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ToggleTexas Faces Another Weekend of Severe Storms
Texas is once again bracing for severe weather as dangerous storms are predicted to hit the central U.S. this weekend. The National Weather Service’s Storm Prediction Center has issued warnings for damaging winds, hail, and potential tornadoes across a broad swath of the storm-weary region. The latest forecasts have heightened concerns for areas still recovering from weeks of relentless severe weather, which have included deadly tornadoes and widespread damage.
More than 25 million people from southern Texas and New Mexico to Kansas and Colorado are at risk. Among the cities in the storm’s path are San Antonio, Texas; Little Rock, Arkansas; and Pueblo, Colorado. “There’s still plenty of uncertainty as to where exactly storms will initiate and be most impactful,” the weather service noted, emphasizing the unpredictability of these severe weather events.
Central U.S. Under Siege from Storms
Early Friday morning, flood and thunderstorm advisories were issued across central and eastern Texas. Rivers in these areas are nearing flood stages, prompting the weather service to place parts of the Mississippi Valley under flash flood advisories. Rolling storms are expected to develop, bringing potentially dangerous conditions.
In Matagorda County, Texas, hailstones up to 2.75 inches in diameter were reported, and wind speeds reached 72 mph. These severe weather conditions have caused power outages for over 230,000 homes and businesses in eastern Texas, a significant decrease from Wednesday’s peak of nearly 400,000 outages. Additionally, western Louisiana reported over 28,000 outages, and Arkansas had more than 11,000 utility customers without power.
Travel disruptions have also been significant. At Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, delays from earlier in the week continued to affect travelers. As of Friday afternoon, more than 100 flights had been canceled and over 300 delayed, according to FlightAware.
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Recent Storms Leave a Trail of Destruction
In the past week, numerous homes and businesses in Texas were destroyed by severe storms. Tragically, a 16-year-old construction worker was killed when a building collapsed near Houston on Tuesday. The incident is currently under investigation by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).
Memorial Day weekend was particularly deadly, with severe weather claiming at least 22 lives across the southern Plains. Arkansas reported eight deaths, Texas seven, Kentucky five, and Oklahoma two, with numerous homes destroyed. In Texas, this recent wave of misery followed deadly flash floods and high winds in the Houston area two weeks prior, which resulted in eight fatalities and left thousands without power for days.
The frequency of tornadoes this spring has been notably high, adding to the sense of urgency and concern among residents in the affected areas.
Storms to Persist Through the Weekend
As the weekend progresses, severe storms are expected to move north, impacting the Upper Plains and parts of the Midwest. Saturday’s forecast predicts storm development across the central and southern High Plains, eventually forming clusters that will spread from eastern Texas to South Dakota. These storms pose risks of severe winds, hail, and possibly a few brief tornadoes, particularly in Colorado, Nebraska, Kansas, New Mexico, and eastern Texas.
Another storm system could develop over the central Gulf Coast, bringing heavy rainfall to much of Mississippi and Alabama. By Sunday, storm clusters are expected to concentrate over the Upper Plains, affecting the Dakotas, Nebraska, and much of Minnesota. Looking ahead to next week, the northern U.S. and the Midwest are expected to experience continued severe weather, providing some much-needed respite for Texas and the southern Plains.