A slow-moving storm system brought destructive weather across Texas and Oklahoma over the weekend, resulting in three fatalities and widespread damage. On Easter Sunday, communities across both states began assessing the toll from multiple tornadoes, heavy rain, and large hail.
According to the National Weather Service’s Weather Prediction Center, 17 tornadoes were reported Saturday, with five confirmed in south-central Oklahoma. One tornado struck a small town that was still recovering from a previous tornado in March, causing further devastation.
Heavy rainfall impacted a wide area, stretching from north-central Texas into central and eastern Oklahoma. Rainfall totals between two and four inches were recorded from Saturday into Sunday.
In Moore, a city just south of Oklahoma City with about 63,000 residents, emergency responders dealt with numerous flooding incidents. Police received dozens of calls about stranded vehicles, including one car swept under a bridge. Although some individuals were rescued, a woman and a 12-year-old boy lost their lives in the flooding.
Further southeast in Spaulding, another tornado claimed one life and damaged multiple homes and roads. Emergency officials reported widespread structural damage and “numerous washouts” of rural roadways.
Preliminary assessments by the National Weather Service classified the tornadoes in Spaulding and Love County as EF1, with wind speeds ranging from 86 to 110 mph. The storm system remained mostly stationary over the region on Saturday, leading to a prolonged period of severe thunderstorms, hail, flooding, and tornado activity.
In Marshall County, emergency management officials reported a tornado touched down and moved erratically over a six- to seven-mile path, damaging or destroying at least 20 homes. Fortunately, no injuries or deaths were reported there, although trees and power lines were brought down across the area.
Ada, Oklahoma—a town of about 16,000 people that had already been hit by a tornado in early March—was struck again late Saturday. The latest twister caused significant damage on the north side of town, particularly near a shopping center. Reports showed storefronts damaged, windows shattered, and billboards blown over. One local clothing store was hit hard, even though nearby buildings remained relatively unscathed.
In Texas, two tornadoes were reported in Parker County. Emergency crews responded to homes with severe roof damage, and photos showed debris scattered across neighborhoods. In one case, a detached roof was found smashed across a driveway.
By late Sunday, the storm system began to shift northeast but continued to pose risks of hail, damaging winds, and flooding in parts of Arkansas, Missouri, southern Illinois, and southeastern Iowa. Thousands in Missouri were without electricity due to the severe weather.
Although rain began to let up in Texas and Oklahoma, more rainfall is expected throughout the Plains in the coming days. With saturated ground and already high stream levels, the threat of further flooding remains.