Tornadoes Rip Through Sections of Dallas

Just a month after a notable tornado outbreak across parts of the Midwest and the Southeast, a severe thunderstorm yesterday spawned up to 12 tornadoes causing extensive localized damage in the Dallas-Fort Worth region of Texas, according to catastrophe modeling firm AIR Worldwide.

Several homes and businesses were flattened by the tornadoes in the suburban communities of Arlington and Lancaster. In Lancaster alone, 300 structures were damaged by the tornadoes.

Until the National Weather Service (NWS) completes damage surveys of the affected regions of North Texas, the full impact of these tornadoes will not be known.

As of Wednesday morning, an estimated 650 homes and many businesses in suburban communities around Dallas have been damaged. Powerful winds peeled roofs from homes, leveled businesses, and tossed empty big rigs nearly 100 feet into the air. Nearly 14,000 homes and businesses in the region are still without electricity.

“On average, April and May are the most active months for severe thunderstorm activity in Central Texas, and Tuesday’s activity was typical for the time of year. However, given the location of this specific cluster of tornadoes, the impact of these storms was magnified,” said Dr. Tim Doggett, principal scientist at AIR Worldwide.

By Wednesday morning, the storm system moved northeast and is predicted to generate severe thunderstorm activity in the lower Mississippi Valley and Tennessee Valley.

According to the NOAA Storm Prediction Center, the states at greatest risk for severe storms include Louisiana, Mississippi, Arkansas, Alabama, and western Tennessee. Although tornadoes may be produced by these forecasted storms, large hail and strong winds are the most likely hazards.

Source: AIR Worldwide