- A spate of tornadoes began in Texas on Monday afternoon, causing damage to homes, businesses and power lines.
- One person died after a tornado ripped through Sherwood Shores, Texas officials told local media.
- The storm system is now moving east, where more than 50 million people are at risk for severe weather Tuesday and Wednesday.
A storm system that caused at least one reported death, several injuries and widespread damage in Texas and Oklahoma on Monday was expected to shift east and bring severe thunderstorms and possibly tornadoes to millions across the South.
At least 50 million people were under threat of severe storms Tuesday and Wednesday, the Storm Prediction Center said.
The severe weather could affect over a dozen states from the southern Plains to southeastern coast, including “violent and life-threatening thunderstorms” and tornadoes like those that already ripped through Texas and parts of Oklahoma on Monday, according to AccuWeather.
Severe thunderstorms and the potential for several strong tornadoes are forecast Tuesday for parts of the lower Mississippi Valley and central Gulf Coast, including much of Mississippi, Louisiana and western Alabama, according to the National Weather Service.
The storms may also produce flash flooding, damaging hail as large as baseballs and powerful winds with gusts between 80 and 90 mph. Southern Louisiana, much of Mississippi and western Alabama are facing the most significant tornado threats with a moderate risk of severe thunderstorms, according to AccuWeather.
AccuWeather forecasters also warned of “extremely dangerous” “rain-wrapped tornadoes” that occur when heavy rain reduces the visibility of a tornado, making it difficult for residents to spot a twister and see where it’s heading.
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On Wednesday, the risk of severe thunderstorms will shift even further east, bringing severe weather and potential for tornadoes to areas from northern Florida to eastern Virginia, AccuWeather forecasters said. The likely weakened storms could reach the Atlanta area by early Wednesday morning.
The NWS forecasts a “lessening threat” of flooding and severe weather Wednesday with less widespread and significant impacts than the days before.
‘I thought I was going to die’: Tornadoes rip through Texas, Oklahoma
The spate of tornadoes began in Texas on Monday afternoon, causing catastrophic damage to homes, businesses and power lines.
Over 48,000 Texas households were still without power Tuesday morning, according to poweroutage.us. Several Houston area schools opened late Tuesday as thousands of residents faced power outages and a flash flood warning.
One person died after a tornado whipped through Sherwood Shores, Texas, injuring several others, the Texas Department of Public Safety confirmed to local media.
Further south, three people were severely injured in Houston County after two mobile homes were destroyed, local media reported. In Elgin, a suburb of Austin, three people were injured, including two who were rescued Monday night after they were trapped in a collapsed structure, police said.
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Four people were rescued Tuesday after they were trapped under flattened buildings in the town of Bowie about 70 miles northwest of Fort Worth, Fox 4 News reported. No injuries were reported, according to the news station.
Confirmed tornadoes also caused damage in Round Rock, Texas; Granger, Texas; Taylor, Texas; and the Oklahoma town of Kingston, according to local officials and National Weather Service centers.
“I thought I was going to die,” Michael Talamantez told the Austin American-Statesman, part of the USA TODAY Network, after his Round Rock house was destroyed by a tornado. Neighbors were scrambling to cover their damaged roofs with tarps before more rain moved in.
Photos showed a storm ripped the wall and roof off parts of Jacksboro High School and left debris scattered in the city about 60 miles northwest of Fort Worth.
About 60 to 80 homes, as well as Jacksboro’s high school and elementary school were damaged, WFAA-TV reported. Minor injuries were reported but all students and staff members of the schools were safe, officials said.
Jacksboro High School Principal Starla Sanders told WFAA the damage was hard to process.
“It brought tears to my eyes,” she said. “It’s hard to see. I’ve lived here for 15 years. I love this place.”
The storms caused significant damage across much of Texas, Gov. Greg Abbott said at a Monday night news conference.
“We know there are many people whose lives have been completely disrupted and people who’ve lost their homes,” Abbott said.
Contributing: Roberto Villalpando, Claire Osborn and Tony Plohetski, Austin American-Statesman; The Associated Press
Contact News Now Reporter Christine Fernando at [email protected] or follow her on Twitter at @christinetfern.
