1 killed, several injured as severe storms rumble through Texas with large hail, damaging winds

WAXAHACHIE, Texas – One person was killed and several were injured following severe storms that rolled through Texas during the first half of the weekend.A quick-moving cold front helped produce the severe weather, which was centered south of Dallas, and included large hail and damaging winds.”It is with deep sorrow that we report the tragic loss of a 42-year-old man from Midlothian as a result of this incident. Our heartfelt condolences go out to his family, friends, and loved ones. We kindly ask you to keep this family in your thoughts and prayers…All city departments are actively working on the recovery process following this severe weather incident,” the Ennis Police Department said in a statement.Texas authorities also reported at least half a dozen tractor-trailers overturned along the Interstate 35 corridor during the severe weather.”The northern portions of the (Gulf) – they are 1 to 5 degrees above average, so that is kicking in extra moisture in the atmosphere,” said FOX Weather Meteorologist Nick Kosir. “And we’ve seen what it can do. Earlier this week we had that severe outbreak and here we go again with a low around threat.”With cold air aloft and strong updrafts, large hail was the primary threat from the thunderstorms, but cloud-to-ground lightning and heavy rainfall was also reported.A wall of a metal grocery store in Ennis was blown off during wind gusts estimated at 70-80 mph by the National Weather Service. Meanwhile, gusts estimated at 80-90 mph partially tore the roof off a family home and damaged their garage in Waxahachie, the NWS said.During the height of the activity, more than 11,000 customers lost power in Ellis County as the storms swept through, findenergy.com reported.In Granbury, three bays suffered wind damage with several sunken boats and jet skies, according to the NWS, citing local emergency managers. Down the road in Tolar, winds downed a 2-mile stretch of power poles, the NWS said.NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center placed over 18 million in the threat zone for severe weather, which stretched from Dallas through New Orleans and Jackson, Mississippi and the Florida Panhandle.The NWS office in Dallas stated that it did not plan to survey any of the hardest-hit areas, as the initial storm damage was linked to hail and strong winds, rather than tornadoes.While this weekend’s stormy weather rates relatively low on the severe weather risk scale, the FOX Forecast Center is casting a weary eye on the forecast across the South for the middle of next week as conditions appear ripe for a more dangerous severe weather outbreak.Two separate disturbances will eject out of the Rockies and move across the southern Plains and Southeast. The first one, expected sometime around Wednesday into Wednesday night, could lead to thunderstorms, some of which may be severe.A more substantial storm system will move out into the southern Plains and into the Southeast on Thursday into Friday.While a strong wind field will provide plenty of dangerous wind shear, capable of fostering the development of rotating storms, questions remain regarding how much moisture will be left over the passage of the first system on Wednesday.Details will become clearer as the days get closer and forecast models come into better agreement, but suffice to say stormy weather looks to return again next week.