Power Outage in Perryton, TX

The tornado touched down to the northwest of Perryton and crossed|Highway 143. It entered town, where it caused significant damage|to a mobile home community. Dozens of mobile homes were|completely destroyed. It continued into downtown and caused|structural damage to several downtown shops, some with collapsed|walls. A microwave tower was also folded in half. The tornado|intensified and caused low end EF3 damage to a few retail stores|in downtown and along Ash Street, some of which were completely destroyed. |As the tornado continued to the southeast across Birch and Cedar |Streets, it damaged numerous mobile homes and single family structures, |continuing as an EF2 in this area. A cell phone tower was also brought |down, which resulted in telecommunication outages. The tornado affected an|industrial park area where it tossed several empty fuel tanks|across Texas 143 Loop and into a field. It also pushed a full tanker|truck into a pond along Loop 143. The tornado then crossed a|field, before damaging a grain bin and downing about ten power|poles along Highway 377. It crossed Highway 377 and lifted in an|open field before it reached County Road 20.

Several land spouts developed along the flanking line of a|tornadic supercell storm just north of the area. Two of these|grew significantly and became rather strong and long lived|tornadoes that were documented by several storm chasers in the|area. The stronger of the twins was rated an EF2 based on snapped|power poles along the path, but both mostly remained in open|grasslands.The tornado remained in open county and produced very|little damage outside the occasional prairie scrub brush which it|ripped from the ground. It did cross Highway 70 snapping power|poles at its peak which provided the EF2 rating. The tornado also|crossed Highway 83 before roping out near Wolf Creek Park.

The tornado touched down to the northwest of Perryton and crossed|Highway 143. It entered town, where it caused significant damage|to a mobile home community. Dozens of mobile homes were|completely destroyed. It continued into downtown and caused|structural damage to several downtown shops, some with collapsed|walls. A microwave tower was also folded in half. The tornado|intensified and caused low end EF3 damage to a few retail stores|in downtown and along Ash Street, some of which were completely destroyed. |As the tornado continued to the southeast across Birch and Cedar |Streets, it damaged numerous mobile homes and single family structures, |continuing as an EF2 in this area. A cell phone tower was also brought |down, which resulted in telecommunication outages. The tornado affected an|industrial park area where it tossed several empty fuel tanks|across Texas 143 Loop and into a field. It also pushed a full tanker|truck into a pond along Loop 143. The tornado then crossed a|field, before damaging a grain bin and downing about ten power|poles along Highway 377. It crossed Highway 377 and lifted in an|open field before it reached County Road 20.

This much smaller twin to a larger and stronger tornado tracked |mile or less south of the larger one. The tornado remained in|open county and produced no known damage, despite crossing some|power lines. The tornado crossed Highway 70 and County Road W|before dissipating. Track and times are estimated based on storm|chaser video, pictures and accounts.

Sheriff called and reported that a barn had been destroyed about 4 miles north of Perryton. There were powerlines that had been snapped, and trees down.

The tornado touched down in northern Roberts County around 659 pm CDT, crossed the Roberts/Ochiltree county line around 704 pm CDT and the Ochiltree/Lipscomb county line around 719 pm CDT before dissipating through a rope out process by 733 pm CDT. Damage from the tornado consisted mostly of damage to trees, power lines and |oil/natural gas field equipment and sheds. There was also two manufactured homes being transported via truck the were blown off Highway 83. The tornado was noted to be larger and possibly stronger in inaccessible open county to the southwest of|the location where it was measured to be around 1/2 mile wide and rated an EF2 by the survey team.

Snapped power line approximately 3 to 4 miles southwest of Perryton, along highway 15.

The number of residents affected were 3066. There were 413 business that also reported economic injuries. Damages and economic impact also resulted from: debris cleanup (downed trees, etc), numerous downed power lines and broken power poles, and damaged to roads and bridges.

The tornado was spotted crossing Highway 70 and again near Highway 83. There was damage to power poles, fences and a few oil field equipment sheds along the path. Much of the path was not accessible to the NWS survey team. A rating of EF-1 was assigned with estimated maximum winds of 90 mph.

A brief tornado occurred east of Perryton and crossed County Road 377 and County Road 24. Damage to trees, a barbed wire fence, and the roof of a barn were observed. Three power poles were broken. The tornado was rated EF-1 with an estimated maximum wind speed of 98 mph.

There were multiple reports from local government officials and storm spotters of this tornado developing between County Road H and County Road F, west of Booker. The tornado crossed Highway 15 near County Road 28. The tornado then continued to move northeast and passed north of Booker. Multiple power flashes were witnessed just west of town. Tree and fence damage was found near the Texas/Oklahoma state line. A rating of EF-1 was given with a maximum wind speed of 86 mph.

A brief tornado occurred east of Perryton and crossed County Road 377 and County Road 24. Damage to trees, a barbed wire fence, and the roof of a barn were observed. Three power poles were broken. The tornado was rated EF-1 with an estimated maximum wind speed of 98 mph.

A thunderstorm that developed over western Beaver County during the evening hours of the 3rd took a southeast track into the northeastern Texas Panhandle. As the thunderstorm approached Booker it produced a downburst. The Ochiltree County Sheriff's Office reported that power poles and power lines were blown down 1 mile north of Huntoon (Ochiltree County). This thunderstorm would continue a southeastern track across the county.

The AWOS in Perryton reported a 58 mph wind gust. Also power poles were blown onto US Highway 377 between Count Road 20 and County Road 21, and US Highway 281 between County Road 70 and County Road 83.

The member of the media reported 0.10 inches of ice, and power outages across the city of Perryton.

Local law enforcement officials reported that the thunderstorm wind gusts knocked down power lines and also knocked over an irrigation sprinkler system. There were no reports of injuries or fatalities.

Local law enforcement officials reported damaging non-thunderstorm wind gusts fifteen miles southwest of Perryton, Texas. A barn roof had blown off into some power lines at the intersection of Farm to Market Road 376 and Farm to Market Road 759. There were several power poles that were reported down in the area. No injuries or fatalities were reported.

Local law enforcement officials reported damaging non-thunderstorm wind gusts seven miles west southwest of Booker, Texas. There were eight power poles that were reported knocked down by the high winds. No injuries or fatalities were reported.

Power poles were reported snapped by the high winds.

This tornado developed over open country just southwest of the intersection of Farm to Market Road 281 and County Road 23 at 2043 CST. The tornado traveled northeast for about three miles and dissipated between Farm to Market Road 281 and U.S. Highway 83 at 2050 CST. Power poles were snapped...trees were damaged...and the roof of a hog barn was damaged. No injuries were reported.

Steel pole barn damaged...power poles broken...and a heavy wooden play system damaged on County Road 17 about two to three miles north of State Highway 15.

Several roofs were reported blown off...cattle trucks were turned over...and power lines were blown down.

Two hangers were destroyed at the airport...lots of roofs were damaged...and many power poles were reported down.

The Perryton Wildfire began around 1450CST about thirteen miles southwest of Wolf Creek Park in Ochiltree County. The wildfire was caused by downed power lines or sparks from a transformer and the wildfire consumed three hundred and eighteen thousand and fifty six acres. There was a report that this wildfire spread east across southern Lipscomb and northern Hemphill counties. The Perryton wildfire has been determined to be the third largest wildfire in the history of the Texas A&M Forest Service. The wildfire threatened homes north of Canadian and residents were urged to evacuate at a moment���s notice. The town of Higgins was also threatened briefly. There were two hundred homes and one hundred other structures threatened but saved, however four homes and one hundred other structures were destroyed by the wildfire. There was one report of a fatality and two injuries along with many heads of cattle lost. There were approximately one hundred near misses reported. The wildfire was contained around 1500CST on March 9. There were approximately four thousand livestock killed in the Texas Panhandle on March 6 from all of the wildfires and total damages were estimated to be in the neighborhood of 25.1 million dollars.

The Porter/Barton Wildfire began around 1400CST about three miles east southeast of Wolf Creek Park in Ochiltree County. The wildfire began south of Farm to Market Road 3260 and between County Roads 6 and 23. The wildfire consumed approximately two thousand acres and was caused by downed power lines. There was a report of 2 homes and two other structures that were threatened but were saved, however no homes or other structures were lost due to the wildfire. There was one report of an injury along with one entrapment and four near misses, however no fatalities were reported. There were a total of seventeen fire departments or other fire agencies that responded to the wildfire which was contained around 2100CST.