A slow moving upper level low pressure system drifted east across Central and Eastern Texas during the daytime hours of May 16th. Meanwhile, the attendant surface low pressure system over East Central Texas drifted east into Northeast Texas during the afternoon, with a southerly low level jet allowing for a warm front to mix north into East Texas, extreme Northern Louisiana, into Southern Arkansas through the evening. Although daytime heating was limited due to extensive cloud cover and periods of showers, large scale forcing and adequate low level wind shear contributed to the development of numerous low-topped supercell showers and a few thunderstorms, several of which spawned tornadoes and wall clouds across portions of extreme Northeast Texas, Southwest Arkansas, and Southeast Oklahoma throughout the afternoon and evening. As drier air began to entrain ahead of this upper low pressure system, and the warm front had shifted north into the northern sections of Southwest Arkansas by mid-evening, the tornado threat subsided considerably.

Tornado in FRANKLIN, TEXAS
From 16-MAY-20 12:33:00 to 16-MAY-20 12:34:00 (CST-6)
Location: FAIRVIEW
Tornado F-scale: EF0
Property damage: 25.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey

An EF-0 tornado with estimated maximum winds around 85 mph briefly touched down along County Road NW 1019 where it ripped off portions of a roof of a metal outbuilding. It then partially damaged the roof of a single family home and tore off much of the roof of a garage as it downed small and large tree limbs and uprooted a tree. The tornado moved northwest and crossed County Road NW 1019 and then uprooted a few more trees before it lifted in a field.

Tornado in CASS, TEXAS
From 16-MAY-20 14:37:00 to 16-MAY-20 14:38:00 (CST-6)
Location: WRIGHT PATMAN LAKE
Tornado F-scale: EFU
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey

A waterspout was documented by video by a game warden on Lake Wright Patman in extreme Northern Cass County. This waterspout then moved northwest into extreme Southern Bowie County across the lake. This waterspout was rated an EF-Unknown due to the lack of damage indicators on the lake.

Tornado in BOWIE, TEXAS
From 16-MAY-20 16:05:00 to 16-MAY-20 16:06:00 (CST-6)
Location: WAMBA
Tornado F-scale: EF1
Property damage: 20.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey

An EF-1 tornado with estimated maximum winds near 95 mph briefly touched down and was documented on a smart phone camera crossing from Clem Ranch and moving northwest adjacent to a pond. The tornado tore portions of the roof off of a single family home and topped off the trunks of two trees before lifting as it crossed Akin Road.

Flash Flood in BOWIE, TEXAS
From 16-MAY-20 17:56:00 to 16-MAY-20 18:45:00 (CST-6)
Location: OAK GROVE
Flood cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

County Road 4321 between Avery and Dekalb was impassable due to flooding.

Tornado in BOWIE, TEXAS
From 16-MAY-20 14:38:00 to 16-MAY-20 14:39:00 (CST-6)
Location: REDWATER
Tornado F-scale: EFU
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey

This is the continuation of the EF-Unknown tornado (waterspout) on Lake Wright Patman from extreme Northern Cass County. This waterspout was documented on video by a game warden moving northwest across the lake, before lifting prior to reaching the land areas. Due to the lack of damage indicators on the lake, this waterspout was rated as EF-Unknown, with a total path length across Cass and Bowie Counties of 2.63 miles.