I’ve been spotting storms across North Texas for a couple years now, trained through the local SKYWARN program with the National Weather Service in Fort Worth.[1] Nothing quite preps you for the raw power up close, though. Last Tuesday, March 10, the sky turned mean fast, and what dropped from it shook me more than any gust I’ve felt.
Let’s walk through that wild afternoon. You’ll see why hail deserves the real respect around here.
My Journey into Storm Spotting
I got into SKYWARN after a close call with a twister back in 2024. Folks like me report hail sizes, wind damage, and flooding in real time to help the NWS issue warnings.[1] It’s volunteer work, but it saves lives. Training covers spotting everything from funnel clouds to golf ball hail.
North Texas sees tons of severe weather. Honestly, it beats sitting on the couch watching radar.
The Ominous Forecast Builds
Meteorologists flagged Tuesday, March 10, early. Storms firing from Central Texas headed our way, packing very large hail up to 4 inches and 80 mph winds west of Fort Worth.[2] Parker, Hood, and Wise counties braced for the worst. A tornado watch stretched into Oklahoma too…