Published: December 26,2015
At least two tornadoes struck the Dallas suburbs, killing at least four people in vehicles, destroying several homes and damaging many more Saturday as Winter Storm Goliath emerged from the western U.S. and began interacting with the record warmth blanketing much of the South, leading to a large zone of severe weather risk.
The four deaths occurred near the intersection of
Interstate 30 and the President George Bush Turnpike in Garland, a
large city northeast of Dallas that is a part of the Dallas-Fort
Worth metroplex, authorities said. The victims were believed to be in
vehicles at the time, Mike Hatfield of the Garland Police Department
said. There were also multiple injuries reported at an apartment
building south of I-30, he said, but the injuries were not considered
life threatening.
WFAA television in Dallas showed video of damage to homes, a church and vehicles in Garland, about 20 miles northeast of Dallas, and in Glenn Heights, 20 miles south of the city.
The tornado warnings were downgrading to watches by 9 p.m. Saturday but were replaced with flash flood warnings.
In addition to the tornadoes, flooding was reported in the St. Louis area as well as parts of several other states.
(FORECAST: The Latest on Winter Storm Goliath)
Here
are some of the biggest impacts from the warm side of Winter Storm
Goliath. All times are Central Standard Time unless otherwise noted.
Texas
The National Weather Service in Fort Worth relayed spotter reports of a tornado that struck several suburban cities south of Dallas in southern Dallas and northern Ellis counties starting around 6 p.m. Saturday.The tornado was reported in Ovilla and Desoto, and also reportedly struck portions of Midlothian, Waxahachie, Glenn Heights and possibly Lancaster. There are multiple independent reports of damaged homes resulting from that tornado.
Stephanie Parker is the emergency manager for Ellis County, which is about 30 miles south of Dallas. She posted on twitter: "We have destroyed and damaged homes. Please do not get out on the roads if you do not have to."
Less than an hour later, The Weather Channel broadcast live video of a cone-shaped tornado in progress near Sunnyvale, Texas, beginning at 6:46 p.m. The long-track tornado smashed northward through neighboring Rowlett before crossing parts of Rockwall and Collin counties, passing near Farmersville and causing major damage there according to local fire officials relaying information to the National Weather Service.
Tornado east of Dallas, near the Rowlett, TX area via Nathan Moore. #txwx
Trained spotters told NWS Fort Worth that people were trapped under a collapsed building in the unincorporated community of Copeville in Collin County, northeast of Dallas. The building was among several damaged in the area.
As of 8:10 p.m., about 52,000 Oncor electricity customers had lost power across Texas, with 30,000 of those in Dallas County alone.
In addition to the tornado damage, flash flooding was reported across much of Dallas County due to heavy rainfall.
At Love Field, the public address system warned people to move away from windows in the concourse area, The Associated Press reported. Passengers were later given the all clear to return to their gates.
Missouri
Flooding was reported across the St. Louis area Saturday as heavy rain drenched the region. More than 3 inches of rain fell in many areas, and the National Weather Service reported flooded roads in parts of Franklin County.The city of Eureka, along Interstate 44 in St. Louis County, also experienced flooding.
@BreeSmithWx @anneeliseparks Old Town Eureka
Illinois
The heavy rainfall that affected St. Louis also hit its suburbs across the Mississippi River in southwest Illinois.Social media showed water ponding in a residential backyard in Granite City on Saturday.
Oklahoma
The National Weather Service said a tornado was reported in a rural area of McClain County near Byars just before 2 p.m. Saturday.Several flash flood warnings were issued in the southern and eastern portions of the state late Saturday as heavy rain drenched a ribbon of counties from the Red River to the Arkansas border.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
MORE: Southern Illinois Killer Tornado, December 1957
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