EF-2 Tornado Kills Two in Runaway Bay as EF-1 Hits Springtown in Northern Texas

A tornado-producing thunderstorm tore through northern Texas late Saturday night, killing at least two people and displacing at least 20 families, according to authorities cited by the Associated Press and reported by PBS News.

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The National Weather Service confirmed that an EF-2 tornado touched down in the Runaway Bay area with peak winds of 135 mph, and it also confirmed an EF-1 tornado in the Springtown area with peak winds of 105 mph, as described by PBS News.

CBS News

The storms hit the Dallas-Fort Worth area around 10 p.m. on Saturday, April 25, and the National Weather Service issued a tornado watch for several North Texas counties including Dallas, Collin, Tarrant and Parker, according to MySA.

PBS News said the slow-moving supercell traveled through the area around 10 p.m. Saturday and moved southeast from around Wichita Falls, near the Oklahoma border, passing just west of Fort Worth.

In Runaway Bay, Wise County Judge J.D. Clark said at least one person was killed and numerous homes were damaged, and he said emergency responders worked to clear debris and provide medical care where needed.

“Access has been difficult due to blocked roadways and downed utilities, but crews have continued pushing forward to reach those in need,” Clark said, as quoted by PBS News and echoed by guardonline.

The storm also hit Springtown, where Parker County Assistant Fire Chief David Pruitt said in an email that a second person died south of the city limits, and he described “significant damage” in the area, according to PBS News.

The National Weather Service teams confirmed the tornado ratings after surveying damage, with PBS News describing an EF-2 tornado in Runaway Bay and an EF-1 tornado in Springtown.

NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth reported that survey crews evaluated damage Sunday morning near Runaway Bay in Wise County and confirmed an EF-2 with peak winds of 135 mph touched down Saturday night.

Daily Express US

NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth added that the tornado touched down on the south side of U.S. Highway 380 near Port O Call Drive and Pinto Court, where a 100 to 200 yard wide swath of EF-0 tree damage was observed.

It said the tornado continued west, uprooting trees and snapping branches, and that as it approached Cimmarron Trail the NWS estimated it was nearly one-third of a mile wide and was causing substantial tree damage and minor roof damage.

NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth also reported that the tornado started at about 9:03 p.m. and stayed on the ground for four minutes, covering 1.4 miles, and it said the tornado dissipated approximately 600 yards west of Jasper Creek Road.

For Springtown, NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth said survey teams confirmed an EF-1 touched down at 9:38 p.m. about three miles west-northwest of Springtown and stayed on the ground for 32 minutes, covering 9.8 miles tracking to the southeast.

The NWS said the tornado’s width could have been two-thirds of a mile, but the actual width was difficult to determine, and it stated that “The distinction between the tornado track and nearby RFD (rear flank downdraft) winds of 80-90 mph is tough to determine; the actual tornado likely wasn't that wide and analysis of the track will continue,” according to NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth.

MySA also described the EF-2 classification as part of the Enhanced Fujita (EF) Scale, saying EF-2 tornadoes have wind speeds ranging from 111 to 135 miles per hour and are considered significant storms capable of causing considerable destruction.

Local officials and emergency responders described the immediate challenges after the storms, including blocked roadways, downed utilities, and widespread power outages.

“At least two people have died after a tornado-producing thunderstorm swept through northern Texas”

Daily Express US

Wise County Judge J.D. Clark told PBS News that “Access has been difficult due to blocked roadways and downed utilities, but crews have continued pushing forward to reach those in need,” and he said emergency responders worked to clear debris to reach damaged homes and provide medical care where needed.

Parker County Assistant Fire Chief David Pruitt said in an email that one person died south of the city limits of Springtown and that there was “significant damage” in the area, according to PBS News.

guardonline similarly quoted Pruitt’s warning that “One of the most significant ongoing challenges is the widespread power outage affecting many residents,” and it attributed the statement to Pruitt.

FOX Weather reported that after Sunday’s press conference, officials issued a disaster declaration for the county “to ensure that our residents impacted by this event have every resource available to them to assist with the recovery process.”

FOX Weather also described operational steps, saying Wise County established a Unified Command structure to coordinate leadership, emergency agencies and utility partners under a single operational framework, and it said the structure is being led by Texas Task Force 2.

It added that officials urged the public to continue avoiding the Runaway Bay area for the safety of residents and first responders, and it said a reunification center was established in Runaway Bay during the initial response but had since been decommissioned as families were reunited.

In addition to the confirmed tornadoes, PBS News said weather service radar picked up a “potentially large and extremely dangerous” tornado near Azle at 10:14 p.m. Saturday, about another 10 miles southeast of Springtown.

While the core facts of tornado touchdowns and casualties were consistent across reports, different outlets emphasized different details about timing, geography, and the storm’s broader context.

MySA focused on the National Weather Service confirmation and the EF-2 classification, stating that the EF-2 tornado hit Wise County roughly 50 miles northwest of Fort Worth and that the tornado was confirmed in the Runaway Bay area with peak winds of 135 miles per hour.

FOX Weather

PBS News and NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth both described the EF-2 and EF-1 confirmations, but NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth provided granular damage-path specifics, including the tornado’s start time at about 9:03 p.m., its four-minute duration, and its 1.4-mile coverage.

The Guardian framed the event within a wider extreme-weather picture, linking the Texas tornado deaths to “wildfires also raging on in parts of Georgia,” and it quoted Wise county judge JD Clark saying “Access has been difficult due to blocked roadways and downed utilities, but crews have continued pushing forward to reach those in need.”

FOX Weather emphasized the response and recovery posture, reporting that officials issued a disaster declaration and describing the Unified Command structure led by Texas Task Force 2.

Daily Express US and The Mirror US both used similar language about “approximately 20 families” and “significant damage,” but they also added references to the National Weather Service tornado watch 152 and the timing of that watch, with The Mirror US saying it was “in effect until midnight on Sunday.”

In contrast, guardonline and PBS News centered on the confirmed EF-2 and EF-1 tornadoes, the displaced families, and the power outage challenge, with guardonline quoting Pruitt’s power-outage line.

Across these accounts, meteorologist Patricia Sanchez with the Fort Worth weather service office appeared in PBS News and was also referenced in Daily Express US, where it said the supercell traveled through the region around 10 pm Saturday and meteorologist Patricia Sanchez told PBS, as reported by the Mirror US.

The aftermath of the tornadoes included ongoing damage assessments, continued severe-weather expectations, and recovery measures for residents displaced by the storms.

MySA said confidence was increasing that “at least one or two severe storms will develop late this Sunday afternoon and evening across parts of North Texas,” and it said the storms would likely have large hail and damaging winds.

MySA

PBS News reported that the National Weather Service teams confirmed the EF-2 and EF-1 tornadoes and that weather service radar picked up a “potentially large and extremely dangerous” tornado near Azle at 10:14 p.m. Saturday, indicating that the threat was being monitored beyond the confirmed tracks.

NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth described how NWS survey teams evaluated damage Sunday morning near Runaway Bay and confirmed the EF-2 intensity recorded at two separate structures, and it said the NWS estimated the tornado’s peak width and described “small vortices embedded in the tornado produced narrow corridors of EF-2 damage.”

FOX Weather said officials issued a disaster declaration for the county to ensure residents impacted by the event had resources available to assist with recovery, and it said Wise County’s Unified Command structure was intended to coordinate leadership, emergency agencies and utility partners.

It also reported that overnight officials worked to restore power, support displaced residents and conduct damage assessments, and it said “Our first priority is the safety and well-being of every resident affected by this storm, and our teams are working to meet those needs,” quoting Clark.

The Guardian added that the National Weather Service has reported that severe weather is likely to continue over the coming days and that flash flooding is possible, and it quoted AccuWeather’s Tyler Roys saying, “People in towns from Oklahoma to Kansas and northwestern Missouri should prepare for storms capable of producing tornadoes, large hail and damaging wind gusts over 70mph.”

Daily Express US and The Mirror US both referenced the National Weather Service tornado watch 152, with The Mirror US stating it was “in effect until midnight on Sunday” for Northwest Arkansas and 14 counties in Oklahoma.