PERRYTON, Texas – Tornadoes were seen tearing through the southern Plains on Thursday, leaving a path of destruction in parts of Texas.
Thursday’s severe weather threat was a Level 4 out of 5 on the Storm Prediction Center’s scale.
OKLAHOMA CITY, DALLAS UNDER TORNADO WATCH AS SEVERE STORMS EXPECTED TO INTENSIFY INTO EVENING
Storm chasers followed the twisters as they moved through the Texas Panhandle. Nick Smego watched as the tornado spun about a mile in front of him.
“This dryline has just exploded in a matter of 30 to 45 minutes,” Smego told FOX Weather.
Storm chaser Brian Emfinger came across significant damage moments after the cyclone moved through Perryton, Texas.
“There is so much damage and destruction,” Emfinger said.
Emfinger’s live video showed images of destroyed mobile homes and uprooted trees from the twister. He said one of the mobile homes that was hit by the twister was on fire.
“There were other significant structures along its path all the way through town that are damaged,” Emfinger said. “It’s a pretty unfortunate and serious situation here in Perryton right now.”
Thursday’s tornadoes come as part of a multiday severe weather threat across the southern U.S.
A Tornado Watch has been issued for major cities like Dallas and Oklahoma City through the evening hours. The severe weather threat doesn’t end Thursday, with more severe storms expected Friday in some of the same areas.
More than 21 million people from eastern Colorado and Kansas through the South and into the Florida Panhandle saw Severe Thunderstorm Warnings on Thursday.