DALLAS – A squall line of severe storms swept across North Texas early Tuesday morning, bringing hurricane-force winds, property damage and power outages. The winds caused high-profile vehicles to be pushed over on highways, broken power lines, and downed trees.
School Delays
North Texas Power Outages
As of 8:43 a.m., the number of power outages is now coming down. It is now at more than 264,000 customers without power. The highest number of power outages reported Tuesday morning was more than 318,000.
To report an outage, text OUT to 66267, call 888-313-4747, use the MyOncor app, or select “Report an Outage” located above the map.
DART Delays
Light Rail and TRE passengers should anticipate delays due to severe weather-related issues throughout the service areas. Please allow for additional travel time in your commute.
Wind Advisory
A Wind Advisory is in effect until 9 p.m. Tuesday. West to Southwest winds of 20 to 30 mph with gusts up to 50 mph are expected.
All of North and Central Texas will be affected.
Unsecured outdoor items may be blown around in the wind. Driving on area roadways may become difficult, especially for high-profile vehicles. Small tree limbs could break and cause damage.
A Wind Advisory means that sustained winds of at least 20 to 30 mph are expected. Winds this strong can make driving difficult, especially for high-profile vehicles. Residents may wish to take action to secure trash cans, lawn furniture, and other lightweight outdoor objects that may be blown around in the strong winds.
High Wind Reports
At 5:30 a.m., DFW Airport recorded a wind gust of 74 mph.
At 5:45 a.m., Dallas Love Field reported a wind gust of 78 mph.
Related
FOX 4 Weather Meteorologist Evan Andrews said he’s gotten official reports of straight-line wind speeds as high as 74 mph at DFW Airport and 78 mph at Dallas Love Field.
Why were weather sirens going off?
According to FOX 4 Meteorologist Evan Andrews, the weather sirens will sound for winds in excess of 70 mph. The gusts in some areas were recorded at 78 mph.
Tornado Watch
A tornado watch has been issued for North Texas until 11 a.m.
Related
A large part of Texas is expected to see temperatures dip below freezing. Throughout the rest of winter, you will hear meteorologists use terms like warning, watch and advisory, but what do they mean?
Tuesday Afternoon
Later in the morning into early afternoon, it will turn mainly sunny and very windy. WSW winds could gust to 40-45 mph as very dry air races in, and temps rebound into the low 70s. We could see dust blow as well.
A second cold front sweeps through late day, so winds will shift again along with a few clouds. By Wednesday morning, we’ll be in the 40s with a bit of a wind chill too.
Wednesday & Thursday Forecast
Wednesday will be SUNNY and cool with highs near 60. Diminishing winds will make for a nice early March afternoon.
After a chilly start on Thursday, we’ll rebound into the 60s as south winds start to increase. Sunday will yield to some afternoon cloudiness but otherwise fairly quiet.
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Friday into the weekend
Friday will see another SHIFT in the winds. Clouds in the morning will turn to sun as winds become westerly and temps should jump back into the 70s. Fairly warm end to the week.
Ready for another big change? That happens on Saturday. A cold front Friday night will cool us down. At the same time, an upper-level system will race across Texas from the west. That means mainly cloudy skies and a chance for a few showers. With a north wind, we’ll struggle to get out of the 50s in most areas.
That system exits on Saturday night as we turn the clocks forward. By Sunday morning, we’ll have lows in the 30s and even a light freeze possible in northern areas before sunshine helps push us back into the 60s.
7-Day Forecast
The Source: Information in this article is from FOX 4’s Meteorologist Evan Andrews and the National Weather Service.
