Tornado hits Texas, warnings swamp Florida; Tornado Forecast Updates
More than 150,000 homes and businesses were in the dark across Texas, Arkansas and Missouri on Wednesday, and a tornado watch was in effect across much of Florida as a line of severe weather ravaged much of the South.
In Texas, at least one tornado ripped off roofs east of Houston late Tuesday, downed utility poles and power lines, and knocked over cars, trucks and even a train. There were no immediate reports of serious injuries.
The weather threat had its sights set on the Atlantic Seaboard on Wednesday: the I-95 corridor from northern Florida to southern Virginia was most at risk. The biggest threat will be gusts of wind, which can reach hurricane force levels of 75 miles per hour, said AccuWeather lead meteorologist Alex Sosnowski.
A tornado watch was issued for parts of Florida Wednesday morning through noon afterward the National Weather Service in Tallahassee reported a confirmed northeast-moving tornado near Belair and Four Points, Fla.
“A series of strong, violent thunderstorms will be heading east … in and over this observation area,” warned National Weather Service meteorologist Roger Edwards.
Tornado that hit Houston caused “at least EF2 damage”
Tuesday’s tornado that struck southeast Houston caused at least EF2 damage, the National Weather Service Station in Houston reported Wednesday. EF2 damage from a tornado is characterized by the roofs of half-timbered houses being torn off, mobile homes being leveled and large trees being snapped or uprooted, according to the National Weather Service.
As of 11 a.m. Wednesday, more than 16,000 people across the state were without power, according to tracking site PowerOutage.us.
‘Extremely Dangerous’ tornado hits Texas
The Weather Service warned at one point Tuesday that a “large, extremely dangerous and potentially deadly tornado” was on the ground heading toward Baytown, about 25 miles east of Houston. Street flooding has been a chronic problem across the region.
The National Weather Service said it is dispatching a team to survey damage and confirm tornado strength in parts of southeast Texas. The American Red Cross said it is opening a shelter for residents of Pasadena, a city of 150,000 about 15 miles east of Houston.
Texas dog shelter destroyed by tornado
In Pasadena, the shelter lost power, water, and phones, causing the shelter and adoption center to close.
“Please help! The Pasadena Animal Shelter was hit by a tornado today! We urgently need foster parents etc.,” the agency tweeted. “Please please please share and if you can keep a dog or 5 (garage, guest room, whatever) PLEASE HELP US!”
The train pulls over at Deer Park
A tornado and damaging winds were blamed for blowing over a train in Deer Park, a Houston suburb. Dozens of buildings in the city sustained significant damage, and dozens of roads were closed due to fallen trees or power lines.
The school district posted a note on Facebook saying many homes and businesses were damaged and that all of its buildings and some neighborhoods were without power. After “careful consideration,” classes for Wednesday were canceled.
“We hope this gives families a chance to recover from the stress of today’s events, and we believe the best thing for children to do after a natural disaster is to be with their parents or guardians,” the post reads . It added that the cancellation will allow employees to determine the extent of the damage to their own buildings.
City officials are urging residents to stay off the streets while workers try to repair downed power lines. Deer Park Mayor Jerry Mouton Jr. said he was amazed no injuries were reported.
“We will take care of the property and restore and rebuild it,” he said.
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Contribution: The Associated Press
