Tornado Watch issued for Collin County, severe storms threaten Frisco, Richardson

A Tornado Watch put Frisco, Richardson and the rest of Collin County under the threat of fast-moving severe storms through 9 p.m., forcing families to rethink commutes, school pickups, youth sports and evening plans before dark. The National Weather Service issued Tornado Watch 141 at 1:55 p.m. CDT on April 24, covering Collin County and nine other North Texas counties as forecasters warned of a dangerous setup across the region.

The watch area stretched across Collin, Cooke, Delta, Fannin, Grayson, Hopkins, Hunt, Lamar, Rains and Rockwall counties, with city names including Allen, McKinney, Plano, Frisco and Richardson. FOX 4 News Dallas-Fort Worth relayed the National Weather Service description of an “extraordinary threat to life or property” in Collin County and nearby counties, a warning that raised the stakes for anyone driving home, waiting on a bus stop, or planning to stay out for practice or dinner.

The main concerns were tornadoes, large hail and wind gusts up to 80 mph. Even though coverage was expected to be limited, forecasters warned the impacts could be significant where storms hit. That meant a short window to make decisions: move cars under cover if possible, keep phones charged, and be ready to shift quickly if a warning replaced the watch. In practical terms, families in Frisco, Richardson, McKinney, Plano and Allen had to treat the rest of the afternoon and evening as a period when conditions could turn dangerous with little notice.

Local cities already have systems designed for that kind of threat. Frisco said it activates its outdoor warning sirens when hail reaches 1.5 inches or larger, winds hit 70 mph or greater, or a tornado threatens the community. Richardson’s emergency notification system can rapidly send calls, texts and emails to residents and businesses with life-safety instructions. Those alerts were especially important as the watch period moved toward the 9 p.m. deadline, when storms could still interrupt evening traffic and outdoor events.

For Collin County, the immediate message was simple: stay weather aware, keep an eye on local warnings and be ready to move indoors quickly if the situation changed. With a watch covering some of the county’s largest suburban corridors, the risk was not abstract. It landed squarely on the routines that fill a Thursday afternoon and evening across north central Texas.