Tornadoes rip through Dallas area, northeast Texas
Tornadoes rip through Dallas area, northeast Texas
Several tornadoes roared through the Dallas-Fort Worth region and across parts of northeastern Texas today, causing major damage and several injuries.
At least two "large and extremely dangerous" tornadoes ripped across the Dallas-Fort Worth area this afternoon, collapsing roofs, tearing down power lines and tossing trailers around like toys, the National Weather Service says.
Several other twisters were reported as violent storms moved northeast. Five people were reportedly hurt when a twister tore through a subdivision in Forney, northeast of Dallas.
The weather service says "considerable damage" has been reported near Cleburne, south of Fort Worth, and Lancaster, south of Dallas. Local television footage shows overturned and smashed semi-trailers on the ground in the southern portion of Dallas County. Dallas Police spokeswoman Sherri Jeffrey says twisters also have caused damage in the city limits.
A tornado watch — meaning that conditions are ripe for tornadoes to continue to form — was in place for 33 counties in north-central and northeastern Texas until 8 p.m. CT, the National Weather Service reported.
By Tom Pennington, Getty Images
Update at 7:23 p.m. ET: The Dallas Fort Worth airport says today's violent weather damaged 110 aircraft.
In Lancaster, south of Dallas, the city manager reports that 300 structures were damaged and that there were "multiple" injuries.
Update at 6:51 p.m. ET: The Arlington command center reports that roughly 150 homes were damaged in the city's southwest, with only three injuries, DFW Police Scannertweets.
Update at 6:49 p.m. ET: Dallas police report no serious injuries in the city.
Update at 6:43 p.m. ET: WFAA reports that a tornado inHopkins County, in northeastern Texas, may be headed for the small town of Cornersville. Sulphur Springs is the county seat.
Update at 6:33 p.m. ET: As of 5:00 p.m. CT (6 p.m. ET), the U.S. Storm Prediction Center had received 12 reports of tornadoes in Texas, but some sightings are duplicate eyewitness reports of the same tornado, USA TODAY's Doyle Rice reports. Meteorologists will revise the number after surveying the areas Wednesday and throughout the week.
Update at 6:27 p.m. ET: No damage to Texas Rangers Stadium in Arlington, the team's PR office tells USA TODAY's Marisol Bello.
No major injuries have been reported in Arlington, a police spokeswoman says. Police and fire are still searching for people who may be injured or are trapped. Ruptured gas lines have been reported.
Most damaged homes and buildings are in the city's southern flank.
Update at 6:18 p.m. ET: American Airlines canceled 606 flights today and 565 others were delayed, USA TODAY's Nancy Trejos reports. An airline spokesman predicted that flights would be affected Wednesday.
"Our DFW operations are practically down to nothing for the rest of the day today," says American Airlines spokesman Tim Smith. "One of our obstacles was, while there were no specific tornadoes at the airport … there were extremely strong thunderstorms and some presence of hail."
Smith says the FAA requires airlines to inspect aircraft that might have been exposed to hail and make repairs if necessary. The airline had to inspect 68 American planes and 33 American Eagle planes. A total of 370 departures had to be canceled after storms hit around 1:30 p.m. Typically, there are about 750 departures out of DFW a day, he says.
Smith says some inbound flights were being diverted to other airports.
Update at 5:59 p.m. ET: A storm chaser tells CBSDFW that the neighborhood next to an elementary school in Forney "looks like a bomb's gone off."
Update at 5:51 p.m. ET: The National Weather Service has canceled tornado warnings for Delta, Hopkins and Lamar counties.
Update at 5:46 p.m. ET: American Airlines has canceled all its remaining flights at Love Field to inspect planes for damage,MSNBC reports.
More than 225 outbound flights were canceled and the airport is closed to all inbound traffic until 9 p.m. CT (10 p.m. ET),NBCDFW says. Departing flights won't be allowed to take off until they are inspected for hail and storm damage.
Update at 5:43 p.m. ET: Here's a live feed from WFAA-TV.
Update at 5:35 p.m. ET: A "very large" tornado is being reported in Greenville, the seat of Hunt County, and residents were told to seek shelter immediately.
Update at 5:25 p.m. ET: Here's the latest regarding Love Field, from the Morning News:
D/FW Airport spokesman says the bulk of the evening schedule will be disrupted, partly because of hail damage to several aircraft. Sounds like many folks will be spending the night at the airport.
By Nomaan Merchant, AP
Update at 5:13 p.m. ET: At least five people were hurt in Forney when the tornado ripped through a subdivision, according to emergency responders, the Morning News says. Other news outlets say an undetermined number of people were hurt in and around Dallas.
Update at 5:06 p.m. ET: The Dallas Morning News writes: "Early reports are that there were no kids in Crosby Elementary (in Forney) when the tornado hit, ripping off the roof and throwing cars around in the parking lot."
Update at 5:01 p.m. ET: The Dallas Police Department says Love Field has resumed operations.
Update at 4:56 p.m. ET: Crosby Elementary School in Forney and several homes have been heavily damaged, according to unconfirmed reports.
The twister reportedly just missed the high school, which CBS initially reported had been hit.
No reports of casualties yet.
Update at 4:44 p.m. ET: NTXLW is reporting that Forney High School "HAS JUST BEEN HIT BY A LARGE DANGEROUS TORNADO."
Update at 4:40 p.m. ET: A tornado was reported on the ground in Forney, in Kaufman County, northeast Texas, a minute ago, NTXLW reports.
Update at 4:38 p.m. ET: Arlington police say no serious injuries have been reported in the city, which has suffered some of the worst damage reported so far, the Morning Newsreports. Police and firefighters continue to search the hardest hit areas.
Update at 4:33 p.m. ET: Another tornado has been confirmed about three miles west of Cumby, moving northeast 25 mph, WFAA say. Cumby is about 15 miles west of Sulphur Springs.
Update at 4:35 p.m. ET: Here's the Fort Worth Star-Telegram's report, with photos.
Update at 4:28 p.m. ET: A new tornado is developing about nine miles southwest of Sulphur Springs, in Hopkins County, and is moving northeast at 25 mph, WFAA-TV reports.
By KDFW-TV, via AP
Update at 4:26 p.m. ET: Dallas city officials have released an update on storm damage, the Morning News says:
"Dallas Police south central division reports damage at Strawberry and Tioga, west of Bonnie View, in the 4100 block of Stage Coach. Some trucks were damaged at the Schneider Truck Co., north of I-20 No significant injuries have been reported. 10 to 20 homes have been damaged in the 4100 block of Stage Coach. Trees have been reported down around Skyline High School; a car was thrown into a fence. Love Field has activated the Terminal Evacuation Plan and all passengers and tenants have been evacuated to the first floor and underground, at the request of the FAA. "
Update at 4:50 p.m. ET: The Dallas Morning News says it has heard that the Forney tornado "just missed" the high school and that there are reports of nearby homes "being ripped up."
Update at 4:19 p.m. ET: WFAA is reporting that "a new rotation is rapidly developing in the storm in southern Dallas County near Wilmer" and that a tornado "could form at any moment."
Update at 4:17 p.m. ET: A spotter has reported a tornado on the ground four miles north of Lone Oak in Hunt County, theDallas Morning News says.
Update at 4:07 p.m. ET: The National Weather Service has canceled all tornado warning in the immediate Dallas-Fort Worth area, USA TODAY's Doyle Rice reports. Two tornado warnings are still in effect for counties several miles northeast of Dallas.
Update at 4:03 p.m. ET: A tornado has reportedly touched down at Trinity Mills, west of Plano, local TV stations say.
In Arlington, students have returned to storm shelters as another band of violent weather moves through.
Update at 3:51 p.m. ET: At 2:45 pm CT (3:45 p.m. ET), a new tornado warning was issued by the National Weather Service for areas between Fort Worth and Dallas, USA TODAY's Doyle Rice reports. This includes Arlington, Euless, Cockrell Hill, and Irving, Texas.
Update at 3:41 p.m. ET: AccuWeather reports significant damage at Six Flags Amusement Park in Arlington.
Flights heading to Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport are being delayed almost three hours.
Update at 3:32 p.m. ET: The twisters flung cars and trucks from roadways, NBC reports.
"There's lots of 18-wheelers," an NBC 5 reporter said from near Arlington. "I've never seen this before."
"There's tremendous damage here," said another NBC 5 reporter, in Lancaster. He said thata day care center was heavily damaged but that the children and adults inside appeared safe.
NBC said at least two tornadoes appeared to have touched down south of Dallas.
The storms dropped hail the size of baseballs and golf balls, according to reporters and eyewitnesses.
Original post by Douglas Stanglin:
The Weather Channel/KXAS
Three tornadoes have hit in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. One is near Fort Worth and the other two are south and southeast of Dallas.
WFAA-TV has been showing live video of one tornado gaining in size and speed as it churns toward the northeast.
Update at 3:14 .m. ET: WFAA-TV reports a possible tornado is approaching the south side of the Dallas-Fort Worth Airport at 25 mph.
Update at 3:09 p.m. ET: The National Weather Service reports at least two separate "large and extremely dangerous" tornadoes south of Dallas and Fort Worth. Dallas Police spokeswoman Sherri Jeffrey said an apparent twister touched down and caused damage within the city's southern limits. Officials had no immediate information about injuries.
Local television footage shows a large, dark funnel cloud moving on the ground not far from a major interstate this afternoon. Crumpled orange tractor trailers are visible in a Dallas County parking lot, as well as flattened trailers along the sides of highways and access roads.
Update at 3:07 p.m. ET: Police scanners reports a tornado is heading toward the community of Garland east of Dallas.
Update at 3:02 p.m. ET: Three tornadoes have touched down in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. One was on the ground near Fort Worth, and the other two south and southeast of Dallas.
Update at 3 p.m. ET: A Dallas police scanner reports a tornado on the ground in southeast Dallas, the Pleasant Grove area of the city.
Update at 2:59 p.m. ET: The Weather Channel reports that after these tornadoes pass through the Dallas / Fort Worth area, a line of severe storms will move through with high winds, hail, downpours, and frequent lightning. There is now a ground stop for all flights to DFW and Love airports.
Update at 2:57 p.m. ET: A police scanner reports that a building has collapsed and people are trapped in Arlington, which is located between Dallas and Fort Worth, according to AccuWeather.
Update at 2:56 p.m. ET: The National Weather Services reports that storm spotters and radar shows separate "large and extremely dangerous" tornadoes both south of Dallas and Fort Worth. The weather service says "considerable damage" has been reported near Cleburne, south of Fort Worth, and Lancaster, south of Dallas.
Update at 2:53 p.m. ET: MSNBC reports that sirens have been going off in the Mesquite area, on the eastern edge of Dallas, and that students at Mesquites schools have been ordered to take shelter.
Update at 2:45 p.m. ET: The National Weather Service says the says the tornado south of Fort Worth caused "considerable damage" near the town of Cleburne.
Update at 2:40 p.m. ET: CNN reports that a tornado emergency has been issued for South Dallas County.
Update at 2:38 p.m. ET: Video of the tornado shows tractor trailers being picked up in the air and overturned by the storm.
Update at 2:35 p.m. ET: WFAA reports a tornado near Lancaster, Texas, south of Dallas, moving north at 25 miles per hour. "This is a dangerous storm," WFAA reports. "Roof tops from houses are flying in the air."
Update at 2:27 p.m. ET: WFAA reports two tornadoes on the ground in the Dallas-Fort area. One was seen south of Dallas heading toward the city. The other was spotted in or near Fort Worth.
Update at 2:23 p.m. ET: A tornado on the ground just south of downtown Dallas, WFAA TV reports.
Update at 2: 22 p.m. ET: WFAA reports that a "Code Black" has been issued at Parkland Hospital, which means keeping all patients away from windows.
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