In the Path of This Storm? 'Take Cover Now!'

Severe weather rips roofs from homes in Texas

By Neal Colgrass, Newser Staff

Posted May 18, 2019 2:45 PM CDT

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In the Path of This Storm? 'Take Cover Now!' — Amanda Crisp rests her head on the shoulder of her husband, Julius, as they look up at a mattress hanging in a tree over their home in Abilene, Texas, on Saturday, May 18, 2019. Many residents said a tornado struck in the early morning hours. (Ronald W. Erdrich/The Abilene Reporter-News via AP)

Spring weather vanished in the central US on Saturday as heavy storms, terrifying tornadoes, and oversized hail filled the skies, per NBC News. Much of the early bad news came from Texas, where the city of Abilene saw dangerous weather—including a possible tornado—fling debris at cars and tear rooftops off homes. An hour and a half away, the National Weather Service spotted a "rain wrapped tornado on the ground" in San Angelo. "Take cover now if you are in the path of this storm!" the service cried. Meanwhile, over 35,000 Texas customers have no power between the two cities. And that's not all:

With tornado season peaking, at least 34 have been spotted across a swath of the country including Texas, Nebraska, and Kansas. One wrecked two homes Saturday morning in Comanche County, Oklahoma, per CNN.
In all over 70 million people are facing the prospect of severe weather from southern Minnesota to Texas. That number should reach 80 million on Sunday when storms are expected around the Great Lakes. See a warning from the National Weather Service.
Heavy storms could bring flooding to the central plains throughout the week. In Missouri, "heavy rain" will "once again saturate soils & set the stage for increased flood potential" on Tuesday, says the service.
It's economic, too: Flooding has interrupted Mississippi River farm shipments including petroleum, coal, and construction materials, per the AP.

(More rainstorms stories.)

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