A warm front lifted north across East Texas and North Louisiana to along the Arkansas/Louisiana border during the afternoon hours of December 19th, focusing showers a large area of rain north of this boundary over portions of extreme Northeast Texas, Southeast Oklahoma, and Southwest Arkansas. Meanwhile, much warmer and humid air was found south of the front across Lower East Texas and Northcentral Louisiana, resulting in moderate surface instability. Meanwhile, a surface low developed during the afternoon over North Texas along a weak cold front, associated with a strong upper level trough of low pressure that progressed east across Westcentral and North Texas during the afternoon and evening. Steep lapse rates aloft enhanced instability across the warm sector south of the warm front, with adequate shear present and strong upper level forcing ahead of the trough leading to the development of stronger, more surface based showers and thunderstorms. These storms became severe as they moved into Southern Cherokee County Texas, with an isolated tornado touching down just south of Rusk. Other reports of wind damage were received with these storms as they slowly marched east northeast across East Texas south of Interstate 20. Locally heavy rainfall also accompanied these showers and thunderstorms, which trained for a few hours over the same areas resulting in flash flooding across portions of Southern Cherokee, Gregg, and Southwest Panola Counties. These storms gradually weakened as they approached the Lower Toledo Bend Country during the late evening hours.

Tornado in CHEROKEE, TEXAS
From 19-DEC-17 18:53:00 to 19-DEC-17 19:06:00 (CST-6)
Location: CIRCLE
Tornado F-scale: EF2
Property damage: 120.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey

An EF-2 tornado with maximum estimated winds near 115 mph touched down along County Road 1857 southwest of Rusk, where it snapped numerous trees and bent a power pole about 45-50 degrees above the ground. One home on County Road 2210 had its roof ripped off. The tornado crossed County Road 2211 where it snapped the tops of several trees, before it tracked across an open field before crossing FM 23. Numerous trees were either snapped or uprooted along FM 23, with portions of a metal roof and shingles beneath it ripped off of a home and thrown into a open field behind the home. A nearby metal outbuilding was also lofted and destroyed. The tornado continued northeast across FM 752 an intensified where it snapped additional trees and broke/bent 5 concrete poles and cracked an additional 2 poles. The tornado lifted shortly thereafter just east of FM 752 south of the city of Rusk.

Flash Flood in GREGG, TEXAS
From 19-DEC-17 19:35:00 to 19-DEC-17 22:45:00 (CST-6)
Location: GLADEWATER
Flood cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

The intersection of Highway 80 and Highway 271 in Gladewater was flooded.

Flash Flood in CHEROKEE, TEXAS
From 19-DEC-17 20:00:00 to 19-DEC-17 22:45:00 (CST-6)
Location: RUSK
Flood cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Social Media

The 2nd Grade Hall area at Rusk Elementary School was flooded, causing the school to be closed on December 20th, 2017. Report from the Rusk Citizen Facebook page.

Flash Flood in CHEROKEE, TEXAS
From 19-DEC-17 20:06:00 to 19-DEC-17 22:45:00 (CST-6)
Location: NORTH RUSK
Flood cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Fire Department/Rescue

Flooding was reported on Highway 69 near Rusk, as well as Highway 84 at County Road 1248. Street flooding was also reported in the city of Rusk.

Flash Flood in RUSK, TEXAS
From 19-DEC-17 20:20:00 to 19-DEC-17 22:45:00 (CST-6)
Location: REKLAW
Flood cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High water covered Highway 84 near County Road 204.

Flash Flood in PANOLA, TEXAS
From 19-DEC-17 22:38:00 to 19-DEC-17 22:45:00 (CST-6)
Location: BECKVILLE
Flood cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Law Enforcement

Street flooding was reported in Beckville.

Thunderstorm Wind in NACOGDOCHES, TEXAS
From 19-DEC-17 20:11:00 to 19-DEC-17 20:11:00 (CST-6)
Location: CUSHING
Magnitude: 56.00 EG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Broadcast Media

A large tree was blown down across the road via dash cam video shown on the WeatherNation Twitter Page in the Cushing community.

Thunderstorm Wind in RUSK, TEXAS
From 19-DEC-17 19:47:00 to 19-DEC-17 19:47:00 (CST-6)
Location: REKLAW
Magnitude: 78.00 EG
Property damage: 10.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Law Enforcement

Multiple trees were uprooted and all lying to the northeast along White Oak Road in Reklaw. A nearby utility barn sustained severe damage.

Funnel Cloud in RUSK, TEXAS
From 19-DEC-17 20:01:00 to 19-DEC-17 20:01:00 (CST-6)
Location: MINDEN
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

A funnel cloud was spotted over the community of Minden.

Tornado in RUSK, TEXAS
From 19-DEC-17 19:31:00 to 19-DEC-17 19:37:00 (CST-6)
Location: NEW SALEM
Tornado F-scale: EF2
Property damage: 125.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey

An EF-2 tornado was maximum estimated winds near 115 mph touched down across a heavily wooded areas just south of FM 4251 northeast of Reklaw, where it snapped and uprooted numerous trees. This tornado destroyed a nearby cabin adjacent to a pond where it was lifted off its pier and beam foundation and moved it about 15 yards into a heavily wooded area. A fiberglass fishing boat was lofted and unable to be found. The tornado continued east across a heavily wooded area before crossing County Road 4234 where numerous trees were snapped and uprooted. This tornado lifted after crossing County Road 4232 southwest of the Laneville community.