Severe Local Storm Warnings: Challenges from the 04 March 2004 Event

The severe weather outbreak that occurred across a large part of Texas on 04 March 2004 presented many challenges to all National Weather Service Forecast Offices (WFOs) involved. Intense convection developed across west Texas during the morning of 04 March, and spread quickly east and northeast during the day. Moderate instability combined with extremely strong environmental wind shear to produce severe thunderstorms with numerous reports of wind damage and tornadoes across Texas. Although linear forcing along an advancing cold front led to an overall storm mode that was linear, the combination of shear and instability contributed to the development of numerous supercells along the squall line. Rapid storm movement, minor changes in storm mode with time, and widespread coverage of convection were some of the factors that made the event especially challenging. A summary of the event, from pre-storm planning to verification and storm surveys, is presented from the perspective of forecasters at WFO Fort Worth, Texas.