One person died, at least four people were taken to hospitals and Interstate 35E in Ellis County was shut down by overturned 18-wheelers after storms moved through the area early Saturday.
The National Weather Service’s Fort Worth office issued a severe thunderstorm warning for parts of North Texas, including Dallas, early Saturday. About 0.11 inches of rain were recorded at Dallas Love Field between about 5:50 a.m. and 6:50 a.m., according to the weather service.
Ellis County suffered significant storm damage, according to the sheriff’s office, with deputies responding to reports of RVs and semis that overturned.
The National Weather Service said the temperature in the area was too cold to produce tornados and winds likely caused the damage. There were reports of hail south of Dallas early Saturday.
A 42-year-old Midlothian man died as a result of the severe weather, Ennis police said in a Facebook post on Saturday afternoon. Police didn’t identify the individual or the circumstances leading to his death.
Several residents were also injured when their homes were damaged, a social media post from the Sheriff’s Office said. Four were taken to hospitals.
Seven 18-wheelers overturned on I-35E in Ellis County near milepost 397, according to a social media post from the Texas Department of Public Safety North Texas Region.
According to DPS, the overturned vehicles were between Waxahachie and Forreston, most in the southbound lanes. Traffic was backed up into the Waxahachie area.
By 11 a.m., one southbound lane was open and all northbound lanes had reopened, according to DPS.
After severe storms passed through the Dallas area, rainstorms are expected to continue into the evening Saturday, according to the forecast from KXAS-TV (NBC5).
Tuesday’s severe thunderstorms, which also brought two EF1 tornados to North Texas , recorded a little more than half an inch of rainfall, according to the weather service.
Matt Stalley, a meteorologist with the Weather Service, said some hail was recorded in parts of North Texas, including Waxahachie, Mansfield and Ennis areas, mainly resulting from two severe thunderstorms that swept through the southern tip of the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
Damage from straight-line winds was also recorded in Waxahachie, though Stalley said temperature conditions Saturday morning were too cold for a possible tornado. He said winds in Waxahachie were likely between 60 to 80 mph.
The severe weather caused four people to be hospitalized, knocked down power lines and overturned RVs and semi-trucks, according to the Ellis County Sheriff’s office. 7,500 customers were without power in Ellis County, according to Oncor, while an overturned 18 wheeler on Interstate 35E near Waxahachie caused traffic delays and was still active as of 10 a.m. Saturday.
Marble-sized hail
Beginning shortly after 5 a.m., the quiet was broken by the loud pelting of marble-sized hail against roofs, windows and every other surface. The accumulation of hail briefly turned Waxahachie into a white wintery landscape. Blustery winds sent hail shooting into homes, shattering windows across the city. Flashes of bluish light lit up the night sky as the storm passed overhead. Tornado sirens did not sound, however.
By early afternoon, patches of ice from the pummeling of hail remained on the ground.
Travis Smith, a Waxahachie city council member, warned residents about venturing into the city’s downtown area. And if they must, residents should avoid sidewalks with western-facing windows, he said. Photographs he posted of downtown historic buildings, like the former Rogers Hotel, showed numerous windows with large and small holes punched through.
“City crews are out to assess damages and will be blocking off streets and sidewalks as needed,” Smith said on Facebook.
The combination of powerful wind gusts and hail during the storm produced deep, frightening sounds that some compared to that of an oncoming freight train.
Some homes in the Garden Valley Ranch neighborhood of Waxahachie sustained major structural roof damage, according to photographs in social media posts.
Saturday forecast
More rain is expected throughout the day, and thunderstorms are possible before 3 p.m. The Weather Service is predicting between a quarter to a half-inch of rainfall, with some possible hail in areas east of Dallas.
Temperatures on Saturday are expected to reach a high of 54 degrees, according to NBC5.
Rain chances will decrease to about 20% by 9 p.m. Saturday and the slight rain chances will continue into Sunday morning, ending around 9 a.m., according to NBC5. Sunday will remain chilly, hitting a high of 58 degrees, and will be cloudy for most of the day. The sun will show around 5 p.m., NBC5 forecasts.
Next week will be mostly sunny and warm, with high temperatures in the low to mid-70s at the beginning of the week, before warming up to the high 70s and low 80s later in the week.
The latest Dallas forecast, via KXAS-TV (NBC5):
SATURDAY: Much cooler with occasional rain and drizzle. A few strong morning thunderstorms could bring large hail. Low: 40. High: 54.
SUNDAY: Cloudy skies early with a few leftover morning showers, followed by gradual sunshine. Cool. Low: 39. High: 58.
MONDAY: Mostly sunny and milder. Low: 48. High: 72.
TUESDAY: Mostly sunny, mild and breezy. Low: 55. High: 78.
WEDNESDAY: Mostly sunny, breezy and warm. Low: 54. High: 80.
THURSDAY: Mainly sunny and warm. Low: 60. High: 80.
