Texas Storms Leave 750,000 Without Power Amid Violent Storms And Intense Heat

Early Tuesday morning, the Dallas-Fort Worth metro area was hit hard, with hurricane-force wind gusts and heightened tornado concerns.

A wind gust of 77 mph was recorded at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, leading to a rapid increase in power outages across the region. According to PowerOutage.us, more than 750,000 customers in Texas were without power, with over half of these outages occurring in Dallas County.

The recent storms have added to the devastation left by previous weather events, with many residents still mourning the loss of at least seven people killed during violent storms over the Memorial Day weekend.

Overall, nearly two dozen people, including four children, lost their lives across five states due to the severe weather that struck the central US during the holiday period. Communities are grappling with the extensive damage to homes and businesses.

On Tuesday, more than 13 million people in Texas and extreme western Louisiana are at risk of severe weather. The National Weather Service has warned that damaging storms will move south and east throughout the morning and early afternoon, potentially reaching Houston. Large hail, lightning, and wind gusts up to 80 mph are the primary threats, with the possibility of a few tornadoes.

The areas already impacted by early morning storms could face another round of severe weather Tuesday night. Storms are expected to develop in western Texas and Oklahoma late in the afternoon and then move east. This successive wave of storms could hinder recovery efforts in communities already dealing with significant storm damage.

Sunday was the busiest severe weather day of the year so far, with over 600 reports of strong winds or hail across more than 20 states. These reports included wind gusts over 75 mph and hail the size of softballs. Twenty-six tornadoes were reported in 10 states, causing widespread destruction, turning homes and businesses into rubble, and downing power lines.

Heat Wave Adds To The Crisis

In addition to severe storms, parts of Texas are enduring sweltering heat, part of a broader heat wave affecting the South. Heat indices soared into the triple digits in Texas, Louisiana, and Florida. Although these indices, which reflect how the body feels considering humidity and air temperature, are expected to drop back into the 90s by Wednesday across most of the South, some Texans will continue to face extreme heat for a while longer.

Heat advisories are in place for Tuesday in western Texas’s Brewster County and the Davis Mountains and their foothills, where temperatures could reach up to 110 degrees, according to the National Weather Service. Extreme heat is the deadliest form of natural disaster in the US, surpassing tornadoes and flooding. High temperatures can lead to increased emergency room visits for heat-related illnesses such as heat stroke and heat exhaustion.

Heat waves like the one currently affecting the South are becoming more frequent, intense, and prolonged due to human-driven climate change. These conditions are increasingly difficult to endure as nighttime temperatures often remain high, preventing adequate cooling.