Severe Storms Threaten South on St. Patrick's Day; Fort Worth, Texas Hit By Two Severe Storms Packing Large Hail

March 17,2016
Severe thunderstorms packing large hail and possible damaging wind gusts are taking aim on parts of the South for St. Patrick's Day, from Texas to the Gulf Coast.
Many in the Fort Worth, Texas, area were awakened by severe thunderstorms packing large hail as they moved through early Thursday morning.
Just after 4 a.m. CDT the first severe thunderstorm moved through, resulting in numerous reports of golf ball and ping pong ball size hail. Dime size hail was also abundant across the area.
A second severe storm packing more large hail moved through the Fort Worth area after 7:00 a.m. CDT. That storm produced hail up to the size of tennis balls near Texas Christian University.
Some cars were damaged by the hail and had their windshields smashed in the Fort Worth area. A total of 23 ambulances were taken out of service at MedStar in Fort Worth due to hail damage, according to a report submitted to the National Weather Service.
Several birds were killed by the hailstones at the Fort Worth Zoo, according to fox4news.com.
The West Division of the Fort Worth police department suffered roof damage during the storms, resulting in water damage in their office.
In northeast Texas, roof damage was reported to several businesses and a jail in Clarksville late Thursday morning.
Below are the details on the threat of additional severe weather in the South late this week.

Severe Weather Forecast

Severe Weather Forecast Thursday

Thursday

• The greatest chance for additional severe weather Thursday will be along a stalled front in the South.
• Damaging large hail and strong wind gusts are possible in a corridor from east and north Texas to portions of Louisiana, southern Mississippi, southern Alabama and the western Florida panhandle. The chance of a tornado cannot be ruled out completely.
• Elsewhere, an isolated severe storm with hail or gusty winds cannot be ruled out in central New England.

Friday

• A few severe storms will remain possible along the same stalled front from south and central Texas to the Gulf Coast.
• Localized damaging wind gusts and large hail are the main threats.

Current Radar with Watches and Warnings

(MORE: View National Interactive Radar Map | Difference Between a Watch and a Warning)
MORE: Southern Flooding, Severe Weather March 8-10, 2016 (PHOTOS)