Power Outage in Jefferson, TX

Widespread reports of trees and power lines downed throughout Marion County.

Numerous trees, power lines, and power poles downed across the city of Jefferson.

This is a continuation of the Upshur County EF-2 tornado. This tornado, which had weakened to an EF-1 with estimated maximum winds near 110 mph as it entered far Western Marion County, continued to track northeast across Jordan Drive and FM 729. The tornado damaged the roof of a home on Jordan Drive, with a metal building structure for storage of vehicles having two walls and its roof removed, lifting pillars and throwing them several hundred feet. Widespread tree damage was observed with hundreds of snapped trees. Off of FM 729, a manufactured home was picked up and rolled with an occupant in it. She suffered injuries and walked nearly a half mile to FM 729 to get to help. The tornado also significantly damaged or destroyed manufactured homes along Nash Farm Road. Winds from this tornado also caused three wooden power poles to lean significantly off of Morris County Cutoff Road, before the tornado crossed over into extreme Southeast Morris County.

A power line was blown down onto a tree causing the tree to catch on fire.

A tree was blown down onto power lines on Highway 49 near FM 728 west of Jefferson. Another tree was blown down on FM 729 west of Jefferson.

Power lines were downed.

Several trees and power lines were downed across Jefferson. Other downed trees and power lines were reported across much of Marion County as well.

Trees and power lines were blown down across the Island View community along the southwest shore of Lake of the Pines. Some trees were blown down on homes. A NWS Storm Survey concluded that straight line winds near 90 mph resulted in the widespread wind damage along the southern shore of Lake of the Pines.

An EF-1 tornado with winds estimated near 100 mph touched down along Kellyville Cutoff Road south of Farm-To-Market Road 729 in the Kellyville community. This tornado travelled north and crossed FM 729 along Kellyville Cutoff Road, snapping and uprooting numerous trees and downing power lines along the tornado's path. Much of the damage occurred along Kellyville Cutoff Road between FM 729 and Highway 49, where one home was damaged and the roof removed from a single wide mobile home. One large tree also fell on a metal workshop near Highway 49 before lifting just shy of the Berea community.

An EF-2 tornado with maximum winds estimated near 130 mph touched down near Highway 49 just west of the Smithland community, snapping and uprooting numerous trees and downing power lines as it tracked northeast across Highway 43 just north of its intersection of Highway 49. As it crossed Highway 43, the tornado moved several vehicles, completely debarked 3-4 trees about 25-30 feet above the ground, and threw a party barge about 200 yards into a grove of trees. Trees were also downed on a few homes and a travel trailer was flipped over. The tornado continued northeast crossing County Road 3300, where it removed a roof of a home and shifted the home slightly off of its pad. A 75 year old woman inside this home took shelter inside a bathtub before the tornado ripped the tub out of the home and deposited it into some nearby woods. The woman suffered only some cuts and bruises but was able to walk away. The tornado continued northeast crossing County Road 3306 two different times, before entering far southeast Cass County on County Road 4455. This tornado remained on the ground as it entered western Caddo Parish Louisiana.

An EF-2 tornado with maximum winds estimated near 130 mph touched down near Highway 49 just west of the Smithland community, snapping and uprooting numerous trees and downing power lines as it tracked northeast across Highway 43 just north of its intersection of Highway 49. As it crossed Highway 43, the tornado moved several vehicles, completely debarked 3-4 trees about 25-30 feet above the ground, and threw a party barge about 200 yards into a grove of trees. Trees were also downed on a few homes and a travel trailer was flipped over. The tornado continued northeast crossing County Road 3300, where it removed a roof of a home and shifted the home slightly off of its pad. A 75 year old woman inside this home took shelter inside a bathtub before the tornado ripped the tub out of the home and deposited it into some nearby woods. The woman suffered only some cuts and bruises but was able to walk away. The tornado continued northeast crossing County Road 3306 two different times, before entering far southeast Cass County on County Road 4455. This tornado remained on the ground as it entered western Caddo Parish Louisiana.

Power line down across Highway 59 just south of the Jefferson city limits.

National Weather Service Storm Survey Team determined that damage across eastern Marion County was a result of straight line wind damage near 90 mph. This is a continuation of the storm that produced damage earlier across Karnack and Uncertain, Texas. The storm crossed Caddo Lake and again produced numerous trees and powerlines downed east of Smithland Texas. Some structures also had trees on them.

Numerous trees and powerlines were downed in Jefferson, Texas.

Numerous trees and powerlines were downed throughout the county.

Trees and powerlines were downed southwest of Avinger, Texas.

Powerlines were downed in Jefferson, Texas.

Numerous trees and power lines were downed throughout the county. All of the boat docks at Johnson Creek Marina at Lake O' the Pines were destroyed. Four houseboats were destroyed, and numerous others were damaged. Houseboat owner was 6 foot waves on the lake which swamped numerous other boats on the lake as well.

Trees and powerlines were reported down by law enforcement officers in the Pine Harbor area.

Numerous trees and power lines were downed.

Trees and powerlines downed.

Trees and power lines downed throughout the county.

Trees and power lines downed throughout the entire county.

Several large trees and power lines down in downtown.

After trying to recover from an ice storm earlier in the month, another even more devastating ice storm struck the northern third of northeast Texas. Freezing rain resulted in ice accumulations ranging from 1/4 to 3 inches which devastated the middle Red River Valley counties of northeast Texas. Tens of thousands of trees and numerous power lines were either broken or felled from the weight of the ice leaving vast regions of northeast Texas without power for weeks. Bowie, Cass and Red River counties were declared disaster areas.

An artic airmass spilled southward out of the central plains and into the lower Mississippi Valley. This cold surface airmass was overrun by a warm and humid airmass which combined with a strong upper level storm system across west Texas. The result was widespread freezing rain. Ice accumulations on average of one inch were common north and west of a line from Mansfield and Arcadia to Farmerville LA. An estimated 235,000 residents lost power from snapped power lines. Upwards of 29 transmission lines atop "H" shaped steel towers were snapped due to the weight of the ice. One man was killed and another injured when a tree limb laden with ice fell on them. Numerous traffic accidents were reported from ice covered roads and bridges. In the Shreveport - Bossier metroplex more than 205 streets were either blocked or partially blocked by limbs and fallen trees. Much of northwest Louisiana was declared a disaster area.

A strong upper level trough moved out of the southern Great Basin and into the lower Mississippi Valley sweeping Artic Air southward to the Gulf Coast. Moisture laden air from the Gulf overran the freezing surface temperatures producing ice across the northern half of northeast Texas. Ice accumulations of one to four inches fell across most of the area with the ice and snow accumulations near 8 inches. Thousands of homes were left without power due to ice covered tree limbs falling and snapping powerlines. Also, hundreds of chicken houses were destroyed and several 7 million chicks were killed. Barns, carports, and weak structure homes suffered collapse from the weight of the ice and snow. Traffic accidents were numerous and I-30 west of Texarkana had to be shut down when the freeway became impassable.