National Weather Service confirms EF-1 tornado for Miller County
Southeast Cass County saw 104-mph twister Thursday
TEXARKANA, Ark. — Two tornadoes packing winds over 100 mph barreled through the area Thursday in an evening of rollicking weather.
The National Weather Service’s Shreveport office has confirmed EF-1 twisters along Farm to Market Road 251 in southeast Cass County, Texas, and east of state Highway 237 north of Bright Star, Arkansas, in Miller County.
No injuries were reported from either storm, though at least two homes were destroyed in Miller County.
“This information is preliminary and subject to change as more details become available,” the NWS said in a social media post.
The tornadoes were spawned by a east-moving powerful weather system that brought rain and damaging winds that felled trees across the region.
The Cass County twister was reported about 5:35 p.m. south of Atlanta, near Huffines. The storm, which was more than four football fields wide at its maximum, tracked for 1.22 miles between FM 251 and County Road 4555, according to the NWS.
“Cass County really dodged the bullet,” County Judge Travis Ransom said Friday, adding that damage was reported to about four houses.
About 6 p.m. in Miller County, a tornado that reached 475 yards at its maximum width wreaked havoc along a nearly 2-mile path between County Roads 151 and 152.
Based on an initial assessment, six homes were damaged and two destroyed along the roads, Michael Godfrey, director of the Miller County Office of Emergency Management, said Friday.
Betty and Kevin Andrews, who live on CR 152, were briefly trapped in their bathroom when the twister pushed their mobile home off its supports and made the house unlevel, causing the bathroom door to jam. Neighbor Brian Wood, who was driving home and took refuge in a culvert as the storm passed, eventually broke open the bathroom door to free the Andrews.
In all, survey teams from the NWS’ Shreveport and Fort Worth, Texas, offices confirmed six tornadoes. Two additional EF-1 twisters were reported in Kellyville, Texas, west of Jefferson; and in southeast Shreveport. Tornadoes rated EF-0 — with maximum winds of 85 mph — were reported in Hagansport in Franklin County, Texas, and western Bienville Parish in Louisiana.