Posted 10:38 pm Saturday, August 18, 2012
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Thunderstorms drop 3 inches of rain, takes out power
From Staff Reports
A wild weather morning Friday caused flooding and left thousands of Smith County residents without power, with more storms expected throughout the weekend.
A wild weather morning Friday caused flooding and left thousands of Smith County residents without power, with more storms expected throughout the weekend.
The National Weather Service issued a flash flood warning on Friday morning after more than 3 inches of rain fell.
Charles Hill, spokesman for Oncor, said more than 6,000 electricity customers in Smith County lost power Friday.
The outages “are pretty well scattered, everything from Lindale to the north and then south to Jacksonville,” Hill said.
Hill said he expected that as of 10 p.m. Friday all power would be restored.
Smith County Fire Marshal’s Office sent fire crews from Red Springs, Winona and Dixie departments to work multiple accidents on U.S. Highway 271 north of Tyler and Farm-to-Market Road 14 north of Interstate 20.
Motorists were warned of flooded roads.
Emergency personnel also responded to a report of a downed power line off Santa Rosa Drive in Tyler.
The line reportedly ignited portions of a tree.
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The outages “are pretty well scattered, everything from Lindale to the north and then south to Jacksonville,” Hill said.
Hill said he expected that as of 10 p.m. Friday all power would be restored.
Smith County Fire Marshal’s Office sent fire crews from Red Springs, Winona and Dixie departments to work multiple accidents on U.S. Highway 271 north of Tyler and Farm-to-Market Road 14 north of Interstate 20.
Motorists were warned of flooded roads.
Emergency personnel also responded to a report of a downed power line off Santa Rosa Drive in Tyler.
The line reportedly ignited portions of a tree.
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KYTX CBS19 Meteorologist Doc Deason said rainfall totals were mixed Friday, with about 1.6 inches of rain at Tyler Pounds Regional Airport and about 2.5 inches at Troup Highway and Loop 323.
“I would say the average increased as you went further north,” he said. “It looks like southeast Tyler seemed to have more rain than the western part of the city.”
Still, he said the area is 5 inches below normal for the year.
Today’s forecast calls for a 60 percent chance of rain during the day and then 50 percent at night.
Some storms could be severe, according to the National Weather Service.
Showers and thunderstorms are expected to continue Sunday, with a 60 percent chance of precipitation. The rain chances decrease to 40 percent Sunday nigh
“I would say the average increased as you went further north,” he said. “It looks like southeast Tyler seemed to have more rain than the western part of the city.”
Still, he said the area is 5 inches below normal for the year.
Today’s forecast calls for a 60 percent chance of rain during the day and then 50 percent at night.
Some storms could be severe, according to the National Weather Service.
Showers and thunderstorms are expected to continue Sunday, with a 60 percent chance of precipitation. The rain chances decrease to 40 percent Sunday nigh
