Tornadoes leave a trail of destruction in southern Plains, U.S.
Several destructive tornadoes touched down in southern Plains on February 26, 2023, resulting in severe damage and power outages. The National Weather Service reported multiple tornadoes throughout the day, with winds of over 177 km/h (110 mph) causing significant damage in Texas.
The Storm Prediction Center reported 9 tornadoes on February 26 — 7 in Oklahoma and 2 in Kansas.
Severe damage was reported in Norman, Oklahoma, as destructive winds and tornadoes swept through the area. Gas leaks, fallen power lines, and uprooted trees were reported in the city. Photos of the damage showed a car flipped upside down and homes with roofs shredded, and part of a garage collapsed.
The highest wind gust report came from Memphis, Texas, where a 183 km/h (114 mph) gust was observed. Wind-driven hail also damaged windows in the town. In McLean, Texas, a garage door was blown in at a local business.
While more than 88 000 customers in Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas were without power on Sunday night (LT), Oklahoma led the region in power outages, with over 55 000 customers still without power as of early Monday morning.
Multiple tornado warnings were issued by the National Weather Service in Oklahoma, including confirmed tornadoes near Vinson, Hobart, and Angora. To the west of Sweetwater, Oklahoma, a house and barn were significantly damaged and destroyed after a tornadic cell rolled through the area. Agricultural barns and equipment were scattered across roads.
Severe storms are forecast to continue to push northeastward into parts of southern and eastern Kansas, northwestern Arkansas, and Missouri into early Monday.
AccuWeather forecasters warn that travelers across parts of northern Texas, Oklahoma, southeastern Kansas, and Missouri could face travel disruptions, including flight delays or cancellations due to area thunderstorms, low visibility on roadways in heavy downpours, and damaging wind gusts.
References:
1 Severe storms spawn tornadoes across southern Plains, unleash winds over 110 mph in Texas – AccuWeather – February 27, 2023
Featured image credit: Live Storms Media (stillshot)
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