Topic: Confirmed large tornado south of Dallas, TX moving north.

[Maumelle Weather]

Coverage is here:   http://www.wfaa.com/videos/news/local/2015/08/18/14336082/

[Farmtalk]

It does appear to be losing its hook thankfully as it approaches the metro area. The couplet has also disappeared from radar on this screen on the velocity images. Hoping this trend continues!

[Farmtalk]

Fairly large rotation. But still not out of the woods. Boy this is a close call for that area. Hopefully nothing spawns from it.

[Farmtalk]

Confirmed tornado in Desoto, which is a few miles south of Dallas. 

[Maumelle Weather]

Now showing a TVS again over Dallas.

[Maumelle Weather]

Looks like we've had a right split with 2 circulations now.

[Farmtalk]

105 mph wind report near Desoto, TX. Unreal.

[Maumelle Weather]

On the ground NE of Mesquite near or on I-30.

[CW2274]

Wedgie....

[Maumelle Weather]

Watching here:  https://www.periscope.tv/w/1eaKbMeOvVRxX  Large tornado in or near Rowlett.

[Farmtalk]

That's not good at all. That cell ended up having the tightest couplet of the two. Gonna be some flooding issues likely within these two cells as well.

[CW2274]

That's not good at all. That cell ended up having the tightest couplet of the two. Gonna be some flooding issues likely within these two cells as well.

This stuff is moving at light speed and no training to speak, so hopefully flooding will be minimal.

[Bunty]

Watching here:  https://www.periscope.tv/w/1eaKbMeOvVRxX  Large tornado in or near Rowlett.

That's dang brave to try to track a tornado in the dark.

[Maumelle Weather]

Jeff has been chasing for over 30 years. One of the nicest guys you'll ever meet in the storm chasing world.  Doesn't act like a snob like a bunch of them do. Willing to teach, give pointers, etc. All around good guy.  He's a major Baron Services guy. Has all of their latest gadgets.

[Farmtalk]

John, ironically, the man you were periscoping said in social media that he was attacked by a man tonight and nearly killed, but saved himself by fighting him off.

Unfortunately, there are many damage photos coming in that look pretty terrible. Based on the damage coming out of near Mesquite, that cell produced a significant tornado.

[CW2274]

John, ironically, the man you were periscoping said in social media that he was attacked by a man tonight and nearly killed, but saved himself by fighting him off.

Wow, talk about a full night!

[Maumelle Weather]

Jeff was attacked last night. At least 2,000 viewers witnessed it on Periscope. The guy was arrested either late last night or this morning. So far the tornado has been rated an EF3 in Rowlett and an EF4 in Garland. Surveys continue.

[Farmtalk]

Wow, two significant tornadoes out of six total reports is pretty terrible to read about, especially with it being this time of year with the holidays. Prayers for all affected!

[MesquiteWx]

The final total for that evening was 12 confirmed tornadoes with the Sunnyvale/Garland/Rowlett tornado being rated an EF-4. Making it the most active tornado year in Texas history. On our RACES net last Thursday Garland OEM is estimated damages in the upwards of $80 million for Garland alone. 246 homes in Garland sustained damage with 84 completely destroyed with 13 fatalities and 109 injured. Most of the fatalities were a result of it crossing the hwy and it throwing cars off the hwy and overpasses. 17 yrs as a spotter/chaser VFD/EMT I have seen a lot of things I never want to see but, things I witnessed that night unfold right in front of me I don't think I will ever forget. 

[CW2274]

The final total for that evening was 12 confirmed tornadoes with the Sunnyvale/Garland/Rowlett tornado being rated an EF-4. Making it the most active tornado year in Texas history. On our RACES net last Thursday Garland OEM is estimated damages in the upwards of $80 million for Garland alone. 246 homes in Garland sustained damage with 84 completely destroyed with 13 fatalities and 109 injured. Most of the fatalities were a result of it crossing the hwy and it throwing cars off the hwy and overpasses. 17 yrs as a spotter/chaser VFD/EMT I have seen a lot of things I never want to see but, things I witnessed that night unfold right in front of me I don't think I will ever forget.

Hell, with video coverage everywhere now, there's stuff I think I'll never forget. Seeing live from a helo, the two schools in session in Moore OK. getting destroyed in May of '13 was gut wrenching. Actually being there? Forget it.

[MesquiteWx]

It's all bad and no situation is worse than the other that is for sure but, physiologically there is just some things that hit you in a different way than others. Especially when it unfolds in your own backyard rather than in another state. I was on both those storms too in Oklahoma that year and you're right. It was very difficult feeling witnessing that especially when you're a parent as well. This ranks right up there with that event. You know you're going to see damage but, you'll always see something you haven't seen before that you weren't prepared to see. I was the primary spotter that evening on that East Dallas storm. I ditched the Dallas cell since this one was threatening my area and we were short on spotters for my city since it was the holidays and Mesquite and Garland are joint EOC operations and the Dallas storm had coverage and everyone else wasn't paying attention to what was going on on the east side of the county they were chasing weakening rotation through downtown and Net Control was apparently watching cartoons instead of radar. Since I have a computer in the truck I saw it was doing a left split and the right mover is the one that is going to produce in that situation if something is going to produce. Not to mention I noticed it was wrapping up more and more with each scan.

This never made the news because of my experience and background I know what to transmit and what not. I had to ask Dallas net control for permission to do direct with Garland and have them public service me so I could relay information to responding units and not over the air. That way all the news media outlets and people listening on scanners wouldn't have to hear the reports. We had cars flying off 100'+ hwy overpass interchanges and being lofted several hundred feet. One car was picked up and hit a 130' high mast light pole that is built to withstand 200 MPH winds. Hit it dead center in half and bent that pole over like it was a gummy straw and kept flying. I thought I was going to be sick as that is one of those things you've never seen before. Seen 35' trailers get lofted 200' in the air but, those weren't affecting lives as they were sitting in a storage lot. Later I found out that it was picked up from the apartments on the south side of the hwy and was unoccupied. Unfortunately the others that were getting lofted off the overpasses were occupied and that is where most lost their lives. The pics below are of that high mast light pole that was hit by the car.