KTXS Station Faces Damage Amid Texas Storms On June 8th

Powerful storms wreaked havoc across Texas on Sunday, June 8^th. Big rigs were flipped, roofs shredded, and even one of our local TV stations got knocked off the air as high winds swirled across The Big Country.

If you slept through last night’s storms in the Big Country, you have to be the heaviest sleeper on the planet. Tornado-warned storms packing powerful straight-line winds ripped through our area, and the aftermath is no joke.

Truck Tossed Like A Toy

Storm chaser Jaden Pappenheim posted a photo from the QT in Abilene showing an 18-wheeler flipped over like a scene right out of the movie Twister.

KTXS Blown Off Air

Our local ABC affiliate, KTXS, wasn’t even safe. Their main building in Abilene took a direct hit, knocking the station off the air temporarily. In a Facebook post, they confirmed their team is safe, but the damage to their facility is “extensive.”

We took a direct hit from the storm. Our station is damaged, and we are working to assess the full extent and get back on air as soon as possible - KTXS FB Page

KTXS Meteorologist, Caiden Dinkins posted a few damage pictures on her Facebook page. Whew! Glad they were ok!

Tornadoes & Straight Line Winds

While tornado warnings were issued across much of Texas, a lot of the damage came from straight-line winds, nature’s version of a sucker punch. These winds can be just as destructive as twisters, especially when they top out around 80 to 100 mph, like we saw last night.

What a crazy night of storms. This is another example of the unpredictable weather in Texas, highlighting the importance of staying weather-aware to prepare for any potential conditions.

Stay safe, Texas!