Cleanup underway after deadly storms blast Dallas, Houston with hurricane-force winds, baseball-sized hail
Outside the Houston metro, several homes that were under construction in Magnolia, Texas, collapsed during the severe storms. After combing through the debris, firefighters said they found the body of a construction worker and believe no one else was trapped in the rubble.
Cleanup efforts continue in Dallas area after powerful storms leave trail of damage
Cleanup efforts are continuing in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex after powerful storms knocked out power to more than 1 million utility customers and left trails of damage early Tuesday morning.
DALLAS – Cleanup efforts continue in Texas from the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex to Houston after severe weather left trails of damage and knocked out power to more than 1 million utility customers on Tuesday.
Powerful thunderstorms barreled across the Lone Star State and produced baseball-sized hail and hurricane-force wind gusts that tore roofs from buildings, flipped vehicles and snapped trees like twigs.
Watch: Power lines spark in Dallas as powerful storms blast across region
Video recorded in Dallas on Tuesday shows power lines sparking as a powerful thunderstorm blasted through the city on Tuesday, May 28, 2024.
The extreme weather started before sunrise in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, with the National Weather Service issuing numerous Severe Thunderstorm Warnings and Tornado Warnings while outdoor warning sirens wailed and cellphones lit up with emergency notifications.
Dallas County appeared to be especially hard hit, and officials warn power outages there could last for days.
Storms then raced off to the south and impacted the Houston area, which is still in recovery mode after the region saw significant damage from a deadly derecho that blasted the city with destructive 100-mph winds two weeks ago.
And the severe weather risk isn’t over. The threat of thunderstorms and torrential rain will continue in Texas through at least the end of the workweek.
Watch: Sirens wail in Dallas as powerful thunderstorms blast across city
Outdoor warnings sirens were activated in Dallas early Tuesday morning as a line of powerful severe thunderstorms blasted across the city.
Texas storms flip tractor-trailers, rip roofs from buildings
In Collin County, north of Dallas, first responders reported baseball-sized hail that fell near Lowry Crossing, with several other communities reporting ping-pong-ball-sized and half-dollar-sized hail.
Damaging winds were also reported, with an 83-mph wind gust near Denton and a 75-mph wind gust at Dallas Love Field Airport.
(FOX Weather)
Dallas Fort Worth International Airport reported a 77-mph wind gust, while The Colony reported a 95-mph wind gust – nearly the strength of a Category 2 hurricane.
The extreme weather is also responsible for snapping trees in several communities, such as Garland and Dallas.
Dallas County Judge Clay Lewis Jenkins said he instructed the district attorney’s office to prepare a disaster declaration because of the severe weather and power outages, which he signed on Tuesday afternoon.
Watch: Video shows Carrollton, Texas, hit hard by powerful thunderstorm
A video recorded in Carrollton, Texas, shows a powerful thunderstorm producing lightning, torrential rain and damaging wind gusts as it moved through the community on Tuesday morning.
Officials also worked a structure collapse in the community of Lewisville, and several crashes were reported on Interstate 35 in the area.
Emergency officials in Frisco said two neighboring homes in the Hollyhock Subdivision were struck by lightning just after 6 a.m. local time, with one of those homes being heavily damaged by fire.
And in Houston, a strong storm moved through the downtown region that saw glass shatter in skyscrapers less than two weeks ago. Winds were estimated to be at least 60 mph when the storms rolled through parts of Harris County.
Outside the metro, several homes that were under construction in Magnolia, Texas, collapsed during the severe storms. After combing through the debris, firefighters said they found the body of a construction worker and believe no one else was trapped in the rubble.
![At least one person was killed at a construction jobsite in Magnolia, Texas.]()
Image 1 of 5At least one person was killed at a construction jobsite in Magnolia, Texas. ( )
![Firefighters investigate the collapse of homes in Magnolia, Texas, that happened during storms May 28, 2024.]()
Image 2 of 5Firefighters investigate the collapse of homes in Magnolia, Texas, that happened during storms May 28, 2024. (Magnolia Fire Department/Facebook)
![Storm damage in Carrollton outside of Dallas, Texas]()
Image 3 of 5Storm damage in Carrollton outside of Dallas, Texas (Laura Vola)
![Storm damage in Carrollton outside of Dallas, Texas]()
Image 4 of 5Storm damage in Carrollton outside of Dallas, Texas (Laura Vola)
![Storm damage in Carrollton, Texas.]()
Image 5 of 5Storm damage in Carrollton, Texas. (John Rolniak)
In West Texas, thunderstorm winds likely caused a dust storm to quickly reduce visibilities outside of Midland, in Midkiff, Texas.
Photos and videos showed at least one pileup, which caused traffic to slow in the area.
PERSON KILLED IN COLLAPSE AT HOUSTON-AREA CONSTRUCTION SITE DURING SEVERE STORM
Severe weather impacts Texas runoff primary election day
Voting got underway across the state's 254 counties on Tuesday morning, but storms are reported to have caused interruptions at some voting centers.
Due to power outages around Dallas County, elections officials decided to extend precinct voting times by two hours.
"The severe storm that hit our community this morning caused significant disruptions, including power outages and temporary closures of many of our vote centers. We are committed to ensuring that every eligible voter can vote, even in the face of these unexpected challenges. We appreciate the court's decision to extend voting hours and are thankful for the dedication of our poll workers who continue working through this difficult time," Heider Garcia, an administrator for the Dallas County Elections Department, said in a statement.
Time-lapse satellite animation showing thunderstorms over Texas on May 28, 2024.
(NOAA)
Storm threat isn't over for Texas
Computer forecast models show the threat of wet weather will continue through the week for Texas and expand to include the eastern Rockies and High Plains as energy from the Pacific Northwest helps to initiate showers and thunderstorms.
Due to the scattered nature of activity, flooding could occur where thunderstorms repeatedly move over the same area.
Over the next five days, widespread rainfall amounts of 2-3 inches are likely, with some communities approaching the 5-inch mark by the weekend.
(FOX Weather)
Because of the event’s long duration, Flood Watches have not been posted, with National Weather Service offices likely to issue Flash Flood Warnings on an as-needed basis, as thunderstorms have the potential to pop up over a more than 1,400-mile stretch of the country.
During the daily rounds of precipitation, hail and damaging winds are expected to be the greatest concerns over the Plains, with an isolated tornado chance not being ruled out.
The continued threats of wet weather serve as a reminder that any thunderstorm is capable of producing life-threatening lightning, heavy rainfall and gusty winds.
AT LEAST 25 KILLED ACROSS 7 STATES DURING MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND SEVERE WEATHER OUTBREAK
Houston manhole cover challenged by torrential rainfall
Much of Texas was bracing for 3-5" of rainfall from thunderstorms during the Memorial Day week.