() — Cities and counties surrounding the Texas city of Perryton began sending help after a tornado ripped through the area Thursday afternoon, killing at least three people, Perryton Fire Department Chief Paul Paul said. Dutcher, to the KAMR-television station.
An estimated 50 to 100 people have been treated for injuries at Ochiltree General Hospital, according to the hospital’s chief financial officer, Debbie Beck.
Injuries range from “very minor” to “collapsed lungs, head injuries and broken bones,” he told on Thursday night.
The National Weather Service in Amarillo confirmed that a tornado affected the city. Images of extensive damage have begun circulating on social media.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s office and the state’s Division of Emergency Management are mobilizing resources, State Rep. Four Price of District 87 said in a Facebook post.
Multiple structures are damaged and “the state is hiring additional medical help for triage,” according to Price.
“This is a serious situation. Once again, please pray for that community,” he added.
Keith Shadden, emergency director for Beaver County in Oklahoma, told that fire units, law enforcement and emergency medical services were dispatched. He also said they intend to send a second round of aid, but are currently waiting for better weather in the county.
For its part, the city of Stinnett, Texas, about 90 kilometers from Perryton, sent emergency personnel and equipment, and the Hutchinson County Sheriff’s Office posted on Facebook that they are also helping with rescue and emergency operations after the “devastating tornado”
The Borger Police Department said it also has officers heading to Perryton. The city is located about an hour south of Perryton.
Tornado damage in Perryton, Texas. (Credit: KFDA)
has reached out to local officials for more information.
Meteorologists had warned that bad weather conditions were expected this Thursday, capable of producing wind gusts of up to 145 km/h, hail up to 12 centimeters in diameter and tornadoes.
The latest round of bad weather follows more than 300 storms on Wednesday, continuing a long streak of difficult conditions.
The threatened area on Thursday covers a wide swath from Colorado to South Carolina, with the greatest potential in parts of Oklahoma, Kansas and Texas.
The Storm Prediction Center (SPC) has established a level 4 of 5 moderate risk of severe weather for the area, which includes Oklahoma City and Norman, Oklahoma.
The Storm Prediction Center issued two tornado watches for western and central Oklahoma and parts of northwestern, northern, and central Texas. The advisories include the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex area and Oklahoma City and both remain in effect until 10 p.m. local time.
“Intense supercell development is expected this afternoon from eastern Texas into western Oklahoma and northwest Texas, with thunderstorms spreading eastward through late afternoon,” said Spc. “Initial, more discrete supercells will be capable of producing giant hail and a few tornadoes. Large-scale growth into a cluster or two is possible tonight, with a growing threat of intense 80-90 mph outflow winds.” .
Extremely large hail is another threat.
“Be prepared for hail up to the size of baseballs and winds up to 80 mph (129 km/h) with the strongest thunderstorms, as well as a medium risk of tornadoes,” the Norman office of the National Weather Service warned.
⚠️ SIGNIFICANT SEVERE WEATHER EXPECTED THURSDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING ⚠️
Ingredients will be in place for large hail up to baseball size, wind gusts near or exceeding 80 mph, and the potential for a few tornadoes. Please stay weather aware later today! #okwx #texomawx #txwx pic.twitter.com/0ys2c4aNcJ
— NWS Norman (@NWSNorman) June 15, 2023
Areas around the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area are at a level 3 out of 5 increased risk of severe weather.
“The areas most susceptible to another round of large hail and possibly some damaging winds will be eastern North Texas to far eastern Central Texas east of I-45,” the Dallas weather service office said.
A much broader area that could face bad weather stretches from western Kansas, south to central Texas and into the eastern Florida Panhandle. Level 2 of 5 mild severe weather risk covers more than 10 million people and includes places like Tulsa, Oklahoma; Shreveport, Louisiana; and Tallahassee, Fla.
Finally, a broad area of Tier 1 of 5 marginal severe weather risk stretches from eastern Colorado to South Carolina.
Although it is not in the main threat zone, people should not let their guard down due to the possibility of damaging winds and very large hail. An isolated tornado could also form.
A tornado is seen on the ground on June 14, 2023, in Blakely, Georgia. (Credit: Rand McDonald/AP)
In addition to the threat of bad weather, the same areas must also watch for the possibility of flooding. With rainy days over the same areas, the soil is becoming quite saturated.
“The weather service office in Mobile, Alabama is warning of a continued threat of heavy rain throughout the day, with the possibility of several inches inside the forming convection bands.
The severe multi-day threat will continue into Friday and into the weekend as storms continue to develop each day along a covered stagnant frontal boundary across the South.
Ten tornadoes recorded on Wednesday
The severe threat Wednesday spawned more than 300 storms across the South and the Plains.
There were at least 100 hail warnings and more than 200 wind warnings, knocking out power to more than 100,000 homes.
Hail the size of a baseball or tennis ball was reported in Alabama.
Of the 10 tornadoes on record, five occurred in Georgia, two in Texas, and three in Alabama.
