By Julia Falcon
Updated on: March 4, 2025 / 5:35 AM CST / CBS Texas
Severe storms entered North Texas in the early morning hours Tuesday, prompting several weather advisories.
The National Weather Service issued a tornado watch for all of North Texas until 11 a.m. Tuesday.
CBS News Texas
Several severe thunderstorm warnings are also in effect across parts of North Texas until 6:30 a.m., including Collin County and parts of Hunt, Kaufman, Rockwall and Dallas counties.
At 4:30 a.m., the line of storms moved quickly across North Texas, at up to 55 mph. Wind in Denton County was reported moving 70 mph. The storms brought a lot of lightning with them. A CBS News Texas storm chaser reported 60 mph winds in Bridgeport.
CBS News Texas meteorologists issued a First Alert Weather Day for Tuesday due to the strong, severe storms followed by a windy afternoon. Damaging winds and large hail are the main threats with these storms.
As the severe weather moved through the Metroplex, many residents experienced power outages. As of 4:12 a.m., there were 344 active outages affecting 17,342 customers, according to the Oncor website.
Dallas County had the most power outages at 3,635. In Tarrant County, there are 728 power outages, while in Ellis County, there are 4,503.
The NWS advises to have several ways to receive warnings. When severe weather strikes, know where to go. Seek shelter in a strong building, stay away from windows and if you’re in the car, don’t stop or shelter under overpasses.
A wind advisory is also in effect for all of North Texas until 9 p.m. Tuesday. Wind gusts during the day could reach up to 50 mph. Avoid any activity that could start a fire as winds will cause fires to spread quickly.
What is a tornado watch?
A tornado watch is issued by the NWS when tornadoes are possible in and near the area, according to the NWS. Be prepared to act quickly if a warning is issued or a tornado is approaching. The NWS said watch areas are typically large, covering several counties.
What is a tornado warning?
A tornado warning is issued by the NWS when a tornado has been sighted or indicated by weather radar, according to the NWS. This means there is imminent danger to life and property.
Julia FalconJulia Falcon is a digital content producer at CBS News Texas. Julia has previously written for news outlets across Dallas-Fort Worth like the Denton Record-Chronicle, D Magazine, 1080 KRLD and 105.3 The Fan. She covers a span of topics, focusing on sports and trending topics. Every week, Julia produces a show called “Eye on Trending,” where she answers top trending questions.
