December 26, 2015 will be a day the residents of Garland and Rowlett, Texas will never forget. It was a warm and sunny Saturday with temperatures in the mid 70's. While meteorologists were talking about this event in the days leading up, everyone was going about their typical day after Christmas routine. However, the early evening hours of December 26, 2015 would end up ground zero for the counties of Dallas and Rockwall. For those residents in Sunnyvale, Garland, and Rowlett, an unprecedented historic weather event was setting up to unfold.

Initially touching down in Sunnyvale, Texas the tornado would gain strength after the sun would set. The massive EF4 wedge tornado would make its way into the southeast portion of Garland. It would continue carving a destructive path from southeast Garland northwest into Rowlett. One of the hardest hit areas was around the I-30 and President George Bush Turnpike (PGBT 190) interchange killing nine people along that highway interchange.

Cars were tossed like lawn chairs. Big industrial highway lights were twisted and bent without effort. The EF4 tornado continued to make its way across the I-30 and PGBT highway interchange decreasing in intensity. It continued over Lake Ray Hubbard where it would pick up intensity once again in Rowlett. The tornado, once again an EF4, was at it maximum width near Windjammer Way.   The destructive and violent EF4 tornado would eventually decrease in intensity and dissipate over Lake Ray Hubbard just south of the Collin County Line. This tornado carved a path of damage 13 miles long, with wind speeds of 170 to 180 mph, and a maximum width of 550 yards at its peak.