sporadic damage in the city of Dekalb, Texas. Several trees were uprooted. Numerous homes withstood light shingle damage. A light pole at the city park was snapped and the metal roof from one of the downtown buildings was lifted off.
Trees were downed on CR. 2212.
An NWS Storm Survey team determined that the damage north of Gilmer, Texas in northern Upshur County was consistent with that of an EF-1 Tornado. This tornado uprooted and snapped several trees along its path between State Highway 154 and Lavender Road. Two homes were damaged by fallen trees and a few outbuildings lost some metal roofing panels.
An NWS Storm Survey team determined that storm damage north of Marshall near the Woodlawn community was consistent with that of an EF-2 tornado. This tornado began along Suburban Acres Road and then moved north where it damaged several homes and outbuildings along FM. 1793. Several more homes and outbuildings were damaged along Blackjack Road and Pope City Road as the tornado continued north. The tornado lifted along FM 134 just before reaching the Little Cypress Bayou.
A NWS Storm Survey Team concluded that damage in southeast Cass County was consistent with that of a brief EF-1 tornado touchdown. This tornado touchdown was mainly across more rural areas of Cass County and uprooted and/or snapped several trees along its short track along FM. 125.
Hwy. 43 was flooded and closed in Tatum, Texas under the railroad underpass.
County Road 136 and 138 were flooded and closed in Rusk County.
County Road 4130 was flooded and closed in northern Smith County.
Several county roads were flooded and closed including 419, 420, 436, 434, 433, 168, 411, 494 and 492. Several vehicles were flooded out across these county roads across the Smith County.
County Roads 2217 and 2219 were flooded and closed.
Numerous county roads were underwater with several culverts washed out as well.
Hwy. 44 west of De Kalb, Texas was flooded and closed.
County Road 1834 was flooded and closed in the Kilgore community.
Roads were flooded and closed in downtown San Augustine, Texas.
FM 10 inside and outside of Carthage, Texas was flooded and closed.
Tom Holland Road east of Lufkin, Texas was flooded and closed.
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: 606904, 606610, 606608, 606609, 606906, 606907, 606908, 606909, 606910, 606912, 606913, 606915, 606916, 606917, 606918, 606919, 606921, 606922, 606911, 606928, 607715, 607032, 607033, 607034, 607035, 607037, 607038, 607043, 607048, 607696, 607698, 607700.