Tornado Confirmed In Bowie, Northwest Of Fort Worth, From Friday's Severe Storms
BOWIE, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) - Widespread damage was seen throughout Bowie, northwest of Fort Worth, Saturday after a confirmed tornado ravaged the area the night before.
Severe storms with damaging winds moved across the northern counties of North Texas in the overnight hours, while much of the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex saw heavy rain.
The town of Bowie, about 65 miles northwest of Fort Worth in Montague County, appeared to see much of the damage, and now the National Weather Service confirmed an EF-1 tornado with winds of up to 95 mph tore through that area.
Mayor Gaylynn Burris told the Bowie News that about 50 businesses and at least 50 homes were damaged from the tornado. There were no serious injuries reported from the storm, according to police.
Gov. Greg Abbott said late Friday evening that he was sending a task force to give resources to the tornado-ravaged area.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with all those impacted by the severe weather affecting North Texas tonight," Abbott said Friday. "I am grateful to our first responders who are always on the call and already moving to help their fellow Texans. The state will work with Montague County, and any other area affected, to ensure any resources they need will be fulfilled."
Residents have started the cleanup process after the storms and as more rain is expected in North Texas through the week.
Mark Haseloff with the Trinity Lutheran Church Disaster Response Team made the three-hour trip from Tyler to help. He said, "Sometimes these things pop up with no notice so it really is amazing that nobody was hurt."
Bill Miller and his wife, both 76, took cover in an anchored 8x10 storm shelter in his backyard.
They sheltered there for more than 2.5 hours with their five dogs. "We prayed and then my wife was scared because she could feel it and hear," Miller said.