As temperatures started to climb for the summer, a few heat-related fatalities were reported in the DFW Metroplex area.
Every event with a place to put it; 4 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.
As temperatures started to climb for the summer, a few heat-related fatalities were reported in the DFW Metroplex area.
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 Jul 3, 10:13 AM CST, 47 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Fort Worth TX 1113 AM CDT Mon Jul 3 2023 ...New Short Term, Aviation... .SHORT TERM... /NEW/ /This Afternoon through Tuesday/ A steady warmup is underway this morning with only some scattered middle and upper level clouds. Afternoon highs should have no problem reaching the middle and upper 90s but afternoon heat index values should only be a few degrees higher thanks to boundary layer mixing of drier air from just above the surface. The 12Z FWD sounding shows a layer of moisture between 850 and 700 mb, so scattered cumulus and altocumulus will continue to develop through the afternoon. Isolated to scattered showers and thunderstorms will also develop through the afternoon with the most favored area for storms across the southeast half of the CWA where precipitable water values will be the highest. However, any new or lingering outflow boundaries could encourage convection just about anywhere across the forecast area. Weak mid-level flow and only moderate instability will keep storms below severe limits, but gusty and erratic winds will be possible with any storm that develops. The loss of surface heating will be the demise of all storms this evening, leaving behind only some scattered altocumulus and cirrus. The weather pattern will begin to change on Independence Day with the Desert Southwest upper ridge gradually shifting eastward, forcing the Plains upper trough, currently overhead, to shift eastward. Although this change will be subtle, it will likely nudge temps/heat index values up a bit and decrease precipitation chances slightly. There will still be enough moisture and instability around to warrant some low (10-20%) PoPs during the heat of the day, especially east of the I-35 corridor where moisture will be most abundant. 79 && .LONG TERM... /Issued 324 AM CDT Mon Jul 3 2023/ /Tuesday Night Onward/ A lull in precipitation is expected Tuesday night into Wednesday as our summer ridge (centered over the Desert Southwest) temporarily expands east and restrengthens overhead, allowing subsidence to prevail for a day. There may still be a few isolated storms in the afternoon, so will keep some low-end POPs in place. Most areas will be hot and humid on Wednesday with highs generally 95-100 and heat indices near 105. The ridge will become compromised again on Thursday, however, by a pair of shortwave troughs. The most prominent one will move east through the Plains while a more subtle shortwave drops southeast through East Texas (around the eastern flank of the ridge). These two features combined with north flow aloft will help push a front southward through the region. The front will provide a surface focus for convection as it pushes slowly south, with the best storm chances likely occurring across the eastern-most counties where the ridge is weakest. Will continue to advertise higher POPs than the NBM as it typically doesn't take much forcing to generate convection this time of year. Modest instability and weak shear should keep most convection sub-severe, although downdraft CAPE does appear sufficient enough to support a damaging wind gust or two. The ridge will strengthen again Thursday night and Friday, bringing an end to rain chances for most of North and Central Texas. Recent guidance suggests that one exception may be the northern few rows of counties, as it now looks like an MCS originating in the Texas Panhandle may head toward our Red River counties Friday night. These storms would likely be weakening as they approach, but will keep low POPs along and north of Highway 380 to account for that possibility. Otherwise, hot, humid, typical July weather can be expected this weekend and into the first part of next week. 30 && .AVIATION... /NEW/ /18Z TAFs ...VFR with south flow... Low and mid level moisture coupled with daytime heating will result in scattered afternoon Cu and isolated to widely scattered showers and thunderstorms. Storm coverage will be limited but chances will be high enough to warrant a brief TEMPO group during the afternoon. The better storm chances will likely be south and southeast of the the Metroplex terminals where moisture will be most abundant. Storm chances and cloud cover will both decrease after sunset. A south wind will prevail at sustained speeds generally less than 12 knots. Occasional daytime gusts could get as high as 18 knots. Of course, erratic and gusty winds will be possible in and near any storms that manage to develop. 79 && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Dallas-Ft. Worth 97 78 97 78 99 / 20 20 20 20 5 Waco 95 75 94 76 97 / 20 5 20 10 5 Paris 93 72 93 75 95 / 20 10 20 20 10 Denton 98 74 98 76 100 / 20 20 20 20 5 McKinney 94 73 94 76 97 / 20 20 20 20 5 Dallas 96 76 96 78 99 / 20 20 20 20 5 Terrell 94 73 95 76 96 / 30 20 20 20 5 Corsicana 94 76 95 78 96 / 30 20 20 10 10 Temple 95 75 96 76 98 / 20 5 20 10 10 Mineral Wells 97 73 98 75 100 / 20 10 20 20 5 && .FWD WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None. &&
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Fort Worth TX 1131 AM CDT Mon Jul 3 2023 TXZ091>095-100>107-115>123-129>135-141>148-156>162-174-175-041200- 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- 1131 AM CDT Mon Jul 3 2023 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for North and Central Texas. .DAY ONE...This Afternoon and Tonight. There is a chance of storms this afternoon, mainly along and east of the I-35 corridor. Severe weather is unlikely, but a few storms may become strong, with gusty winds, frequent lightning, and locally heavy rain. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Tuesday through Sunday. Low thunderstorm chances will continue Tuesday and Wednesday, with better storm chances on Thursday. Any storm that develops will have the potential to produce lightning, gusty winds, and brief heavy rain. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not expected at this time.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
4 heat. Local standard time, as filed.
The Tarrant County Medical Examiner's Office attributed 2 deaths on July 3rd to Hyperthermia. Temperatures on this day reached around 100 degrees.
The Tarrant County Medical Examiner's Office attributed a death on July 7th to Hyperthermia. Temperatures on this day reached the upper 90s.
The Tarrant County Medical Examiner's Office attributed a death on July 7th to Hyperthermia. Temperatures on this day reached the upper 90s to near 100 degrees.
The Tarrant County Medical Examiner's Office attributed a death on July 8th to Hyperthermia. Temperatures on this day reached the upper 90s.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heat, Tarrant | 2023-07-03 | 71 | Female | Outside/Open Areas | Direct |
| Heat, Tarrant | 2023-07-03 | 74 | Male | Permanent Home | Direct |
| Heat, Tarrant | 2023-07-07 | 43 | Male | Vehicle/Towed Trailer | Direct |
| Heat, Parker | 2023-07-07 | 56 | Male | Unknown | Direct |
| Heat, Tarrant | 2023-07-08 | 79 | Female | Permanent Home | Direct |
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Texas in 2023Every state in 2023This day in weather historyWarnings in Texas, July 2023
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: 1139149, 1139151, 1139152, 1139153.