Over 100,000 in Texas without power due to severe thunderstorms, tornadoes: See map

Jonathan Limehouse, USA TODAY
·2 min read
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Power outages continue to plague the Lone Star State as severe weather, including thunderstorms and tornados, make their way through Texas counties.

Tens of thousands of Texas customers are without electricity as of Thursday afternoon, according to USA TODAY's power outage tracker. The most outages have been reported in Harris County (over 120,000) as the area continues to recover from a hazardous storm system that consisted of 100 mph winds and resulted in at least eight deaths last week, NBC News reported.

Now a week after the storm system, Houston is faced with extreme heat putting residents without power in even more distress. Temperatures reached 90 degrees in Houston over the weekend and are forecast to increase through the holiday weekend.

Customers without air conditioning could be at an increased risk of illness or death, according to Deljo Heating and Cooling.

Texas power outage map

'Severe weather and emergencies can happen at any moment'

Texas could be in store for more damaging weather as the NOAA National Weather Service on Thursday predicted "above-normal hurricane activity in the Atlantic basin this year." NOAA’s outlook for the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season, spanning from June 1 to November 30, predicts an 85% chance of an above-normal season.

NOAA predicts a range of 17 to 25 named storms (winds of 39 mph or higher), and of those, 8 to 13 are forecast to become hurricanes (winds of 74 mph or higher), including four to seven major hurricanes (category 3, 4, or 5; with winds of 111 mph or higher).

"Severe weather and emergencies can happen at any moment, which is why individuals and communities need to be prepared today," FEMA Deputy Administrator Erik A. Hooks said in the NOAA news release. "Already, we are seeing storms move across the country that can bring additional hazards like tornadoes, flooding and hail. Taking a proactive approach to our increasingly challenging climate landscape today can make a difference in how people can recover tomorrow."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Texas power outage map shows nearly 100,000 without electricity