It was last Thursday that a possible tornado ripped through Delta County, leaving twisted metal and splintered wood near the intersection of Highway 19 and FM 198.
Mark Fox Warning Coordination Meteorologist at the Fort Worth National Weather Service office said they believe it was a downburst, or straight line winds. Fox went on to explain the radar data did show signs of broad rotation as the storm moved past the area, and cannot rule out the possibility of a relatively small, brief tornado.
However, the isolated nature of the damage including the barns destroyed with the houses intact leads them to believe the strong gusts of 65-75 mph got into the exposed areas of the buildings and failed at the roof joints and other exposed surfaces. The damage path did continue into Lamar County, with the same type of damage patterns.
Meanwhile, SKYWARN will be offering a free severe weather program Wednesday night from 7-9 p.m. at the Delta County Civic Center in Cooper.