Last night, a National Weather Service severe thunderstorm warning locked in on Hood and Parker counties, putting Weatherford-area towns on edge as storms fired up with penny-sized hail and damaging wind gusts. Radar showed a bruising line of storms stretching from Lake Weatherford toward Western Lake and sliding along at roughly 30 mph, posing a threat to lakeside communities and drivers on I-20 and I-30. Officials urged residents to hunker down in sturdy buildings and steer clear of windows while the line pushed through.
What the NWS warned
The National Weather Service in Fort Worth issued the evening warning for Hood and Parker counties, noting storms could spit out penny-sized hail, about 0.75 inches across, along with wind gusts up to 60 mph, according to the NWS Fort Worth. The office cautioned that roofs, siding, and trees could take a hit and urged people to head inside a solid structure and stay away from windows until the storms passed.
Communities and roads under threat
At 6:08 p.m. CDT, the NWS reported a line of severe storms running from near Lake Weatherford to near Western Lake and moving west at about 30 mph. The bulletin singled out Weatherford, Mineral Wells, Azle, Granbury, Willow Park, Aledo, Brock, Hudson Oaks, Western Lake, Annetta, Lipan, Cool, Lake Mineral Wells, Lake Weatherford, Oak Trail Shores, Horseshoe Bend, Cresson, Annetta South, Annetta North and Millsap as locations in the warning, along with Interstate 20 between mile markers 390 and 422 and Interstate 30 near mile marker 1, according to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Drivers were urged to flip on headlights, steer clear of flooded spots, and stick to middle lanes when possible to cut the risk of hydroplaning while the storms moved through.
Safety tips for people and drivers
Lightning is a routine part of storms like these, and the NWS estimates there are roughly 25 million lightning strikes in the U.S. each year, with about 20 lightning-related deaths annually. The agency repeats its thunder rule of thumb: “When Thunder Roars, Go Indoors,” and recommends waiting at least 30 minutes after the last rumble before heading back outside, per NWS lightning safety guidance. If you cannot get inside, avoid open fields, hilltops, isolated trees, and metal objects, and if you are driving when winds or hail knock down visibility, pull well off the roadway until conditions improve.
