Matador, a small town in northern Texas, suffered extensive damage and fatalities as a result of violent hurricanes, which also left hundreds of thousands without electricity in the state.
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Motley and nearby Afton were affected by tornadoes. The National Weather Service also issued a tornado watch for the southeastern region of the state, where cyclones could produce hail as large as four inches in diameter.
Tornadoes Tear Through Texas Town
Brandon Moore, a municipal official in Matador, said the western portion of the city has been obliterated. It is a complete disaster. He stated that trees, residences, and businesses had been devastated and that rescue efforts were ongoing.
A representative of the town's fire department verified that there were fatalities but did not provide further information. According to a tweet from the Lubbock fire department, a team was assisting with a search and rescue operation in Matador.
State emergency services urged residents to observe local warnings and remain vigilant in light of the severe storms. Senator Ted Cruz stated that his staff in West Texas is monitoring the severe weather conditions in Matador.
In a year in which 69 people have been killed by tornadoes in the United States, the nearly 600-person town is the most recent to be ravaged by violent storms and twisters. This number is three times higher than the total fatalities in 2022.
The storms in Texas are occurring in the midst of a debilitating heat wave with temperatures exceeding 100 degrees and in some locations eclipsing 110 degrees. The forecast predicts that the record-breaking heat wave will persist across significant portions of Texas into early next week.
US Severe Weather
The Storm Prediction Center reports that more than 42 million people face at least a marginal risk of severe weather on Thursday, including a stretch from Wyoming to Texas as well as portions of Florida, Georgia, and the Carolinas.
Per CNN, the storms on Wednesday pounded the western and central United States with large hail and strong winds, according to the prediction service. Tennis ball-sized hail was reported in a number of cities in Colorado and Texas, including in Matador. There was a 4-inch hailstone reported in Jayton, Texas.
According to the utility tracking website PowerOutage.us, nearly half a million residences and businesses were without power in Texas and Oklahoma last night. Early Thursday morning, severe thunderstorm warnings were issued for more than 15 million people in the region, including Houston, Texas, and Denver, Colorado.
Last week, a tornado struck Perryton in the Texas panhandle, killing three and injuring up to one hundred. The local weather service issued a tornado warning for three counties in southeast Colorado.
Nearly 100 concertgoers were injured at Red Rocks in the Denver metropolitan area due to a hazardous hailstorm. The West Metro fire department reported that seven individuals were transported to hospitals, with injuries including cuts and fractured bones.
Tornadoes can occur at any time, but the risk of these severe cyclones is greatest in the spring. April, May, and June are historically the most active months, with an average of 660 tornadoes per year. With an average of 1,150 to 1,200 tornadoes per year, the United States is the most susceptible nation to tornadoes.
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