FORT WORTH, TEXAS — The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex woke up to something it has not seen in a long time: real, heavy rain. On Thursday morning, October 1, the heaviest rain in over two months moved across North Texas, with radar from 8:05 AM CDT showing bands of moderate to heavy rain stretching over Fort Worth, Dallas, Plano, McKinney and much of the northern and western Metroplex. Lightning lit up the sky over Tarrant and Johnson counties, as the long-awaited soaking also raised concerns for flooding across a region that has been bone dry for weeks.
Radar Lights Up Over North Texas
The radar image shows a wide shield of rain covering the western and northern parts of the Metroplex. The heaviest rain, shown in orange and red, was focused over Tarrant County, including Fort Worth, along with Denton, Collin and western Dallas counties.
Communities like Arlington, Grand Prairie, Irving, Denton, Plano, Frisco and McKinney were all under steady to heavy rain during the morning commute.
Lightning Strikes West of Dallas
Numerous lightning strikes were detected west and southwest of Dallas, especially over Fort Worth and down toward Cleburne in Johnson County. Thunderstorms embedded in the rain shield brought bursts of heavier rainfall along with frequent lightning.
Anyone outdoors should head inside at the first rumble of thunder. When thunder roars, go indoors.
Rain Reaches the Red River
The rain was not limited to the Metroplex. Heavy rain also covered areas north toward the Red River, including Decatur, Sanger, Gainesville, Sherman, Denison, Montague and Bowie…