Deadly storms turn from Texas toward Gulf states

A storm system already linked to four deaths in the Houston area was set to sweep through states on the Gulf Coast on Friday night. Houston officials had warned people to stay home during a Thursday press conference after severe storms left trails of broken glass, fallen trees, and downed power lines. The area experienced 100 mph winds along with some twisters, Houston Mayor John Whitmire said. In downtown Houston, asphalt streets sparkled with shattered glass from highrise buildings. Over 900,000 customers lost power from the storms, CenterPoint Energy said. Restoration efforts will take several days or longer for service areas with significant infrastructure damage, said Lynnae Wilson, Senior Vice President of CenterPoint’s Electronic Business.

What caused the fatalities? At least two people died from fallen trees, Fire Chief Samuel Peña said at the press conference. Another person died when strong winds blew over a construction crane, he added.

Where is the weather moving now? Severe thunderstorms with a few tornadoes, large hail, and damaging winds are possible through Friday night across some Gulf Coast states, according to the National Weather Service. Heavy rainfall is also expected Friday in eastern Louisiana into central Alabama, which could bring flooding, according to the NWS forecast.

Dig deeper: Read Lauren Canterberry’s report on how Tropical Storm Harold ripped through Texas last summer.