Texas power outages top 1 million after severe storms hit Dallas and Houston

DALLAS – Powerful thunderstorms rocked the Dallas-Fort Worth and Houston metroplex Tuesday, leaving more than a million utility customers in the dark as severe weather battered the region and produced hail the size of of a baseball, hurricane-force wind gusts and significant damage to several communities.

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The severe weather outbreak started early with outdoor warning sirens and cell phones blaring with emergency notifications as the National Weather Service issued numerous warnings of severe thunderstorms and tornadoes across North Texas .

Dallas County appears to be particularly hard hit by power outages, which officials say could last several days.

Storms in Texas overturn tractor-trailers and rip roofs off buildings

In Collin County, north of Dallas, first responders reported baseball-sized hail falling near Lowry Crossing, while several other communities reported baseball-sized hail. ping pong and a half dollar.

Destructive winds were also reported, with a wind gust of 83 mph near Denton and a wind gust of 75 mph at Dallas Love Field Airport.

Extreme weather conditions are also responsible for the destruction of trees in several communities, such as Garland and Dallas.

Dallas County Judge Clay Lewis Jenkins said he asked the district attorney’s office to prepare a disaster declaration because of the severe weather and power outages, which he signed Tuesday afternoon.

Authorities also caused a structure to collapse in the Lewisville community, and several crashes were reported on Interstate 35 in the area.

Frisco emergency officials said two neighboring homes in the Hollyhock subdivision were struck by lightning just after 6 a.m. local time, with one of those homes sustaining severe fire damage.

And in Houston, a strong storm passed through downtown and saw the glass of skyscrapers shatter less than two weeks ago. Winds were estimated at at least 60 mph as the storms moved through parts of Harris County.

Outside the metro, several homes under construction in Magnolia, Texas, collapsed during the severe storms. After searching the debris, firefighters said they found the body of a construction worker and believed no one else was trapped in the rubble.

In West Texas, thunderstorm winds likely caused a dust storm that quickly reduced visibility outside of Midland in Midkiff, Texas.

Photos and videos showed at least one pileup, which caused traffic to slow down in the area.

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Extreme Weather Impacts Texas Primary Runoff Day

Voting began Tuesday morning in the state’s 254 counties, but storms reportedly caused interruptions at some voting centers.

Due to power outages in Dallas County, election officials decided to extend precinct voting hours by two hours.

“The severe storm that hit our community this morning caused significant disruptions, including power outages and temporary closures of many of our voting centers. We are committed to ensuring that every eligible voter can vote, even in the face of these unexpected challenges. We appreciate “We have received the court’s decision to extend voting hours and we are grateful for the dedication of our election workers who continue to work during this difficult time,” said Heider Garcia, administrator of the Dallas County Department of Elections , in a press release.

Storm threat not over for Texas

Computer forecast models show the threat of wet weather will continue throughout the week in Texas and expand to include the Eastern Rockies and High Plains as energy from the Pacific Northwest helps trigger showers and thunderstorms.

Due to the scattered nature of the activity, flooding could occur where thunderstorms repeatedly move over the same area.

Over the next five days, widespread precipitation of 2 to 3 inches is likely, with some communities approaching the 5-inch mark by the weekend.

Due to the long duration of the event, flood watches have not been posted, with National Weather Service offices likely to issue flash flood warnings if necessary as thunderstorms may arise over a stretch of more than 1,400 miles of territory. country.

During the daily precipitation, hail and damaging winds are expected to be the greatest concerns over the Plains, with an isolated tornado risk not ruled out.

Continuing threats of wet weather are a reminder that any thunderstorm is capable of producing life-threatening lightning, heavy rain and gusty winds.

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