Thursday, April 3, 2014

LIVE: Tornadoes Rake Northeast Texas, Central U.S.

By Mark Leberfinger, AccuWeather.com Staff Writer
April 3,2014; 9:37PM,EDT
 
 
Severe thunderstorms and some tornadoes ignited across portions of Kansas and Missouri on Wednesday night and Thursday, starting off the first major severe weather outbreak of the spring season.
Denton County, Texas, was hard hit Thursday afternoon and evening by four rounds of storms in northern Texas.
"Northeast Texas will continue to be a focal point through midnight local time," AccuWeather.com Meteorologist Erik Pindrock said.
Through Thursday night, the storms will continue to shift eastward, he said, adding the tornado threat will diminish overnight as the storms continue to move into central Arkansas and southeast Missouri.
"The primary threat will become damaging winds and hail," Pindrock said.
Golf ball- to softball-sized hail was reported, according to NWS trained spotters. Spotters also reported rotation and a wall cloud in the county. According to an NWS observation, an 82-mph wind gust was recorded at the Denton airport.
No major damage was reported, the City of Denton reported on its Twitter feed. About 200 homes were without electricity. The city's streets and parks departments dispatched crews for debris clean-up and downed trees.
Hunt County officials reported significant damage to homes on a Farm-to-Market road near Texas Highway 69.
Hail was a common occurrence with these storms as they rumbled across the Plains. Windshields of cars parked near the Kansas Star Casino were broken by hail measuring 2 inches in diameter, according to a public report. Other hail reports ranged from dime- to tennis-ball-sized stones.
Flooding was a major issue south of Kansas City, Mo., to west of Columbia, Mo. Torrential downpours flooded yards and highways, including Highway 58 in Kansas, which was eventually shut down. Law enforcement reported a trapped motorist due to 3 feet of flowing water early Thursday morning.
Only one tornado was reported Wednesday. A storm chaser spotted a brief rope tornado near Elk City, Kan. No damage was reported.
The greatest threat for tornadoes will come Thursday and Thursday night across an area stretching from northeastern Texas to southern Illinois.
Warm and moist air will surge in from the south during the day, destabilizing the atmosphere and providing the ingredients for severe storms to ignite. The strongest storms will come later in the day and at night.
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Flash flooding will be another potential problem in the region as the storms fire up Thursday. Travelers should be prepared for road and air traffic travel delays, flooded roadways and possible vehicle damage from hail.


UPDATES: (All times are listed in EDT)

10:54 p.m. EDT Thursday: A tornado is on the ground north of Mount Vernon, Texas along Highway 37, Law Enforcement reports.
10:27 p.m. EDT Thursday: Two funnel clouds have been reported by NWS trained spotters near Bloomfield, Mo.
9:30 p.m. EDT Thursday: A tornado was on the ground near Twin Oaks, Mo., on the south side of St. Louis, reports NWS spotter. A second tornado was reported five miles northeast of Fairdealing, Lyon County, Ky., reports an NWS trained spotter
9:20 p.m. EDT Thursday:
8:45 pm. EDT Thursday:
8:39 p.m. EDT Thursday: The Blackwater River near Valley City, Mo., is above major flood stage, cresting at 33.39 feet and breaking the record of 32.48 feet in June 2013, according to NWS.
8:35 p.m. EDT Thursday: Tornado reported crossing Highway 380 at Princeton, Collin County, Texas, NWS spotters report.
8:17 p.m. EDT Thursday: Confirmed tornado was located near Washington, Mo., moving east at 35 mph, according to NWS St. Louis.
8:00 p.m. EDT Thursday: Denton, Texas, is in line for more storms.
7:55 p.m. EDT Thursday: More than 3,000 Oncor customers in Texas were without power Thursday evening, the utility reported.
7:35 p.m. EDT Thursday: Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon declared a state of emergency in response to the severe weather.
7:26 p.m. EDT Thursday: A confirmed tornado has been reported at Rich Fountain, Mo., 80 miles west of St. Louis, according to Missouri State Highway Patrol.
7:20 p.m. EDT Thursday: Trained spotters in Denton, Texas, reporting wall cloud with marble- to hen egg-sized hail.
6:53 p.m. EDT Thursday: Watch this evening's edition of AccuWeather LIVE, discussing the latest on the outbreak of severe weather moving through the Central U.S.:
6:40 p.m. EDT Thursday: Tennis ball-sized hail fell south of Salisbury, Mo., reports NWS spotter.
6:35 p.m. EDT Thursday: Widespread wind damage occurred in Miller County, Mo., law enforcement reported.
6:30 p.m. EDT Thursday: Golf ball-sized hail one mile west of Salisbury, Mo., NWS spotter reported.
6:20 p.m. EDT Thursday: Flooding reported by NWS spotter in Evansville, Ind.
6:00 p.m. EDT Thursday:
Hail damage reported in Denton, Texas, at a parking lot along I-35. (Photo/Twitter user @MeredithT1)
6:00 p.m. EDT Thursday: Columbia, Mo., broke a 101-year-old record with 3.26 inches of rain for April 3. More rain is expected. The old record was 1.46 inches, which was set on April 3, 1913.
5:45 p.m. EDT Thursday: Softball-sized hail of 4.25 inches in diameter reported in Denton, Texas one-eighth of a mile west of Texas Women's University, according to a NWS trained spotter.
5:34 p.m. EDT Thursday: Golf ball-sized hail reported one mile north of Cross Timbers, Hickory County, Mo., by county emergency management.
5:21 p.m. EDT Thursday: Flooding reported along highway 69 in Ohio County, Ky., between Fordsville and Hartford. County Sheriff's office is responding and redirecting traffic, according to an NWS spotter.
4:50 p.m. EDT Thursday: Golf ball-sized hail and hail more than 2 inches in diameter reported near Denton, Texas, reports a NWS trained spotter.
4:15 p.m. EDT Thursday: Earlier in the afternoon, the Storm Prediction Center and other NWS websites were down for a time on Thursday. Please see the latest updates from AccuWeather Enterprise Solutions Senior Vice President Mike Smith.
4:10 p.m. EDT Thursday: Golf ball-sized hail fell four miles east-northeast of Fayette, Mo., an NWS spotter reported.
3:55 p.m. EDT Thursday: Watch the latest edition of AccuWeather LIVE for updates on the severe weather from Texas to Ohio:
3:35 p.m. EDT Thursday: More than 3,000 Ameren Missouri customers, with about 2,000 in Jefferson County, were without power, the utility reported.
3:30 p.m. EDT Thursday: Flooding reported across many areas of central Indiana, local officials report.
3:25 p.m. EDT Thursday: More than 3,660 U.S. flights have been delayed and another 368 canceled, according to FlightStats.
3:15 p.m. EDT Thursday: 1.84 inches of rain fell in six hours, two miles northwest of Leo, Ind., CoCoRaHs reports.
3:00 p.m. EDT Thursday:Flooding reported in East Carmel, Ill.
2:45 p.m. EDT Thursday: Several roads closed due to flooding in Rolla, Mo., law enforcement said. Other roads closed throughout Phelps and Pulaski counties.
2:40 p.m. EDT Thursday: Thunderstorms capable of producing a tornado heading toward Preston, Mo., northwest of Springfield, AccoWeather.com meteorologists said.
2:30 p.m. EDT Thursday: Numerous roads under water throughout Daviess County, Ky., an NWS spotter reports.
2:25 p.m. EDT Thursday: There is a break but more storms are expected in southeastern Missouri, western Kentucky and southern Illinois, AccuWeather.com Meteorologist Brian Edwards said. Another threat area for storms is from Springfield, Mo., to Tulsa, Okla., and close to Little Rock, Ark.
2:10 p.m. EDT Thursday: Flooding was occurring in Boone and Moniteau counties in Missouri, emergency management officials told the NWS.
2:00 p.m. EDT Thursday: Golf ball-sized hail at Rolla, Mo., NWS spotter reported.
1:40 p.m. EDT Thursday: National flight delays top 2,600 with more than 750 of those delays into and out of Chicago O'Hare International, according to FlightStats.
12:56 p.m. EDT Thursday:
12:24 p.m. EDT Thursday: More than 2 inches of heavy rain have been recorded in Franklin Co., Ill., by an NWS-trained spotter.
11:50 a.m. EDT Thursday: For the latest on the storms, watch our noon edition of AccuWeather LIVE:
11:40 a.m. EDT Thursday:
11:34 a.m. EDT Thursday: Water over several intersections of Highway 41A in Henderson, Ky., due to flash flooding, reports NWS spotter.
11:20 a.m. EDT Thursday: Phone lines down due to thunderstorm wind damage in Cauthron, Ark., reports law enforcement.
11:00 a.m. EDT Thursday: More than 1,150 flight delays nationally with the top delays coming into and out of Chicago O'Hare International Airport, according to FlightStats. Chicago O'Hare International is currently experiencing delays due to thunderstorms, according to the FAA.
10:30 a.m. EDT Thursday: Hail falls in Valley View, Texas:
Large hail falls in northern Texas on Thursday, April 3, 2014, as a severe storm system moves through the region. (Instagram Photo/Clint Johnson).
10:25 a.m. EDT Thursday: Approximately 3 inches of heavy rain has fallen near Peoria, Ill., according to an NWS employee.
10:10 a.m. EDT Thursday:
10:00 a.m. EDT Thursday:
9:45 a.m. EDT Thursday: According to Vaisala, more than 100,000 lightning strikes have hit the ground in the central U.S. since yesterday.
9:25 a.m. EDT Thursday:
9:12 a.m. EDT Thursday: Numerous roads closed due to flooding and water over the roadways in Hallsville, Mo., according to emergency management.
7:55 a.m. EDT Thursday: Watch the latest edition of AccuWeather LIVE for updates on the storm's development:
7:17 a.m. EDT Thursday: The NWS Storm Prediction Center relayed a local news report that trees were twisted, roofs were damaged and debris was blown onto roads as a result of a tornado in St. Louis County. Meanwhile, local storm responders are on alert.
6:44 a.m. EDT Thursday: According to AccuWeather.com Meteorologist Brian Thompson, the most numerous severe storms will be during the afternoon and evening hours.
"Thunderstorms with damaging winds and hail will likely persist into the overnight hours across the Ohio and Tennessee valleys. Even outside of tornadoes, there can be damaging wind gusts over 70 mph that bring down trees and power lines," he said.
"In areas where heavy rain and thunderstorms linger for several hours, flash flooding will become a problem as some places pick up more than 4 inches of rain."
6:26 a.m. EDT Thursday: Radar confirms a tornado just outside of St. Louis. Area residents advised to seek immediate shelter.
5:40 a.m. EDT Thursday: Law enforcement in Tipton, Mo., report flash flooding a foot deep on Highway 50 between Tipton and Syracuse.
5:16 a.m. EDT Thursday: A line of strong storms are approaching the St. Louis area. Torrential downpours, gusty winds, and hail are possible.
3:50 a.m. EDT Thursday: Law enforcement reported a stranded motorist on highway 58 in Johnson County, Mo., due to 3 feet of running water.
3:33 a.m. EDT Thursday: Around 4 inches of rain has fallen in Warrensburg, Mo., since yesterday evening, reports a trained spotter.
2:45 a.m. EDT Thursday: Law enforcement reports that KDOT is closing highway 58 west of Colony due to rising water.
2:02 a.m. EDT Thursday: A line of thunderstorms is training south of Kansas City, Mo., and west of Columbia, Mo. Many reports of flooding are coming from this area. Radar:
12:50 a.m. EDT Thursday: Torrential downpours created a flash flood in Anderson County, Kan. Law enforcement reports of several roads with flowing water over them.
10:50 p.m. EDT Wednesday: A hail-producing storm is heading toward the western suburbs of Kansas City. A trained spotter reported 1-inch diameter hail in Douglas County earlier from this storm.
10:23 p.m. EDT Wednesday: Windshields of cars parked near the Kansas Star Casino were busted out by hail measuring 2 inches in diameter, according to a public report.
9:40 p.m. EDT Wednesday: Heavy rain totaling 2.09 inches in Effingham, Ill., according to Mesonet.
9:03 p.m. EDT Wednesday: Golf ball-sized hail and hail totaling more than 2 inches have been reported in Allen County, Kan., according to NWS spotters.
6:55 p.m. EDT Wednesday: Watch this evening's edition of AccuWeather LIVE for the latest on the severe thunderstorms firing up across Kansas:
12:45 p.m. EDT Wednesday: Parts of Homer Adams Parkway Route 3 Underpass are flooded with water flowing underneath the pass in Alton, Ill., reports an NWS spotter.
11:40 a.m. EDT Wednesday: Ping-pong ball-sized hail fell in Waterloo, Ill., according to an NWS spotter.

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