First Alert Weather Day: Tornadoes, large hail, damaging winds possible in North Texas on Monday
Monday is a First Alert Weather Day for North Texas due to the threat of strong and severe storms.
Be prepared for an active day and have multiple ways to receive warnings. Most of North Texas is under a slight threat of severe weather with the potential of quarter-size hail, winds up to 70 mph, localized flooding and an isolated tornado.
A Severe Thunderstorm Warning is issued for Johnson, Collin, Fannin, Hunt, Ellis and Dallas counties until 4 p.m.
Radar indicates 60 mph winds and quarter-size hail.
This severe thunderstorm will be near Midlothian around 3:35 p.m.; Cedar Hill, Ovilla, and Oak Leaf around 3:40 p.m.; Desoto, Glenn Heights, and Red Oak around 3:45 p.m.; Dallas, Duncanville, and Lancaster around 3:50 p.m.; and Hutchins around 4 p.m.
A tornado watch is in effect for most of North Texas, including the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, until 6 p.m. Monday.
Counties further north, including Denton, Collin, Grayson and Cooke, are under an enhanced risk of severe weather on Monday – this is the area most likely to see a tornado and experience damaging winds.
Monday started warm, muggy and windy with temperatures in the mid-70s. From 8 a.m. to 11 a.m., storms developed in western counties before tracking east toward the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex.
From 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., the line of storms moves into the metroplex with all hazards possible.
From 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., the storms move out of the metroplex and intensify to the east.
Be prepared for a stormy evening drive home on Monday. Consider postponing travel until any severe storms move out of your area.
The strongest activity in the metroplex is around 12 p.m. to 7 p.m.
In addition to the severe weather, heavy amounts of rainfall will be expected. Some areas have already gotten a few inches of rainfall and an additional inch or two of rain could lead to flooding concerns. This is why the National Weather Service has issued flood watches for the northwestern counties until 3 p.m.
The airmass is rich in moisture and will squeeze out more intense rainfall as the system shifts to the east on Monday. Rainfall rates of 1 to 2 inches per hour will lead to isolated and potentially scattered instances of flash flooding across North Texas.
Remember to never drive through flooded roadways, it only takes about 6 inches of fast-flowing water to take a car away and move it downstream.
A few showers may linger into Tuesday morning, but skies clear into the afternoon hours with highs only in the mid-60s for Election Day.
Drier air in place Monday night will allow temperatures to fall into the 40s and 50s but with the upper system still to the west, middle and high clouds will limit the full cooling potential. Much cooler and drier conditions are expected Tuesday and Tuesday night with highs in the 60s to the lower 70s and lows ranging from the lower 40s to the lower 50s.
After a brief lull in the precipitation Monday and Tuesday, rain and storms return to Dallas-Fort Worth Thursday into Saturday morning. Seasonal temperatures in the 70s will prevail throughout the week.
