A slow-moving, destructive storm system wreaked havoc across parts of Texas and Oklahoma over Easter weekend, unleashing heavy rain, large hail, flash floods, and tornadoes that left at least three people dead and communities reeling from widespread destruction.
The National Weather Service (NWS) confirmed 17 tornado events on Saturday, including five in south-central Oklahoma. One tornado tore through Spaulding, killing one person and destroying several homes. The Hughes County Emergency Management reported “numerous washouts” on county roads and said several structures were reduced to rubble.
Meanwhile, in Moore, Oklahoma—just 10 miles south of Oklahoma City—a tragic scene unfolded when floodwaters swept away a car under a bridge. Police managed to rescue some passengers, but a woman and a 12-year-old boy were later found dead. “This was a historical weather event that impacted roads and resulted in dozens of high-water incidents across the city,” Moore police said on Sunday.
Communities Face Tornadoes and Floods Back-to-Back
In Marshall County, emergency management director Bill Macon described a tornado’s erratic path of destruction across 6 to 7 miles. “It skipped and jumped around,” Macon said, noting at least 20 homes were damaged or destroyed. Downed trees, power poles, and widespread power outages were reported, though thankfully no injuries or deaths occurred in that area.
Another hard-hit area was Ada, a town of about 16,000 residents, already recovering from a March tornado. Late Saturday, another EF1 tornado struck the north side of town, ripping roofs off businesses and toppling billboards. “It left a lot of damage to buildings, power lines and trees,” said Jason Keck, Ada’s director of emergency management.
Texas Towns Also Hit by Tornadoes
West Parker County, Texas, saw at least two tornadoes on Saturday. Emergency services responded to homes with roofs torn off and debris scattered across properties. One detached roof was found lying across a driveway, underscoring the force of the winds.
More Severe Weather Expected
Though heavy rain tapered off in Texas and Oklahoma by Sunday evening, meteorologists warned that additional rainfall is likely across the Plains in the coming days. With already saturated ground and swollen rivers, the risk of further flooding remains high.
By Sunday night, the storm system moved northeast, continuing to threaten areas of Arkansas, Missouri, southern Illinois, and southeastern Iowa with high winds, hail, and more rain. Thousands of Missouri residents were left without power.
“This system wasn’t moving much over Texas and Oklahoma Saturday,” said Bob Oravec, lead forecaster with the NWS Weather Prediction Center. “It left the area stuck under a very active thunderstorm pattern.”
