Mother Nature did her best to provide us a variety of weather over the weekend, as rain, thunderstorms, hail, possible tornadoes, gusty wind and even sunshine were all part of the picture.

 

The most intense came late Sunday afternoon as a cold front approached the area as the National Weather Service issued a Tornado Warning for Northwestern Shelby and Northeastern Nacogdoches Counties at 5:45 p.m.

 

Hail appeared to be the biggest weather product as reports up to 1.75 inch diameter, primarily in Nacogdoches County, and marble size hail in Center reportedly covering the ground in several locations just after 6 p.m. The Tornado Warning expired at 6:45 p.m. with no reported touchdown. However there were several reports of circular cloud rotation and pictures on social media of the familiar tornado tail. Fortunately there was no confirmation of touch-down.

 

A Severe Thunderstorm Warning was issued for eastern Shelby County at 7 p.m. with heavy rain reported.

 

Late Saturday evening into Sunday morning there was a more defined line of thunderstorms move through with wind gusts to 60 mph and heavy rains.

 

There were several reports of tress blown down, due in part to already saturated ground.

 

Deep East Texas Electric Cooperative reported some 4,500 member were without power system-wide by daybreak Sunday.

 

DETEC Communications Specialist Brittney Johnson says crews reported several poles and lines down due to high winds. Outages were reduced to less than 100 by 7:30 p.m.

 

Jim Forbes reports 2.65 inches of rain in Center over the weekend, including 1.27 Saturday morning. Forbes said the April rainfall stands at 8.22 inches, with the monthly average 4.16 inches.

 

Photo taken by Heather Eschliman on her front-door steps in the Campti Community Sunday evening.

 

Denise Merriman snapped this apparent funnel cloud between Center and Shelbyville Sunday evening.

 

Tina Hagler Vaughn shared this picture to Facebook Sunday evening in Center.