More storms push through, six more counties delared disaster areas

The governor declared six more counties disaster areas this morning due to damage caused by severe storms and heavy rains on April 3 and 4. The declared counties include Clark, Cleburne, Jefferson, Lee, Mississippi and Phillips counties (see red counties to the right). These six counties will be added to the previous disaster declarations of recent weeks, bringing the total number of declared counties since to 52.

A pretty strong squall line just pushed through Texarkana, bringing high winds and heavy rain. Two tractor trailers overturned at the Leary, Texas exit about an hour ago, which is just nine miles from the Arkansas state line.

Update: From a reader:

Three 18-wheelers were blown over at the 213 mile marker westbound near Leary. One private vehicle was also struck by a tree. Shreveport says it was straight line winds and not a tornado. Three persons were injured. We have three homes and two barns heavily damaged on Highway 82 east of Hooks. One home has a tree on it.

Eastbound traffic on I-30 is now open. Westbound traffic is being rerouted on Highway 82 until trucks and trees can be pulled off the road. Command posts have been set up at the truck incident and near Leary to handle damage assessment of homes. Power has been out at New Boston but just came back up. Union Pacific reporting a power line and pole down across the tracks in Redwater. Power is out in Fouke. Schools are being dismissed there.

The storm this morning is not the main event for the day. A dry line moving out of the Dallas Ft. Worth area will be the focal point for new storms firing up later today. The current projection is for the dry line to stall out somewhere over Bowie County. That could mean another outbreak of heavy thunderstorms and a heavy rain event, perhaps up to 2 inches.