NEWS
Storms poised to pummel Lone Star State
By Alex Sosnowski, AccuWeather senior meteorologist
Updated Apr. 3, 2020 2:00 AM Copied
A significant close-range tornado moved across US 431 and caused damage to power lines and structures in Eufaula, Alabama, on March 31.
Thunderstorms will threaten to bring severe weather as well as needed rainfall to portions of central and southern Texas before the end of the week.
The main threat of more widespread severe weather in Texas will come on Friday. As storms erupt during the afternoon hours over the north-central and northeastern counties as well as the Hill Country northwest of San Antonio, Texas, the main threats will be high wind gusts and large hail on Friday.
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“Winds, with gusts to near 60 mph in some cases, can be strong enough to cause localized property damage, knock down trees and trigger power outages,” Brett Anderson, AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist said.
“Hail can become large enough to damage vehicles and break windows in the strongest storms,” Anderson added. The hail can be propelled by the strong winds in extreme cases.
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As with any severe thunderstorm, there is a remote chance of an isolated tornado, but an outbreak is not expected.
The storms forecast for the region on Friday can also bring beneficial rain to some communities, but also flash flooding to others. Rainfall will depend on the intensity, location and duration of thunderstorms that erupt and then move southward.
Soil conditions range from wet in north-central Texas to abnormally dry farther to the south and east, and extreme drought conditions are gripping the lower Rio Grande Valley.
Rainfall in Dallas has been plentiful, or nearly twice that of average during March. Meanwhile, rainfall in Brownsville, Texas, has only been 6% of normal for the month with a mere 0.07 of an inch.
The storms will tend to concentrate on the north-central part of the Lone Star State during the afternoon hours, but as the evening transitions into the nighttime, the storms will move toward the lower Rio Grande Valley and the South Texas coast, where they may weaken.
Downpours can flood streets and highways, as well as cause normally dry or gentle streams to become raging torrents for a brief time. Meteorologists advice motorists to avoid driving across flooded roadways or attempting to travel through low-water crossings when storms are in the vicinity or have recently moved by.
Showers, thunderstorms and perhaps localized severe weather will continue to pester central and southeastern Texas this weekend.
Additional heavy rainfall is likely as well as the risk of isolated flash flooding and damaging storms.
Rainfall from Friday through Sunday will average 2-4 inches with an AccuWeather Local StormMax™ of 7 inches. The heaviest rain is likely to focus from Interstate 35 on west to the Hill Country.
This means that communities that dodged big rain on Friday could be hit hard with flash flooding on Saturday.
A major crash on East Wise in front of the Second Monday parking on July 11 shut down traffic for several hours in the morning and sent two people to the Bowie emergency room.
The accident occurred at 9:53 a.m. Thursday at 1616 E. Wise involving a large sign installation truck and an SUV.
Briana Rollison, Bowie, was driving a 2001 Ford Expedition east in the 1600 block of E. Wise and the large truck from Turner Signs System of Richland Hills was traveling west on East Wise driven by Joshua Thompson.
The preliminary accident report states Thompson lost control of the vehicle crossing the double yellow line striking the SUV in front of the Parker Properties and Farm Services Building. The SUV was knocked into the ditch and later made it back on the roadway.
The truck rolled on the passenger side and slid about 50-100 feet west of the incident location. Skid marks from the truck were observed to start approximately 300-350 feet east of the crash location.
See the full story in the weekend Bowie News.
By BARBARA GREEN
[email protected]
Bowie City Councilors this week got their first look at the 2024-25 proposed budget seeing a balanced plan with a total operational budget of $23,296,885 in expenses, which is a little more than $1.4 million above the previous year’s budget.
Mayor Gaylynn Burris said Monday night the budget looks “eerily familiar” to last year, despite adding a few equipment purchases. City Manager Bert Cunningham said he had already slashed more than $300,000 from the department requests in order to get a balanced budget.
The utility fund is balanced with expenses of $12,595,995 and revenues projected at $12,601,000. In the general fund revenues are projected at $10,705,568 with expenses at $10,700,890. Total budget expenses are $23,296,885 and overall revenue projected at $23,306,568. Cunningham said it leaves a small margin to set forth a balanced budget.
Read the full story in the weekend Bowie News.
Top photo: New chip and seal was laid on Elba and Lamb this week repairing well-worn roads near the Nelson/Mill drainage project. (Photo by Barbara Green)
By BARBARA GREEN
[email protected]
Few additional details have been released in connection with the Tuesday theft arrest of 97th District Attorney Casey Hall, and in a statement to the media the DA called the allegations “unfounded.”
The Montague County Grand Jury issued an indictment for Hall following the presentation of evidence in the case Monday by Assistant Attorney General Matthew Shawhan. The indictment is the result of an investigation initiated by county officials.
The indictment is for theft of property $2,500-$30,000 in value. Sheriff Marshall Thomas served the arrest warrant Tuesday afternoon. Justice of the Peace Two Jack Pigg arraigned Hall at the jail after her arrest at 2:33 p.m. She was released on $5,000 bond, which was set by retired District Judge Jack McGaughey on Monday.
Read the full story in the weekend Bowie News.
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