Isolated thunderstorms produced localized flooding and a few reports of severe weather during the middle part of May, 2015.
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.
Isolated thunderstorms produced localized flooding and a few reports of severe weather during the middle part of May, 2015.
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 May 16, 5:32 PM CST, 4 hours 23 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX 632 PM CDT SAT MAY 16 2015 .AVIATION... THUNDERSTORMS TO THE WEST WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE NORTHEASTWARD AND SHOULD FORM INTO A LINE LATER THIS EVENING. THE MOST LIKELY TIMING FOR METROPLEX TAF SITES WILL BE AROUND AND JUST AFTER MIDNIGHT LOCAL TIME. WILL BRING VCTS IN AT 4-5Z WITH TEMPO GROUPS FOR TSRA ON STATION AT 5-6Z FOR 2-3 HOURS. WILL END VCTS AT 10Z...BUT IF STORMS HAVE TROUBLE MOVING SOUTHWARD DUE TO A WEAK COLD POOL...THIS MAY CONTINUE LONGER. FOR WACO THE TIMING WILL BE A FEW HOURS LATER AND WILL SHOW VCTS AT 8Z WITH A TEMPO GROUP FROM 9-12Z. SOME MVFR CIGS ARE POSSIBLE AHEAD OF THE STORMS...BUT OTHERWISE VFR CIGS ARE EXPECTED IN THE WAKE OF THE STORMS EARLY SUNDAY MORNING. MVFR CIGS ARE FORECAST TO DEVELOP AROUND MID MORNING BUT THIS MAY NOT OCCUR DEPENDING ON HOW MUCH DISRUPTION OCCURS WITH OVERNIGHT STORMS. SOME ADDITIONAL CONVECTION MAY DEVELOP DURING THE AFTERNOON HOURS BUT THIS IS CONTINGENT ON LIMITED CONVECTIVE OVERTURNING TONIGHT. EITHER WAY CONFIDENCE IS TOO LOW TO MENTION THREAT IN TAFS AT THIS TIME BUT WILL CONTINUE TO WATCH. OTHERWISE VFR SHOULD PREVAIL SUNDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING WITH SOUTH WINDS NEAR 10-15 KT. TR.92 && .UPDATE... TORNADO WATCH 179 HAS BEEN ISSUED AND INCLUDES COUNTIES GENERALLY WEST AND NORTH OF THE DALLAS-FORT WORTH METROPLEX. THUNDERSTORMS HAVE INCREASED IN COVERAGE AND INTENSITY JUST TO THE NORTHWEST OF THE REGION. ACTIVITY DEVELOPED RAPIDLY ALONG A DRYLINE AS A SHORTWAVE TROUGH ENTERED THE PLAINS FROM THE WEST. STORMS SHOULD BEGIN TO AFFECT NORTH TEXAS COUNTIES IN ANOTHER HOUR OR SO...WITH SOME STORMS BEING CAPABLE OF PRODUCING LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING WINDS AND A FEW TORNADOES. THE SEVERE THREAT SHOULD DECREASE LATE THIS EVENING AS THE BOUNDARY LAYER COOLS...WITH LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN BECOMING MORE OF A THREAT EAST OF THE TORNADO WATCH AREA DURING THE OVERNIGHT HOURS. 30 && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 311 PM CDT SAT MAY 16 2015/ OUTSIDE OF A FEW SHOWERS ACROSS THE FAR E/SE COUNTIES...IT/S BEEN A QUIET WEATHER DAY...BUT THAT/S ABOUT TO CHANGE. AS EXPECTED... THE UPPER LOW HAS MIGRATED NORTHEAST OVER ID/WY/CO THIS AFTERNOON... BUT A LITTLE SLOWER TIMING THAN PROJECTED 24 HRS AGO. THE SURFACE DRYLINE HAD MOVE INTO THE TX PANHANDLE TOWARD THE I-27 CORRIDOR BETWEEN LUBBOCK AND AMARILLO...WHERE A FEW DISCRETE SUPERCELL STORMS HAVE DEVELOPED. STORMS HOWEVER ARE A LONG WAYS AWAY AND WE/RE BASICALLY AWAITING BOTH THE LARGE-SCALE HEIGHT FALLS AND SURFACE DRYLINE TO MIGRATE FURTHER EAST. LATEST 18Z SPECIAL FWD SOUNDING SHOWED DRY AND WARM ALOFT REMAINED FROM SUBSIDENCE OVERNIGHT...BUT THINK THIS WILL GRADUALLY MOISTEN...LIFT AND WEAKEN THROUGH EARLY EVENING WITH SCATTERED DISCRETE STORMS MOVING INTO OUR FAR NW COUNTIES 6-7 PM AND AFTER. ALL MODES OF SEVERE WEATHER...INCLUDING A FEW TORNADOES WILL BE POSSIBLE THROUGH MID EVENING MAINLY NW OF A COMANCHE TO GRANBURY TO DENTON TO SHERMAN LINE WITH DEEP LAYER SHEAR 35-40 KTS AND 0-1KM SHEAR 20-25 KTS FORECAST WITH GOOD LOW LEVEL CURVATURE TO THE HODOGRAPH. BY LATE EVENING AND THE OVERNIGHT...A MORE MULTI-CELLULAR OR LINEAR STORM MODE IS EXPECTED AS A 35-45KT LLJ AND ASSOCIATED WAA FEED INTO THE SYSTEM. IN ADDITION...THE NORTHERN ROCKIES UPPER LOW WILL RACE OVER THE NORTHERN PLAINS WITH LINEAR FORCING PARALLELING THE LINE OF STORMS THAT WILL MOVE SLOWLY SOUTHEAST. SEVERE WEATHER CONCERNS WILL STILL REMAIN...BUT BE MORE LOCALIZED LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS. THE MORE PRESSING CONCERN WILL BE TRAINING OF STORMS CONTAINING VERY HEAVY RAINFALL WITH PWATS 1.5-2 INCHES AND RAINFALL AMOUNTS BETWEEN 1 TO 3 INCHES THROUGH DAWN SUNDAY ACROSS PARTS OF THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH AREA. ISOLATED HIGHER AMOUNTS ARE CERTAINLY POSSIBLE...THOUGH PROGRESSION OF THE LINE OF STORMS SHOULD BE ENOUGH TO KEEP EXCESSIVE RAINS FROM HAPPENING TOO LONG OVER ANY ONE LOCATION. AS WE MOVE TOWARD SUNRISE SUNDAY MORNING... THE LINE SHOULD WEAKEN WITH THE SEVERE THREAT WANING TOWARD SUNRISE SUNDAY...BUT LOCALIZED HEAVY RAINS WILL STILL REMAIN POSSIBLE SOUTH OF I-20 THROUGH THE MORNING HOURS SUNDAY ALREADY EXACERBATING FLOODING ISSUES ACROSS THE AREA. WE DO EXPECT AN OVERALL DIMINISHING TREND IN COVERAGE BY MIDDAY SUNDAY WITH LOSS OF THE LLJ AND THE LINEAR SYSTEM MOVING AWAY FROM THE BEST UPPER FORCING A FLASH FLOOD WATCH WILL BEGIN FOR CENTRAL TEXAS AFTER SUNRISE SUNDAY AND END ON SUNDAY AFTERNOON. SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL LINGER MAINLY ACROSS THE SOUTHEAST HALF OF THE CWA ON SUNDAY AFTERNOON INTO EVENING...BUT SEVERE WEATHER WILL NOT BE REALLY A CONCERN. HOWEVER...A SHORTWAVE DISTURBANCE WILL RIPPLE ACROSS THE RED RIVER VALLEY EARLY MONDAY AND POSSIBLY COULD GIVE ANOTHER ROUND OF SHOWERS AND STORMS WITH HEAVY RAINFALL FROM THE METROPLEX NORTHEAST TO PARIS AND SULPHUR SPRINGS...THEN LINGER ACROSS THE EASTERN COUNTIES MONDAY AFTERNOON. BY THIS TIME...YET ANOTHER BROAD UPPER LOW SETTLES SOUTH ACROSS THE WESTERN U.S COASTLINE. THIS UPPER LOW WILL BECOMING NEGATIVELY TILTED UP OVER THE NORTHERN ROCKIES...WITH A NEW ONE FILLING IN BEHIND IT IN ALMOST A FUJIWARA TYPE OF FASHION. THE CONTINUED SW FLOW ALOFT AND MID LEVEL PACIFIC MOISTURE FETCH WILL REMAIN THROUGH MUCH OF THE WEEK. AS A RESULT...OFF AND ON RAIN CHANCES WILL AS WELL...THAT PART WE/RE CONFIDENT OF. WHERE THE MODELS STRUGGLE WITH AND WHERE CONFIDENCE WANES IS TIMING AND PLACEMENT OF THE HIGHER RAIN CHANCES. WE EXPECT THE MID-LATE WEEK FORECAST TO BECOME CLEARER AS WE PROCEED FORTH INTO THE EARLY PART OF THE WEEK. UNFORTUNATELY LOOKING AT 240HR LONG RANGE FORECASTS... IT DOESN/T APPEAR MUCH IN THE WAY OF A LONG WAVE PATTERN SHIFT WILL OCCUR UNTIL ALMOST MEMORIAL DAY AND AFTER WITH A WET PATTERN CONTINUING. 05/ && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... DALLAS-FT. WORTH, TX 69 84 70 83 69 / 80 50 50 40 30 WACO, TX 71 83 70 83 69 / 70 70 50 50 20 PARIS, TX 69 82 69 81 67 / 80 60 60 60 30 DENTON, TX 68 84 68 84 67 / 70 30 50 30 30 MCKINNEY, TX 69 83 68 83 67 / 80 50 60 40 30 DALLAS, TX 69 85 70 84 70 / 80 50 60 40 30 TERRELL, TX 71 84 69 82 68 / 80 70 60 50 20 CORSICANA, TX 72 83 70 81 69 / 70 70 60 60 20 TEMPLE, TX 72 83 70 83 69 / 60 70 50 50 20 MINERAL WELLS, TX 66 84 67 84 67 / 80 30 30 30 30 && .FWD WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH SUNDAY MORNING FOR TXZ091>095-100>107- 115>121-129>134-141. FLASH FLOOD WATCH FROM SUNDAY MORNING THROUGH SUNDAY AFTERNOON FOR TXZ147-148-158-160>162-174-175. FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH SUNDAY AFTERNOON FOR TXZ122-123-135- 142>146-156-157-159. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX 316 PM CDT SAT MAY 16 2015 TXZ091>095-100>107-115>123-129>135-141>148-156>162-174-175-171200- 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- 316 PM CDT SAT MAY 16 2015 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS. .DAY ONE...THIS EVENING AND TONIGHT. THERE IS A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS ALL OF NORTH TEXAS THROUGH TONIGHT. STORM CHANCES WILL INCREASE BY EARLY EVENING FROM COMANCHE TO MINERAL WELLS TO GAINESVILLE THEN SPREAD EAST OVERNIGHT TO MUCH OF THE REGION. SEVERE WEATHER WILL BE MOST LIKELY FROM LATE EVENING INTO THE EARLY OVERNIGHT HOURS. INITIAL THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING WINDS AND ISOLATED TORNADOES. DAMAGING WINDS AND VERY HEAVY RAINFALL WILL BECOME MORE LIKELY OVERNIGHT. AREAS FROM COMANCHE TO WEATHERFORD TO DECATUR TO GAINESVILLE AND NORTHWEST OF THERE WILL HAVE THE BEST CHANCE FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS. FLASH FLOODING WILL BECOME MORE LIKELY LATER TONIGHT INTO EARLY SUNDAY MORNING. A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF NORTH TEXAS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. THUNDERSTORMS ARE LIKELY TO BE ONGOING ACROSS PARTS OF NORTH TEXAS SUNDAY. WHILE WIDESPREAD SEVERE WEATHER IS NOT EXPECTED...A FEW STORMS COULD BE STRONG. THERE WILL ALSO CONTINUE TO BE A HEAVY RAINFALL THREAT THROUGH SUNDAY. SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE ACROSS NORTH TEXAS MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. WIDESPREAD SEVERE WEATHER IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL LIKELY BE REQUESTED ACROSS WESTERN PARTS OF NORTH TEXAS THIS EVENING AND TONIGHT. DUNN
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX
924 PM CDT SAT MAY 16 2015
TXZ100-101-170315-
JACK TX-YOUNG TX-
924 PM CDT SAT MAY 16 2015
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR NORTHEASTERN YOUNG AND NORTHERN
JACK COUNTIES UNTIL 1015 PM CDT...
AT 923 PM CDT...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR
BRYSON...OR 11 MILES WEST OF JACKSBORO...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 45 MPH.
HALF INCH HAIL AND WINDS OF UP TO 40 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THIS
STORM.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
JACKSBORO AND BRYSON.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IS OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM.
LIGHTNING CAN STRIKE 15 MILES AWAY FROM A THUNDERSTORM. SEEK A SAFE
SHELTER INSIDE A BUILDING OR VEHICLE.
&&
A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1100 PM CDT FOR NORTH CENTRAL
TEXAS.
LAT...LON 3313 9857 3340 9846 3340 9842 3346 9842
3347 9840 3346 9798 3343 9797 3343 9792
3329 9792 3310 9837
TIME...MOT...LOC 0223Z 239DEG 41KT 3322 9835
15-BAINSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX
947 PM CDT SAT MAY 16 2015
TXZ115-129-170345-
STEPHENS TX-EASTLAND TX-
947 PM CDT SAT MAY 16 2015
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR NORTHWESTERN EASTLAND AND
STEPHENS COUNTIES UNTIL 1045 PM CDT...
AT 946 PM CDT...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A LINE OF STRONG
THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM NEAR IBEX TO 8 MILES SOUTH
OF BRECKENRIDGE TO NEAR GUNSIGHT TO 6 MILES NORTHWEST OF CISCO...AND
MOVING EAST AT 30 MPH.
DIME SIZE HAIL AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH
THESE STORMS.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
BRECKENRIDGE...NECESSITY AND GUNSIGHT.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
TORRENTIAL RAINFALL IS ALSO OCCURRING WITH THESE STORMS...AND MAY
LEAD TO AREAS OF FLOODING. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE THROUGH FLOODED
ROADWAYS. FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IS ALSO OCCURRING WITH
THESE STORMS.
THESE STORMS 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 1100 PM CDT FOR NORTH CENTRAL
TEXAS.
LAT...LON 3256 9909 3275 9910 3295 9858 3256 9858
3251 9863 3239 9910 3244 9912
TIME...MOT...LOC 0246Z 249DEG 28KT 3270 9903 3264 9897 3257 9896 3245
9906
15-BAINSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX
1041 PM CDT SAT MAY 16 2015
TXZ116-170415-
PALO PINTO TX-
1041 PM CDT SAT MAY 16 2015
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR NORTHERN PALO PINTO COUNTY UNTIL
1115 PM CDT...
AT 1041 PM CDT...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM
NEAR POSSUM KINGDOM STATE PARK...OR 13 MILES SOUTHEAST OF GRAHAM...
MOVING NORTHEAST AT 40 MPH.
NICKEL SIZE HAIL AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH
THIS STORM.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
MINERAL WELLS...GRAFORD AND POSSUM KINGDOM STATE PARK.
A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 400 AM CDT FOR
NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS.
LAT...LON 3295 9857 3295 9843 3300 9843 3301 9837
3300 9806 3282 9806 3265 9857
TIME...MOT...LOC 0341Z 247DEG 34KT 3292 9848
92SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX
1050 PM CDT SAT MAY 16 2015
TXZ091-102-170415-
MONTAGUE TX-WISE TX-
1050 PM CDT SAT MAY 16 2015
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR NORTHWESTERN WISE AND
SOUTHWESTERN MONTAGUE COUNTIES UNTIL 1115 PM CDT...
AT 1050 PM CDT...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 8
MILES SOUTHEAST OF NEWPORT...OR 13 MILES SOUTH OF BOWIE...MOVING EAST
AT 20 MPH.
NICKEL SIZE HAIL...WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH AND VERY HEAVY RAIN WILL
BE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
ALVORD...CHICO AND SUNSET.
LAT...LON 3345 9754 3327 9762 3327 9792 3343 9792
3344 9798 3346 9798 3354 9768
TIME...MOT...LOC 0350Z 260DEG 16KT 3337 9793
92The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
9 thunderstorm wind, 4 flash flood, 1 flood, 1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
A public report indicated that multiple trees with limbs of 6 to 8 inches in diameter were blown down in Eastland, TX.
Palo Pinto Sheriff's Department reported roof damage to a house on FM 1155 off HWY 281, approximately 2 miles southeast of Mineral Wells, TX.
Amateur radio reported power lines down across several parts of Mineral Wells, TX.
A public report indicated that part of the roof of a frame house was removed.
A public report of trailer damage was received, and this is a test.
Palo Pinto County Sheriff's Department reported roof damage to a house located on FM 1195 off Hwy 281.
Parker County Fire and Rescue reported large trees down across old Authon Road just west of HWY 1885, approximately 5 miles northwest of Weatherford, TX.
Parker County Fire and Rescue reported that a 2-car garage was destroyed near HWY 51 and Carter Road, approximately 4 miles south of Springtown, TX.
Broadcast media reported roof and siding damage to homes and tree limbs down. One large tree limb fell on a home on Strawn Drive damaging the roof overhang over the garage and the garage door.
Broadcast media reported that widespread flooding was occurring across the eastern part of the county; especially along HWY 157.
Dallas Police Department reported widespread flooding from Grand Prairie North to Cockrell Hill and Irving, with numerous road closures in place.
Tarrant County Sheriff's Department reported widespread flooding from Arlington to Rendon, with numerous road closures in place.
Fort Worth Police Department reported that the creek was out of its banks and water was over Winscot Plover Road.
Collin County Sheriff's Department reported that CR 117 was closed due to flooding.
A trained spotter reported quarter-sized hail at Ida and Coker Road about 5 miles east of Sherman, TX.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Texas in 2015Every state in 2015This day in weather historyWarnings in Texas, May 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: 577881, 577884, 577885, 577890, 579768, 579767, 577887, 577888, 577891, 581309, 581311, 581312, 577870, 577880, 577893.