Updated Oct. 21, 2019 6:58 PM
A large tornado touched down in the northern part of Dallas late Sunday evening, knocking out power to over 150,000 residents and causing significant damage to homes, cars , businesses, and schools.
Around 10:30 p.m. CDT Sunday, the National Weather Service (NWS) in Fort Worth confirmed, via visual evidence, that a tornado was on the ground north of Interstate 635 and east of U.S. Highway 75.
The NWS has given this tornado a preliminary rating of EF3 with winds of 140 mph following a damage survey on Monday. This brings the 2019 total number of tornadoes for Oklahoma to 142 for the year so far. The all-time annual record for the state is 145, which was set in 1999.
As of 6:30 a.m. CDT Monday, the city's website reported that there have been no injuries or fatalities from the storm. The Dallas Police Department and Dallas Fire Department were assessing damaged structures throughout the night.
On Monday afternoon, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott issued a disaster declaration for 16 counties due to the severe storms. This declaration makes state resources available to areas impacted by the damaging storms.
However, there were numerous reports of downed trees and power lines, as well as debris covering area roadways. A gas leak was also reported in the Walnut Hill area of the city.
According to Newsweek, a spokesman for power company Oncor reported the 150,000 residents were left without power. As of 12:30 p.m. CDT, over 60,000 remained without power in Dallas County.
"We were incredibly fortunate, considering the path of the storm, that we have no reported fatalities or serious injuries at this time," Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson said at a Monday press conference.
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A search and rescue dog and handler pause while checking homes in a neighborhood hit by a tornado in Richardson, Texas, Monday, Oct. 21, 2019. (AP Photo/LM Otero)
"Some of the property damage is significant, and we are still assessing it. Power is still out for tens of thousands and some traffic signals are down. I will visit some of the damaged areas today," he said, adding that Dallas is a "strong and resilient city."
A vigorous storm system running into warm, moist and unstable air across the southern Plains was the culprit behind the explosive thunderstorm development and will be responsible for severe weather farther east on Monday.
The tornado struck near Dallas Love Field Airport, but airport spokesman Chris Perry told the Associated Press that the airport wasn't damaged in the storm.
Many area school campuses sustained significant damage from the storm, forcing several school closures on Monday because of cleanup and recovery efforts. The Dallas Independent School District reported on Twitter that six campuses "sustained extensive damage" and, as a result, classes would be cancelled on Monday.
At 2 a.m. CDT, the city opened the Bachman Recreation Center for those seeking shelter or refuge from widespread power outages and structural damage caused by the tornado.
Johnson said libraries were also being used as shelters for people that needed a place to go.
This is the scene at Walnut Hill and Monroe in NW Dallas. This is awful! Search and Rescue efforts are underway in this area now. Crews going door to door. Stay clear of this area and say a prayer for these folks. @CBSDFW #DallasTornado #txwx
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NBC News reported that a flooring store collapsed near Harry Hines Boulevard and that damage occurred to the front of a shopping center near Marsh and Walnut Hill Lane.
The network also reported that roofs had been damaged on homes near Richland College and that windows had been blown out of a store near I-635.
UPDATE: NOAA's #GOES16 tracked the #lightning & #severe #storms that moved through #Texas last night, including the devastating #DallasTornado, that struck suburban #Richardson. The #tornado destroyed buildings, flipped cars, and cut power to 175K people. #dfwwx #etxwx #txwx
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NEW: Before and after images of home near Dallas North Tollway and Royal Lane in North Dallas — that was badly damaged during the tornado tonight. #wfaaweather
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In addition to the tornado that hit Dallas, other communities were also ravaged by damaging winds and large hail following Sunday night's storms.
One person was killed in Benton County, Arkansas, after 80 mph winds tossed a tree onto a home near the community of Beaver Lake early Monday, ABC News reported.
Around 7:45 p.m. CDT, a tornado hit near Beckville, Texas, downing trees along Highway 79, the National Weather Service's Storm Prediction Center reported. Multiple power flashes had also been reported.
Springtown, Texas, received hail measuring up to 2 inches in diameter around 7:20 p.m. CDT, according to the Storm Prediction Center. Around 8 p.m. CDT, Gainesville, Texas, received hail ranging from 2 inches in diameter to the size of tennis balls.
Preliminary EF1 Tornado damage around the Cottonwood Apartment area in Memphis, Tennessee.
As the storms ripped through the area, passengers on planes waiting to depart from Memphis International Airport had to be evacuated and were being told to go through security clearance a second time.
Multiple tornado warnings were in effect around the Memphis, Tennessee, area during the Monday morning commute, but no additional tornadoes were reported.
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