Storms offer reminder about season
Feb. 28—The powerful storms which blew through Hunt County late Thursday night and into Friday morning were never classified as severe, but were a good reminder that the North Texas severe storm season is drawing close.
One week after the county and much of the area was covered under blankets of snow and ice, spring storms produced frequent lightning, small hail and heavy rains.
More showers and storms were in the forecast for the rest of the weekend leading into Monday, the official start of Severe Weather Awareness Week in Texas.
The National Weather Service office in Fort Worth will be providing severe weather information and preparedness tips on its website, https://www.weather.gov/fwd/, each day through Friday. The lessons will offer instruction on severe weather terminology, lightning and severe storms, tornado safety, flooding safety and hail and damaging winds safety.
Of those, floods and flash floods are the most common and most dangerous weather issues that impact the Hunt County area.
Greenville received more than two and one-half inches of rain during the storms between Thursday night and early Friday morning, with additional showers and thunderstorms in the forecast through Monday evening.
As of press time Friday, flood warnings were in effect for the Cowleech and South Forks of the Sabine River in Hunt County.
Flash floods are the leading cause of weather-related deaths in Texas, and about 60% of flood-related deaths in the state involve motor vehicles. Just six inches of fast-moving water can cause motorists to lose control of a vehicle, even a pickup truck or SUV. Flood waters also may be hiding dangers such as debris, tree branches, power lines or damage to the road that can seriously damage a vehicle and harm or even kill drivers and passengers.
