Thunderstorms packing high winds hit DFW

FORT WORTH -- After two days of triple-digit temperatures, a line of storms came barreling south into the Metroplex.

At 12:20 p.m., the line of storms stretched from Dallas County to Lamar County.

The storms, which were reported as packing 50 mph winds at the Red River, increased in intensity as they moved into the urban core. Dallas/Fort Worth Airport reported 64 mph winds. In these types of storms, high winds typically precede heavy downpours, the National Weather Service said.

"It's a line of storms that moved out of southern Oklahoma," said meteorologist Jason Dunn with the NWS in Fort Worth. "There's rain and lightning."

The biggest threat is damaging winds, Dunn said.

The National Weather Service issued a severe thunderstorm warning for Dallas and Tarrant counties until 12:30 p.m. Storm sirens could be heard in Burleson just after noon.

As of 1 p.m., many flights departing Love Field in Dallas were delayed up to an hour.

While Fort Worth/Tarrant County Emergency Management officers remained on alert at 12:10 p.m., there were few reports of damage, said Calvin Brown, an emergency management officer.

As the storm continues in a southeast direction, the warnings have been extended to Hunt, Kaufman, Rockwall and other counties east of the Metroplex.

Several damage reports came in from throughout the area. A trained storm spotter in Fort Worth measured a gust wind at 70 mph. In Celina trees were blown down, and in Plano tree limbs were broken.