FOX Weather Storm Tackers captured video of at least one tornado outside of Hawley, Texas on Thursday.
HAWLEY, Texas – For more than a week, relentless severe weather has been pummeling states in the middle of America. That trend continued on Thursday, with nearly 100 reports of severe weather, most of which this time were focused in Texas.
The worst of the storms were tornadoes that left damage in rural towns such as Hawley and Hamlin in the west-central part of the state.
A home sits damaged after a tornado hit Hawley, Texas on May 2, 2024.
(@scrosWX / X / FOX Weather)
Videos showed significant damage outside the town of Hawley where storm chasers were going through debris looking for victims.
A supercell spawned at least one tornado in Hawley, about 15 miles northwest of Abilene, Texas on Thursday. (VIdeo courtesy: @mables81/X )
The National Weather Service says two people were injured when their home suffered storm damage in nearby Hodges, Texas, but the extent of their injuries was not given. In addition, spotters reported up to softball-sized hailstones in Hawley.
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The local school district said several families lost their homes during the storm and any storm-related absences of students on Friday would be excused.
Following the severe weather, a shelter was opened at a local church for storm victims needing a place to stay.
Earlier in the day, the National Weather Service in Houston received a report of a tree that fell on a school bus during a thunderstorm, as well as fences knocked down near Chateau Woods in Montgomery County, Texas. The Hardin County Emergency Management Coordinator also reported half-dollar-sized hail in Kountze, Texas.
CenterPoint Energy reported more than 100,000 customers lost power in the Houston metro area.
Tornado seen in Texas from the town of Hawley
(City of Hawley / FOX Weather)
Texas Governor Greg Abbott also expanded a disaster declaration to include 59 counties at-risk for severe weather and flooding.
In Central Texas, a significant tornado was reported outside Abilene, Texas, in Jones County.
FOX Weather Storm Trackers said the tornado happened in a rural area but was on the ground for several minutes.
There were no initial reports of damage around the town of Anson after the severe weather.
Jones County, Texas tornado on Thursday evening
(FOX Weather)
Further north, at least one tornado was spotted outside of Joplin, Missouri. Video taken from the Joplin Regional Airport showed the twister making brief contact with the ground. Several homes were also reported to have sustained damage.
A brief tornado was spotted on Thursday in southwest Missouri, outside of the Joplin Regional Airport. Homes were reported to be damaged in the community of Carl Junction.
Hail and damaging winds were also reported in the Show-Me State.