Meanwhile in Texoma........

[Volkonski]

Been watching tornado warnings and reports to our west heading toward us for the last 2 hours.

Meanwhile a line of storm cells has been coming toward us from the SW.

The storms heading to the NE east got here first. The predicted tornado warning track has shifted to the ENE. If that holds it will go just north of us.

Local storm chasers reports 2 tornados moving ENE.

https://www.texomashomepage.com/weather ... increased/

[Volkonski]

Hearing thunder now.

[Volkonski]

Just now. Wichita Falls is south of Burkburnett and SE of Electra.

[Volkonski]

The main cell causing these tornados is now crossing Hwy 287 at Vernon. The tornados are just south of the cell. NWS showing 4 tornado warnings and 2 flash flood warning areas.

[Volkonski]

House just shook from thunder.

[Volkonski]

We dodged that but now the line of storms from the SW is beginning to arrive. So far it is not as intense and no reports of tornados.

[Volkonski]

Bad news for Vernon.

UPDATE: Wednesday, May 4, 2022 at 9:20 p.m.

A large and extremely dangerous tornado has been confirmed to be on the ground in Wilbarger County, moving toward the city of Vernon.

Residents of Vernon, take cover in your safe place now, putting as many walls between yourself and exterior walls as possible.

Once in your safe spot, cover your head with a pillow or blanket. If you have time, put on some sturdy shoes.

KFDX Storm Chaser Kyle Guthrie is currently following the tornado and confirmed a large tornado is on the ground south of Vernon.

https://www.texomashomepage.com/weather ... increased/

[Volkonski]

Tolbert is just NW of Vernon.

[Volkonski]

Just got cellphone CodeRED alert for severe thunderstorm here. Also text message.

Also tornado watch until 4AM.

[Volkonski]

UPDATE: Wednesday, May 4, 2022 at 9:40 p.m.

The Tornado Warning issued in Wilbarger County has been cancelled.


The National Weather Service in Norman, Oklahoma has issued a Severe Thunderstorm Warning for the following counties:

Texas Counties
Archer County
SW Clay County
SE Wichita County
SE Baylor County
Throckmorton County
Young County

Greetings from SE Wichita County.

[Volkonski]

[Volkonski]

I can hardly believe it but, once again, both of the major storm cells did not hit Wichita Falls.

The storms have moved NE into Oklahoma and east into eastern Texoma. As usual Oklahoma is getting pummeled.

Meanwhile in OK-

[Volkonski]

Damage reports starting to filter in from west of us.

[Volkonski]

About 120 miles west of us.

[Volkonski]

[Volkonski]

Still looking for damage reports in Texas.

Heavy storms now south and SE of DFW.

[Volkonski]

[Volkonski]

[Volkonski]

The good news about last night's west Texoma tornados is that they hit very rural areas. I've seen no reports of deaths or serious injuries. Had they hit further east in the Wichita Falls area the story might have been very different.

[Volkonski]

Folks in well populated areas may find it strange that news about storm effects to our west has taken so long to get published. Those areas are very rural and the news organizations here in the big city (100,000 residents) are lightly staffed.

Having spent most of my adult life living just outside of NYC and Houston where armies of journalists descend on every potentially big story it can be a bit frustrating waiting for news here.

[Volkonski]

Lockett is an unincorporated area with about 1000 residents. It is about 8 miles from Vernon, the Wilbarger County seat, which has about 10,000 residents. Wilbarger County is immediately west of us. It is about 50% larger in land area but has about 1/10th the population.

I do not mention this to disparage Wilbarger County but to point out that when disaster strikes the Vernon area help from Wichita Falls is at least an hour away.

[Volkonski]

Forecast high here for Mothers Day is 103F.

We leave for Long Island next Thursday.

[Volkonski]

The new bird flu has been detected in our county.

[Volkonski]

[Volkonski]

Our SIL the assistant public defender today was assigned a serious case that happened in 2018.

The suspect fled out of state and has just been recovered by Texas.