Severe Storms in Texas: Rare Combination of Tornadoes, Hurricane-Force Winds, and Hail Causes Devastation
A line of severe storms unleashed a unique and deadly combination of multiple tornadoes, hurricane-force winds, and softball-sized hail in west Texas. These extreme weather conditions resulted in the loss of at least four lives, injuries to nine individuals, and significant damage near the town of Matador. The storms wreaked havoc across Texas, from the Panhandle to Houston, causing destruction in the northern regions of the state, according to weather officials.
Related: Hailstorm Injures 80-90 Fans at Louis Tomlinson Concert in Red Rocks Amphitheatre
Governor Greg Abbott responded to the devastating impact of the storms by expanding the disaster declaration to include an additional six counties, on top of the ones originally declared on June 16. This declaration provides much-needed support to affected communities and enables swift response from state authorities.
The National Weather Service predicts a slight chance of storms reoccurring on Thursday afternoon and night, with the potential for more large hail, measuring up to 3 inches in diameter, and winds reaching speeds of up to 70 mph. These severe conditions are foreseen by meteorologist Alex Ferguson in Amarillo.
On Wednesday around 8 p.m., a supercell formed near Amarillo before making its way towards the small town of Matador. Matt Ziebell, a senior forecaster at the National Weather Service in Lubbock, referred to the event as an exceptional occurrence, as it is rare to witness killer tornadoes, hurricane-force winds, and softball-sized hail simultaneously.
The most concentrated damage took place along a 1-mile stretch on the west side of Matador, a tight-knit community where everyone knows each other, remarked Brandon Moore, Matador’s water superintendent and volunteer firefighter. Despite only having a two-minute warning, the town managed to rescue multiple individuals and bring them to safety. Unfortunately, there were some casualties who did not make it out of their homes.
Matador is receiving significant assistance from outside volunteers who are arriving to support the community in their clean-up efforts. Moore expressed gratitude for the overwhelming offers of help from people all around the world.
Aside from Matador, other areas in Texas were also impacted by the storms. Jayton experienced winds measuring 109 mph and hail exceeding 4 inches in width. Additionally, Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston recorded a wind gust of 97 mph, the highest since data collection began in 1969.
The National Weather Service has dispatched crews to west Texas to assess the damage and determine the intensity of the tornadoes. However, as of early Thursday afternoon, meteorologist Robert Barritt in Lubbock reported that the findings had not yet been released.
Ziebell described Wednesday’s weather conditions as an extraordinary combination of high-end wind shear and extreme storm instability.
Considering the widespread destruction, Matador suffered the most severe impact. The town, located about 70 miles northeast of Lubbock in Motley County, witnessed damage to homes, buildings reduced to rubble, and snapped power lines. In a striking contrast, a restaurant’s walls were demolished while its booths remained standing, leaving witnesses in awe of the scene.
Power outages have affected numerous areas in the sparsely populated west Texas region. Over 900 customers in Matador and Jayton have been left without power. A cooling center has been established in Matador to provide relief for those facing power outages and dealing with elevated temperatures, although no heat advisory has been issued (with temperatures expected to reach 90 degrees).
In Harris County, which includes Houston, almost two dozen cooling centers have been opened to accommodate nearly 90,000 customers who remain without power. The advisory for Thursday warns of a heat index potentially reaching 109 degrees.
This recent tornado outbreak occurred just six days after another tornado claimed three lives and injured over 100 people in Perryton, located in northern Texas Panhandle.
Meanwhile, concertgoers in Morrison, Colorado experienced another devastating hailstorm on Wednesday night at Red Rocks Amphitheater. Seven individuals were hospitalized, and up to 90 people received treatment for injuries, according to West Metro Fire Rescue.
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Contributions to this report were made by Associated Press reporter Juan Lozano in Houston.
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