Severe storms swept across North Texas Saturday night, producing destructive tornadoes and widespread damage. Lightning lit up a large wedge tornado that struck Runaway Bay, an EF2 with estimated winds up to 135 mph. Dozens of homes were damaged or destroyed, roofs and fences were shredded, and hundreds of homes and businesses lost power. At least two people died and six others were injured.
In nearby Springtown, lightning struck a storage tank, triggering a massive blaze and an explosion. Residents described the night as terrifying; some felt their houses lift and many were left without power. Local officials issued a disaster declaration for the county, where emergency crews assisted with rescue, damage assessment and clearing downed lines and debris.
The severe weather was part of a larger, long-lived storm system — a supercell complex that produced tornadoes from Texas into the Plains, including a violent tornado that carved a long path through Enid, Oklahoma, earlier in the week.
Meteorologists warned the threat was not over. Forecasts from the National Weather Service and CBS meteorologist Rob Marciano called for renewed rounds of energy moving out of the Rockies into the unstable Plains. Tornado watches were issued for northern Texas and southern Oklahoma and extended into parts of Arkansas and the Midwest. Over a million people were under a tornado threat at one point, and more than 2.5 million were in areas at risk for severe storms, including large hail and damaging winds.
Forecasters said the next 48 hours would remain volatile, with a heightened tornado risk as the system shifts east into the Central Plains and the Midwest. Cities including Tulsa, Springfield, Joplin and later St. Louis, Indianapolis and Chicago could face increased tornado potential. Another round of storms was expected Tuesday into Wednesday from Dallas to Little Rock, Memphis and Nashville. Additionally, very dry air and strong winds raised fire danger across parts of the Texas Panhandle and the High Plains of New Mexico, creating critical to extremely critical fire-risk conditions in those areas. Authorities urged residents to stay alert to watches and warnings and to follow local emergency guidance.