Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in Texas, May 8 to 9, 1997

Severe thunderstorm winds broke 3-inch limbs off of trees.

An old cotton gin was picked up and tossed 100 feet onto Highway 287.

Golf ball sized hail covered the ground.

Severe thunderstorm winds estimated at over 70 mph caused widespread damage in and around Harrold. The winds blew an empty cattle trailer into the canopy at a truck stop. The canopy and part of the roof of the building were severely damaged. Light poles and signs were also blown down at the truck stop. Residential roofs were damaged, fences and trees were downed, and windows were broken throughout town. Near the elementary school a garage and a barn were completely demolished, and a second barn was severely damaged. The roof of the elementary school also collapsed. On US Hwy 287 a tractor-trailer was blown off of the road.

Severe thunderstorm winds caused widespread structural and tree damage in and around Iowa Park. The most extensive damage occurred on the south part of town, where a mobile home was completely destroyed on FM 367, a store lost one-quarter of its roof, and windows were blown out of a car dealership. Also in south Iowa Park, an auto repair garage suffered severe damage when its 35-foot awning was torn off and blown across the street and sections of the building's roof were removed. Branches were downed and large trees were toppled across town, including at least one 60-foot tree. Power poles and lines were snapped, leaving residents without power for as long as 13 hours.

Winds of around 70 mph downed small trees and destroyed part of the fence at the stadium sports complex on the southwest side of town.

measured at the ASOS site

Power poles were blown down in Archer City.

measured at the ASOS site

An 18-inch diameter tree was blown over by severe thunderstorm winds.

at the intersection of FM 2393 and FM 1954

A citizen reported a brief tornado on the FM 172 bridge south of Lake Arrowhead. One picnic shelter in a park was destroyed.

Severe thunderstorm winds blew windows out of a house.

A small tornado, probably a gustnado, blew part of the roof off a barn.

Highway 82 between Benjamin and Seymour was closed due to high water.

Highway 82 between Benjamin and Seymour was closed due to high water.

Highway 79 was closed due to high water.

The Clay County Sheriff's Office reported roads across most of the county were covered with water, causing numerous accidents and stalled cars. Many roads were closed.

Portions of Wichita Falls received up to 5 inches of rain in less than one hour, resulting in widespread flash flooding throughout the city. As many as 100 homes in the Faith Village area and off of Jacksboro Highway in south Wichita Falls reported some sort of flooding. Numerous roads in and around Wichita Falls were closed due to high water, some for over 12 hours. With water up to 6 feet deep, several cars became stranded and were washed away. In one instance an ambulance on its way to rescue a wheelchair-confined man from his flooding house stalled in water that rose to the depth of the ambulance's windshield. (The handicapped man was helped safely from his house by his neighbors.)

Flash flood waters flowed 4 feet deep over the FM 172 bridge across Deer Creek (about 2.5 miles west of Bluegrove). Several cars became stranded in high water on FM 172 between Bluegrove and Lake Arrowhead, and officials rescued at least 2 people from their flooded cars.

Several highways and streets across the county were covered with high water.

FM 1954, FM 883, FM 2606, and Highway 172 were closed due to high water.