Jan Wesner Childs
There are multiple reports of damage and injuries and at least one person died as tornadoes and storms ripped across parts of Texas and Oklahoma Friday.
McCurtain County, Oklahoma, emergency manager Cody McDaniel confirmed one death to the Associated Press but didn't provide further details. The county is home to the town of Idabel, which was heavily damaged by a tornado Friday night.
Authorities urged everyone to stay away from Idabel while they worked to clear damage and check on residents.
Elsewhere, injuries included a truck driver who was taken to the hospital when his semi blew over and a person who was hit by a falling tree, both in southern Oklahoma.
Dozens of homes are estimated to be damaged in northeast Texas, trees and power lines were down across the region and hundreds of flights canceled at Dallas area airports.
(MORE: Latest Severe Weather Forecast)
Here are our updates as the news unfolded Friday.
(9:34 p.m. ET) Storms Shift East
Thunderstorms are now moving eastward into Arkansas, Louisiana and southeast Texas. These storms will sweep through overnight with the threat of damaging wind gusts and a few tornadoes.
(9:28 p.m. ET) Record Rainfall In Dallas
More than 3 inches of rain fell at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport. The previous record was 1.77 inches in 1956.
(8:59 p.m. ET) Tens Of Thousands Without Power
Nearly 40,000 homes and businesses are without power in Texas, many in the northeast corner of the state, according to PowerOutage.us.
Nearly 60% of the power customers in tiny Red River County are experiencing outages. Video posted to social media showed heavy damage there.
Another 5,000 outages are being reported across the state line to the north in Oklahoma.
(8:12 p.m. ET) Damage Assessments Underway In Hopkins County, Texas
First responders are assessing the situation in Hopkins County, Texas, where at least four homes sustained heavy damage, according to a Facebook post from the sheriff's office about an hour ago. The Salvation Army is assisting impacted residents.
Video from the area showed debris being lofted into the air.
(7:35 p.m. ET) Multiple Homes Damaged In Lamar County, Texas
Roger Bussell, chief of the fire department in Powderly, Texas, estimates that at least 25 to 30 homes are damaged there. Bussell said in a phone call that several people were injured, but most were reported to be minor.
(6:48 p.m. ET) Tornado Watch For Parts of Texas, Louisiana and Arkansas
A tornado watch has been issued for eastern and inland southeast Texas, northwest Louisiana, western Arkansas and extreme southeast Oklahoma. A few tornadoes, damaging wind gusts and large hail are possible in this area through the evening.
(6:45 p.m. ET) Falling Tree Sends One Person To Hospital In Southern Oklahoma
At least one person was injured in Choctaw County, Oklahoma, just across the border from where damage and injuries were reported in Northeast Texas.
The incident in Oklahoma happened when a tree fell, according to a 911 dispatcher.
(6:23 p.m. ET) Damage, Injuries After Tornado In Northeast Texas
There are damage and injuries after a tornado was confirmed in Lamar County, Texas. A county dispatcher told weather.com in a phone call that further information wasn't immediately available and the county was in an active response mode.
Lamar County is about 80 miles northeast of the Dallas-Fort Worth area and includes the towns of Paris, Reno and Hopewell.
A photo posted to social media by KTVT-TV showed trees uprooted and a home heavily damaged.
(6:02 p.m. ET) Hundreds of Flights Canceled
Hundreds of flights were canceled or delayed at Dallas area reports, according to airline tracker FlightAware. Travel was affected at both Dallas-Fort Worth International and Dallas Love Field.
American Airlines spokesperson Sarah Jantz told the Dallas Morning-News that some of the changes were due to weather in other parts of the country and many of the flight changes at DFW were made ahead of time to limit last-minute disruptions.
American waived change fees today at DFW. Southwest Airlines waived change fees for flights to and from Dallas Austin and San Antonio.
(5:47 p.m. ET) Power Outages Rising In Texas
About 22,000 power outages are being reported in Texas, according to PowerOutage.us. About half are in the Dallas area.
(4:49 p.m. ET) Dallas Mayor: 'Wait It Out If You Can'
Some metro areas including Dallas-Fort Worth could see severe weather ramp up during this evening's Friday rush hour.
"Don’t be out or traveling in this weather, please," Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson tweeted a short while ago. "Wait it out if you can."
Here's what to do if you see a tornado while driving.
(4:24 p.m. ET) Semi Blown Over, Driver Injured In Oklahoma
Kenneth Eppler, emergency management director for the city of Durant in Bryan County, Oklahoma, said the driver of a semi truck was injured when the vehicle was blown over.
The incident happened on Highway 75, according to a photo shared by KXII-TV. Eppler told weather.com in a phone call that the extent of the driver's injuries was unknown.
The driver of this semi truck was injured when it tipped over during severe weather near Calera, Oklahoma, on Friday, Nov. 4, 2022.Eppler also said mobile homes were blown around on a sales lot in the area, where a tornado warning was issued by the National Weather Service.
(3:26 p.m. ET) First Reports Of Damage And High Winds
The first notes of severe weather are coming in from Texas and Oklahoma. There are reports of mobile homes damaged and trees and power lines down in Bryan County in southern Oklahoma. Hail has been reported in Haskell and Grayson Counties, Texas.
Gusts up to 60 mph are being reported in the Dallas area.
(2:11 p.m. ET) Tornado Watch Through This Evening
Portions of north and northeast Texas, southwestern Oklahoma and northwest Arkansas, including the DFW Metroplex and Tulsa, are under a tornado watch until 8 p.m. local time. Several tornadoes, large hail and destructive wind gusts are possible in this area into the evening. A tornado or two could be strong.
(1:52 p.m. ET) Where To Go If Your Home Or Work Doesn't Have A Basement
While most people are aware that the safest placeduring severe weather and tornado warnings is in a basement or storm cellar, not everyone lives and works in a building equipped with these.
For those without a basement at home, school or work, the safest place to take refuge is in a windowless room at the center of the building on the ground floor. Often, this turns out to be a bathroom. Another safe haven might be to shelter under a staircase, in a closet or even a hallway.
Once you arrive at your safe haven, crouch as low as possible to the ground, facing down with your hands over your head to protect from flying debris. Refrain from seeking shelter next to any heavy objects that could fall on you. It's always a good idea to wear shoes and try to put on a bike or football helmet if one is available.
(1:30 p.m. ET) Level 4 Risk Issued
Widespread damaging wind gusts and tornadoes are expected in the Arklatex region through this evening. The Storm Prediction Center has issued a "Level 4" risk for that area. This kind of forecast is only issued about a dozen times each year.
In general, the Southern Plains eastward to the Ozarks could experience severe weather by tonight, with Oklahoma City, Dallas-Fort Worth, Austin, San Antonio, Houston, Shreveport and Little Rock among the metro areas under threat.
Here's the latest forecast from weather.com meteorologists.
(12:59 p.m. ET) What To Do In A Watch Versus A Warning
A severe weather watch, be it for thunderstorms or tornadoes, is a cue to be alert and prepared. Stay tuned to forecast updates and have a plan to take shelter.
A warning means it's time to take action because severe weather is happening right now or is imminent in your area.
The Weather Company’s primary journalistic mission is to report on breaking weather news, the environment and the importance of science to our lives. This story does not necessarily represent the position of our parent company, IBM.
The Weather Company’s primary journalistic mission is to report on breaking weather news, the environment and the importance of science to our lives. This story does not necessarily represent the position of our parent company, IBM.
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