Severe weather affects portions of Texas

A massive weather system with high winds swept across the eastern part of the US state of Texas including Tyler, Texas on Monday evening Central Daylight Time (CDT), resulting in power outages, downed trees and property damage. The storm struck the Tyler area around 8:00 p.m. CDT (0100 UTC).

Heavy, swirling rains hit the southern section of Tyler and winds damaged the entrance door to a restaurant there. Minutes later, the restaurant lost electric power service. As early as 8:15 p.m. CDT (0115 UTC), segments of the city were experiencing power outages. Fallen tree branches and limbs in streets created hazardous driving conditions.

The neighboring city of Kilgore, Texas had 11,000 people without electricity as early as 10:00 p.m. CDT (0300 UTC). By 10:50 p.m. CDT (0350 UTC), utility officials reported 68,000 people across Smith County, Texas were without electrical power to their homes. At 6:15 a.m. CDT (1115 UTC) on Tuesday, most of Tyler's northern corridor was still in blackout conditions. Utility crews were seen moving trees off a roadway in the northwest part of Tyler on Tuesday morning.