Storms, flooding plague N. Texas; more rain likely

A strong wave of showers and thunderstorms again soaked North Texas early Sunday, also spawning a tornado in Irving, causing flooding and knocking out power.

Straight line winds also damaged a car wash in Grand Prairie.

The heavy rains delayed Sunday morning’s start of the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth by more three hours.

A damage survey team from the National Weather Service office in Fort Worth confirmed Sunday afternoon that an EF1 tornado from morning storms caused damage in Irving.

With lake levels full and many creeks running over their banks, a flash flood warning was in effect until Sunday night for all of North Texas. In many counties rainfall totals were at two inches or more. At Dallas/Fort Worth Airport, the rainfall total was at 3.32 inches as of 8:30 a.m. and moisture was still coming down, according to the National Weather Service office in Fort Worth.

It marks the first time DFW has recorded 3 inches or more in a single day since 2012.

So far in May, the airport has reported 11.37 inches of rain, the fourth wettest May on record, the weather service said. The record is 13.67 inches set in May 1982. This year, more than 25 inches have fallen at DFW, more than the 21.32 inches that fell all of 2014.

There was a 40 percent chance of rain for Sunday night, and forecasters continue to put chances of rain in the forecast all week.

At 1:52 p.m., there were still 9,235 customers without power in North Texas, most of the outages were in Dallas County. At its peak, there were over 20,000 without power at 8 a.m. Sunday.

The National Weather Service office in Fort Worth on Sunday had reports of wind damage from storms in Irving, Temple, Lakeside Village, Ovilla and Grand Prairie. Flooding was reported in Mansfield and Covington. Flash flooding damage was in Irving, Lewisville, Arlington, Gunter, Waxahachie, Venus and Grand Prairie.

Authorities in North Texas and Oklahoma also say they have conducted numerous rescues of residents from flooding areas.

Near Bandera, riders and campers attending the Bandera Regulars Memorial Day Ride scrambled for safety Saturday afternoon as the Medina River flooded the campgrounds. More than 200 riders and 10 wagons were expected for the annual trail ride near Bandera, which is about 45 miles northwest of San Antonio.