By BARBARA GREEN
[email protected]
The National Weather Service confirmed Monday the tornado that tracked through Montague County and into Cooke County Saturday night was an EF-2 with estimated peak winds of 135 mph; while the one that struck nearby Valley View in Collin County was an EF-3 with winds up to 165 mph.
While the emergency sirens came on three times in the City of Bowie Saturday evening, the community was spared any significant damage as the long-track tornado came east across the county. Nearby Clay County also had tornadoes spotted in the Windthorst area.
In Cooke County, the small community of Valley View, which is only 50 miles east of Bowie was hard hit. Cooke County Sheriff Ray Sappington reported on Sunday there’s “just a trail of debris left” in the town that lies along I-35 just south of Gainesville.
The sheriff said seven people were killed in this area including two children ages two and five in Valley View which only has a population of about 800. Two other children, ages 15 and nine were later confirmed to have also died. The bodies of three family members were found in one residence said Sappington.
Governor Greg Abbott in a Sunday news conference said at least 100 others were injured in the Valley View area and more than 200 homes and buildings were damaged along with 120 other structures in the area.
These powerful weekend storms left 15 people dead across Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas. Another tornado tore through Denton County Saturday night damaging homes and knocking out power.
On Sunday the governor signed the state’s severe weather disaster declaration to add Denton, Montague, Cooke and Collin Counties, bringing the total number to 106. This tornado was rated an EF-3.
“As further assessments are made those death and damage numbers may increase. It has been a harrowing week with lives lost, property reduced to rubble and crushed hopes and dreams of those that owned homes or small businesses,” said Abbott.
The governor also encouraged those whose homes or businesses have been damaged to contact their insurance companies as soon as possible and to report damages at damage.tdem.texas.gov.

Read the full story in the mid-week Bowie News.

Top Photo – Brad and Rebecca Largent captured this photo of the tornado near Windthorst Saturday on Deer Creek Road in Clay County on FM 1883. They said it was about eight miles from their home.