(Feb. 28, 2007) - If a picture is worth a thousand words, these photographs speak volumes about the devastating tornado that ripped through Dumas and Back Gate, Ark. (Desha County) during the afternoon of Feb. 24. Meteorologist-in-Charge Renee Fair and Warning Coordination Meteorologist John Robinson, of the National Weather Service forecast office in Little Rock, rated the tornado an EF3 (136-165 mph) on the Enhanced Fujita Scale. The office issued a Tornado Warning for Desha County at 2:40 p.m. (CST), 13 minutes before the tornado touched down.

Although no deaths were reported, the tornado injured three dozen people and damaged or destroyed approximately 130 homes, mobile homes and businesses. One supermarket in Dumas was heavily damaged and full of shoppers. Fortunately, the advanced warning allowed time for them to avoid injury by sheltering in the store's freezers and storage areas.

The Desha County tornado was part of a system that triggered severe thunderstorms, high winds, tornadoes and hail over the Southern Plains and Lower Mississippi Valley during the 23rd and 24th. At least 15 tornado reports and 94 wind damage and large hail events occurred from the Texas Panhandle through portions of Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama.

Strong westerly winds also pushed a massive dust storm through North Texas and into southeastern Oklahoma Saturday afternoon. At its peak, the dust storm measured approximately 400 miles long, 70 miles wide and nearly 1,800 feet high. Wind gusts of 60 mph. contributed to power outages for up to 90,000 homes and businesses and caused more than 500 flights to be cancelled at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport.