Texas tornado spotted on ground
A multi-vortex tornado was spotted on the ground north of Mount Vernon, Texas, Thursday. (Carmen Palermo/WEATHER TRAKER /TMX)
More than 92,000 customers were left without power in Texas early Friday after the state was likely hit by tornadoes and a powerful storm system moving eastward.
The outage tracker showed 92,948 residents and businesses without power in the Lone Star State.
The severe weather forced residents in northern and central areas to take cover.
The National Weather Service warned of damaging winds with gusts over 70 miles per hour and large hail – in addition to issuing tornado and severe thunderstorm warnings.
TEXAS, LOUISIANA SLAMMED BY HURRICANE-FORCE WINDS, TORNADOES
In the Dallas-Fort Worth area, teams from the agency planned to survey areas for likely tornado damage in the storm’s path.
In Louisiana, a possible tornado reportedly touched down near Louisiana State University in Shreveport.
There were more than 11,800 customers without power in the Gulf Coast state on Friday.
FLIGHTS INTO, OUT OF TEXAS CANCELED WITH STORMS APPROACHING
Wind gusts over 70 miles per hour caused damage in Denton County, Texas. (FOX 4 News Dallas)
The storms also impacted travel, overturning four 18-wheelers – with authorities reporting only minor injuries – allowing U.S. Highway 75 in Texas and leading to the cancelations of hundreds of flights into and out of the Dallas area.
Tracker FlightAware.com showed 36 cancelations at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport on Friday.
Some Dallas-Fort Worth area school districts canceled after-school activities due to the forecast and the suburb of Richardson asked residents to stop using water after the storm knocked out power to pumping stations.
Strong winds from the storm also tore a roof off in Haltom City, Texas (FOX 4 News Dallas)
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“Water is currently in city water storage facilities, but will run out if all customers do not immediately cease use of water, except for emergency needs only,” Richardson officials said in a statement.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
