Severe Storms Cause Fatality and Damage in Ellis County, Texas on Saturday

Severe storms swept through Ellis County, Texas, on Saturday, resulting in one fatality, multiple injuries, and widespread power outages. A 42-year-old man from Midlothian died when the camper his family was in overturned at Texas Motorplex. High winds ripped the roof off a Days Inn in Ennis and overturned tractor-trailers on Interstate 35E in Waxahachie, leading to its temporary closure. At the peak, nearly 18,000 customers lost power, with restoration efforts continuing. The National Weather Service attributed the damage to straight-line winds estimated between 80 and 90 mph. Golf ball-sized hail was also reported in Waxahachie, Mansfield, and Ennis. Tulipalooza, the annual tulip festival in Waxahachie, was temporarily closed due to the storm.