A cold front and approaching upper level storm system combined to produce nighttime thunderstorms across much of north Texas, including the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. Daylight revealed several swaths of wind damage, including two tornadoes.
Every event with a place to put it; 2 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.
A cold front and approaching upper level storm system combined to produce nighttime thunderstorms across much of north Texas, including the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. Daylight revealed several swaths of wind damage, including two tornadoes.
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 Nov 16, 11:48 PM CST, 2 hours 57 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX 1148 PM CST MON NOV 16 2015 .AVIATION... FOR THE 06Z TAFS...TIMING THE SQUALL LINE OF STORMS APPROACHING AREA TAF SITES IS THE PRIMARY FORECAST CONCERN. THE LINE OF STORMS NEAR ABILENE AT 1130 PM/0530 UTC WAS MOVING EAST AT 35 TO 40 MPH. THIS PUTS THE LINE ON PACE TO MOVE ACROSS THE DFW AREA FROM 09 TO 11Z OR 3 TO 5 AM CST. THE LINE OF STORMS STILL APPEARS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING STRONG WIND GUSTS. KEPT 25 GUSTING 40 KTS IN THE TAFS FOR THE SQUALL LINE...BUT THE WINDS MAY BE STRONGER. WE WILL BE ABLE TO ASSESS THE INTENSITY OF THE SQUALL LINE AS IT GETS CLOSER TO THE DFW AREA...BUT IT WILL LIKELY BE STRONG WHEN IT ARRIVES. THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT THE INTENSITY OF THE WINDS AND PRECIPITATION ARE EXPECTED TO END QUICKLY BEHIND THIS SQUALL LINE. BY 12Z...CONDITIONS SHOULD BE VFR AND WINDS SHOULD DIMINISH BELOW 15 KTS BUT REMAIN OUT OF THE WEST. WESTERLY WINDS WILL BACK AROUND TO THE SOUTHWEST DURING THE AFTERNOON HOURS AS VFR CONDITIONS PERSIST. CAVANAUGH && .UPDATE... HAVE UPDATED THE WORDED FORECAST PACKAGE TO LOWER POPS TO CHANCE CATEGORY FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE EVENING...AND TO RAISE TEMPS/DEWPOINTS OVERNIGHT AHEAD OF THE SQUALL LINE. THE LATEST TEXAS TECH WRF MODEL CONTINUES TO BE THE MODEL OF CHOICE AS IT HAS GOOD TIMING CONTINUITY BETWEEN MODEL RUNS. THE SQUALL LINE SHOULD MOVE INTO THE WESTERN COUNTIES SHORTLY AFTER MIDNIGHT...TO THE I-35/35W AROUND 3 AM AND OUT OF THE EASTERN COUNTIES AROUND 8 AM. AS THE SQUALL NEARS...SPC WILL LIKE COVER THE SEVERE WEATHER POTENTIAL WITH A TORNADO WATCH FOR MUCH OF THE FORECAST AREA. OVERNIGHT WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO INCREASE A LITTLE MORE OVER THE NEXT FEW HOURS AND WILL KEEP THE WIND ADVISORY GOING. ALSO...NO CHANGE TO THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH. 75 && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 305 PM CST MON NOV 16 2015/ AN UPPER LEVEL LOW PRESSURE CENTER OVER THE FOUR-CORNERS REGION WILL BE THE MAIN METEOROLOGICAL CONCERN ACROSS THE CONUS FOR THE NEXT 48 HOURS OR SO. FOR NORTH AND CENTRAL TEXAS...STRONG ISENTROPIC LIFT AHEAD OF THE SYSTEM HAS LED TO CLOUDY SKIES AND PERIODS OF RAIN OVER THE PAST 24 HOURS. EMBEDDED DISTURBANCES IN THE SOUTHWEST FLOW ALOFT HAVE HELPED TO ENHANCE LIFT AT TIMES...LEADING TO OCCASIONAL EMBEDDED THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE AREA. THE MOST RECENT OF THESE IMPULSES WAS LIFTING NORTHEAST ACROSS SOUTH-CENTRAL TEXAS...AND IS EXPECTED TO LEAD TO INCREASING COVERAGE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS OVER NORTH AND CENTRAL TEXAS AS WE MOVE INTO THE EVENING HOURS. MEANWHILE...THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP ACROSS WEST- CENTRAL TEXAS OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL HOURS AS THE LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM AND ITS ATTENDANT COLD FRONT BEGIN TO SURGE EAST INTO THE PLAINS. THIS ACTIVITY WILL LIKELY ORGANIZE INTO A SQUALL LINE LATE THIS EVENING AND PUSH EAST ACROSS NORTH AND CENTRAL TEXAS OVERNIGHT. THE LINE OF STORMS SHOULD REACH OUR NORTHWEST COUNTIES AROUND MIDNIGHT...THE I-35 CORRIDOR 3-5 AM AND THE EASTERN AND SOUTHEAST COUNTIES 5-8 AM. WIND SHEAR VALUES WILL BE VERY HIGH AS THIS LINE APPROACHES. WITH THIS IN MIND...THE MARGINAL INSTABILITY IN PLACE SHOULD BE MORE THAN ENOUGH TO GENERATE SOME SEVERE STORMS...WITH DAMAGING WINDS BEING THE MAIN THREAT. THE TORNADO THREAT IS QUITE REAL TOO...ESPECIALLY FOR ANY DISCRETE CELLS WHICH DEVELOP OUT AHEAD OF THE MAIN LINE. TRAINING AREAS OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS AHEAD OF THE SQUALL LINE WILL KEEP THE GROUND QUITE SATURATED PRIOR TO THE ARRIVAL OF THE HEAVIER CONVECTION. STORM TOTAL PRECIPITATION VALUES SINCE LAST NIGHT OF BETWEEN 0.5 AND 1 INCH HAVE ALREADY OCCURRED FROM THE DALLAS-FORT WORTH AREA EASTWARD. WE HAVE DECIDED TO ISSUE A FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR AREAS GENERALLY ALONG AND EAST OF A LINE FROM BONHAM TO FORT WORTH TO WACO...AS IT WILL ONLY TAKE A COUPLE OF INCHES TO CREATE FLOODING PROBLEMS IN MANY OF THESE LOCATIONS. MODEL GUIDANCE IS INDICATING THAT OUR SURFACE WINDS IN ADVANCE OF THE STORM SYSTEM WILL INCREASE THIS EVENING...WITH SPEEDS AROUND 25 MPH AND GUSTS 30 TO 40 MPH ACROSS MUCH OF THE REGION. A WIND ADVISORY HAS THEREFORE BEEN ISSUED FOR ALL AREAS FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING UNTIL 6 AM TUESDAY. THE PRESSURE GRADIENT BEHIND THE FRONT IS NOT QUITE AS STRONG...SO SPEEDS SHOULD DIMINISH TUESDAY MORNING AS THE STORMS RACE OFF TO OUR EAST. DRY AND SEASONAL WEATHER IS EXPECTED TUESDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH THE END OF THE WORK WEEK. ANOTHER FRONT WILL BRING A SLIGHT CHANCE OF SHOWERS BY SATURDAY...BUT LITTLE IN THE WAY OF MOISTURE SHOULD KEEP CHANCES TO A MINIMUM. 30 && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... DALLAS-FT. WORTH, TX 59 67 47 70 48 / 100 50 5 0 0 WACO, TX 61 67 44 70 46 / 90 60 5 0 0 PARIS, TX 63 64 45 66 45 / 100 100 10 5 5 DENTON, TX 58 67 44 69 44 / 100 40 5 0 0 MCKINNEY, TX 60 66 45 68 46 / 100 50 5 0 0 DALLAS, TX 59 68 48 69 49 / 100 50 5 0 0 TERRELL, TX 61 66 46 68 47 / 100 80 5 0 0 CORSICANA, TX 63 65 47 69 48 / 90 90 5 0 0 TEMPLE, TX 61 66 45 70 47 / 90 70 5 0 0 MINERAL WELLS, TX 56 67 43 70 44 / 90 20 0 0 0 && .FWD WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH TUESDAY MORNING FOR TXZ094-095-104>107- 118>123-133>135-145>148-159>162-175. WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 6 AM CST TUESDAY FOR TXZ091>095-100>107- 115>123-129>135-141>148-156>162-174-175. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX 907 PM CST MON NOV 16 2015 TXZ091>095-100>107-115>123-129>135-141>148-156>162-174-175-180315- 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- 907 PM CST MON NOV 16 2015 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTH AND CENTRAL TEXAS. .DAY ONE...REST OF TONIGHT. A SQUALL LINE OF STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE EAST ACROSS NORTH AND CENTRAL TEXAS AFTER MIDNIGHT. THE SQUALL LINE SHOULD REACH THE WESTERN COUNTIES JUST AFTER MIDNIGHT...THE I-35 AND I-35W CORRIDOR BETWEEN 3 AND 4 AM...AND MOVE INTO EAST TEXAS BY EARLY MORNING TUESDAY. DAMAGING STRAIGHT LINE WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO BE THE PRIMARY THREAT WITH THE SQUALL LINE STORMS. HOWEVER...A FEW TORNADOES EMBEDDED WITHIN THE LINE ARE POSSIBLE. LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL TONIGHT COULD LEAD FLASH FLOODING AS WELL...ESPECIALLY FOR THE AREAS NEAR AND EAST OF THE INTERSTATE 35 CORRIDOR. STRONG AND GUSTY WINDS ARE ALSO EXPECTED ACROSS ALL OF NORTH AND CENTRAL TEXAS AHEAD OF THE SQUALL LINE. THEREFORE...A WIND ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT THROUGH 6 AM TUESDAY. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY. SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE TUESDAY MORNING AFTER THE SQUALL LINE EXITS THE REGION. CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING AND GUSTY WINDS ARE THE MAIN THREAT. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS POSSIBLE TONIGHT OVER THE ENTIRE REGION. HOWEVER...DUE TO RAPID STORM MOTION AND THE FACT THAT THESE STORMS WILL OCCUR AT NIGHT...THESE CONDITIONS WILL MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO IDENTIFY TORNADIC FEATURES. THE MOST LIKELY TIME FOR SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL BE AROUND MIDNIGHT ACROSS FAR WESTERN NORTH TEXAS AND ROLLING THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF NORTH AND CENTRAL TEXAS DURING THE PRE DAWN HOUR ON TUESDAY.
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX
213 AM CST TUE NOV 17 2015
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0212 AM TSTM WND DMG JACKSBORO 33.22N 98.17W
11/17/2015 JACK TX LAW ENFORCEMENT
ONE ELECTRIC POLE BLOWN DOWN IN THE JACKSBORO.SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX 239 AM CST TUE NOV 17 2015 TXZ117-118-170930- PARKER TX-TARRANT TX- 239 AM CST TUE NOV 17 2015 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR PARKER AND TARRANT COUNTIES UNTIL 330 AM CST... AT 238 AM CST...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MOVING EAST AT 45 MPH. WIND GUSTS OF 50 TO 55 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM. A WIND GUST OF 52 MPH WAS RECORDED AT MINERAL WELLS AIRPORT. LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE... FORT WORTH...ARLINGTON...GRAND PRAIRIE...MANSFIELD...EULESS... BEDFORD...GRAPEVINE...HALTOM CITY...KELLER...COPPELL...HURST... BURLESON...SOUTHLAKE...WEATHERFORD...WATAUGA...COLLEYVILLE... BENBROOK...SAGINAW...WHITE SETTLEMENT AND CROWLEY. A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 300 AM CST FOR NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS. LAT...LON 3298 9703 3255 9704 3256 9793 3300 9785 TIME...MOT...LOC 0838Z 262DEG 39KT 3283 9778 CAVANAUGH
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX
241 AM CST TUE NOV 17 2015
TXZ102-103-170930-
WISE TX-DENTON TX-
241 AM CST TUE NOV 17 2015
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR WISE AND DENTON COUNTIES UNTIL
330 AM CST...
AT 240 AM CST...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM OVER
PARADISE...OR NEAR BRIDGEPORT...MOVING EAST AT 45 MPH.
WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
DENTON...LEWISVILLE...FLOWER MOUND...SOUTHLAKE...CORINTH...HIGHLAND
VILLAGE...TROPHY CLUB...LAKE DALLAS...SANGER...DECATUR...
BRIDGEPORT...BRIAR...ROANOKE...PECAN ACRES...KRUM...PILOT POINT...
ARGYLE...HICKORY CREEK...JUSTIN AND DOUBLE OAK.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
TORRENTIAL RAINFALL IS ALSO OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM...AND MAY LEAD
TO FLASH FLOODING. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE THROUGH FLOODED
ROADWAYS.
&&
A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 300 AM CST FOR NORTH CENTRAL
TEXAS.
LAT...LON 3342 9701 3342 9694 3299 9700 3300 9778
3343 9776
TIME...MOT...LOC 0840Z 264DEG 38KT 3317 9770
CAVANAUGHThe Dallas/Ft Worth radar (KFWS), 47 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 08:47 UTC.
23 thunderstorm wind, 2 tornado, 2 strong wind. Local standard time, as filed.
The Weatherford Fire Department reported that a roof was blown onto the road near the intersection of CR 1709 and Tinop Rd, and that multiple trees and power lines were blown down.
A public report indicated that roof tiles were removed, 2 trees were blown down and the south fence was blown down at a home on Asbury Drive in Saginaw, TX.
Emergency management reported a wind gust of 66 MPH at North Central Texas College in Gainesville, TX.
A member of the broadcast media reported that a large tree was uprooted around the 800 block of Samuels Drive in Fort Worth, TX. The wood framed steeple was also torn off the Samuels Avenue Baptist Church.
A National Weather Service storm survey team found evidence of a brief tornado which affected several houses near Rapp Road and Rufe Snow Drive in Keller. The damage was concentrated along a 30 to 50 yard path and included several trees which were blown down. Approximately 10 homes suffered minor roof damage as well.
A social media report indicated that several trees were blown down near the intersection of Precinct Line Road and Trinity Blvd.
A member of the broadcast media reported building damage near the intersection of Interstate 35 and Teasley Dr in Hickory Creek.
A public report was received indicating that a large mature tree (4 feet in diameter) was uprooted at 1715 Silverside Dr in Grapevine.
The Gainesville Register newspaper reported that thunderstorm winds produced damage in and around the 810 East Highway 82 area in Gainesville early Tuesday Morning. The roof of Lone Star Title Loans was mangled and debris was scattered around the parking lot. The nearby Home Depot had buildings and sheds blown 10 to 15 feet from their original destinations.
Denton County Sheriff's Department reported wind and building damage near Corinth, TX.
A National Weather Service storm survey team found evidence of a narrow, yet long tornado in the Hickory Creek and Corinth areas of Denton County. As the tornado began near the Steeplechase North subdivision, several homes suffered minor roof damage as well as garage door damage. A car wash suffered heavy damage to the east side of the business along the path. As the tornado began to dissipate, a hotel and several other signs were damaged before the tornado moved over Lake Lewisville. The Swisher Cemetery was also damaged. Large cedar trees were split and headstones were damaged at the cemetery.
An 18 wheeler was flipped over in the Walmart parking lot on Round Grove Road in Lewisville.
Severe thunderstorm winds tossed boats from their trailers at the Dallas Corinthian Yacht Club on Lewisville Lake in Little Elm.
The automated weather station at Arlington Airport measured a 59 mph wind gust.
A public report was received stating that trees, signs and a few fence sections were blown down, and shingles were blown off roofs in the city of Richardson, TX.
A trained storm spotter estimated 65 MPH wind gusts along with trees down approximately 2 miles southwest of Duncanville, TX in the Mountain Creek area.
Emergency management reported an overturned 18-wheeler on Interstate 45 southbound near Overton Road.
A trained storm spotter reported a 65 MPH wind gust approximately 2 miles southwest of Anna, TX.
Emergency management reported that FM 877 was closed due to a large tree being blown over the roadway.
A shop owned by the Griffin Family was completely demolished, along with several surrounding structures.
A trained spotter reported a wind gust in excess of 60 MPH near the intersection of U.S Highway 82 and State Highway 121 in Bonham, TX.
A trained spotter reported an overturned 18-wheeler between the towns of Ector and Savoy, TX.
A trained spotter reported a wind gust of 50 knots (58 MPH) in Honey Grove, TX.
Emergency management reported that the roof was blown off of the Outback Apartment Complex in Commerce, TX.
A trained spotter reported a tree on a house near the intersection of Enfield and Dobbins in Corsicana, TX.
A trained spotter reported multiple trees down and power poles down approximately 4 miles north of Normangee, TX.
Lamar County Sheriff's Department reported 2 trees down in the town of Roxton, 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 historyThe tornado archive for Texas, 2015Warnings in Texas, November 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: 606568, 606594, 607339, 606589, 606435, 606569, 607375, 607376, 608387, 606571, 606436, 608676, 608677, 609110, 607374, 606576, 606583, 607340, 607377, 608386, 607341, 607343, 607342, 607344, 607378, 607379, 607373.