Many North Texans awoke Tuesday morning to weather sirens and severe storms that left more than 600,000 people without power.
Officials said about noon that the storms brought flooding and strong straight-line winds, taking down trees and knocking out power lines. For some, outages could last multiple days.
The extent of the damage is “unusual,” Dallas County Judge Clay Lewis Jenkins said during a news conference Tuesday.
The National Weather Service issued a severe thunderstorm watch and flash flood warning for much of the Dallas-Fort Worth area through 11 a.m. Tuesday. More severe weather could develop over the next several days, officials said.
Was there a tornado?
Many counties near Dallas and Fort Worth were under a tornado warning from early Tuesday morning until 6:30 a.m. as officials warned storms could bring destructive winds of up to 80 mph and half-dollar-sized hail.
Most of the damage reported early in the day was downed trees and powerlines.
Meteorologists may not be able to confirm if a tornado formed or touched down Tuesday morning, said Steve Fano with the National Weather Service in Fort Worth.
He said when strong winds blew through the area, there was some rotation but because of the timing, “the chances of seeing visible funnels or tornado in the dark are next to impossible.”
Fano said the winds were strong enough to do more widespread damage than even a weak tornado could.
Is it safe to drive in the rain?
Late Tuesday morning, officials asked potential motorists to stay off roads while crews worked to restore power. With widespread damage from tree limbs and downed power lines, which could still be live, Oncor and county officials at a news conference asked people to stay in their homes.
Officials encouraged drivers to use caution and prepare for needing extra time for their commute. Motorist braving the rain should avoid using cruise control and hard braking or turning sharply, according to AAA and the Texas Department of Transportation.
Where are the power outages?
More than half a million people were without power Tuesday morning, according to Oncor’s outage map. Counties with at least 1,000 customers impacted included Dallas, Collin, Denton, Ellis, Kaufman, Tarrant, Rockwall and Wise.
Dallas County had the most outages with 355,941 as of 9:50 a.m. As of 9 p.m., the city reported that 190,687 Oncor customers in Dallas were without power.
How do you report a power outage?
To report a power outage or check the status, text OUT to 66267, use the MyOncor app, click “Report an Outage” on the map, or call 888-313-4747.
How long will my power be out?
Power outages across Dallas County are expected over multiple days, officials said Tuesday. Some may see their power restored sooner, others may not, officials said.
Crews will start with restoring power to critical infrastructure, such as hospitals and police stations. Then, workers will prioritize power that can be restored quickly and areas with high population density, Lewis Jenkins said.
Oncor had a message on its website saying the company was monitoring and responding to outages Tuesday morning.
“Safety for our teams and the public remains Oncor’s number one priority,” the alert said. “If you see a downed power line, please stay away, keep pets and others away and call 911 immediately.”
Are polling places open for the election?
While several polling locations across North Texas were without power early Tuesday for the Republican and Democratic primary runoffs, others remained open. Kaufman County will keep polls open an extra hour, until 8 p.m.
In Dallas County, 103 polling locations were without power and 180 were open, Lewis Jenkins said about noon. Lewis Jenkins noted that Dallas has “county-wide voting,” meaning if a nearby location is down, voters can head to a different one.
Here’s a link showing the status of Dallas County vote centers.
Are schools and businesses closing?
The weather has impacted some businesses and caused them to close, like the Dallas Zoo and Dallas Arboretum.
Some others, including grocery stores, are temporarily closed or running on backup generators.
Garland ISD is closing Tuesday and Wednesday due to safety concerns and power outages.
Grand Prairie ISD’s graduation ceremonies have also potentially been impacted by the power outages. The ceremonies, which are scheduled for tomorrow at Texas Trust CU Theatre, may have to be postponed to Friday if the theater does not get power back in time. The district said it plans to let students know by 9 a.m. Wednesday.
For a running list of closures read: What is closed after severe storms ripped through North Texas Tuesday morning?
Will the Dallas Mavericks game see delays?
There are no delays expected for Game 4 of the Western Conference finals between the Dallas Mavericks and Minnesota Timberwolves. The basketball game appears on track to tip off as planned downtown at American Airlines Center. If the Mavericks win Tuesday, they play the Boston Celtics in the NBA Finals.
