A strong upper-level jet, abundant instability in the atmosphere, and substantial wind shear provided additional fuel for the development of supercells across the region, particularly along and just north of the warm front.

A capping inversion also helped maintain lifted indices of up to -71⁄2 through late afternoon, contributing to high convective available potential energy (CAPE) for severe thunderstorm development and tornadogenesis.

Some time after crossing the Trinity River, the tornado weakened, and shortly afterward passed over a parking lot about 3⁄4 mi (1.2 km) west of the U.S.

Nearly 600 (some sources list 574) structures and more than 500 homes were damaged, including between nine and 28 permanent apartment buildings that were completely destroyed.

Some businesses and schools were also damaged, but the Parkland Memorial Hospital was narrowly spared, as was Dallas Love Field.

The tornado was highly visible due to its slow, 30-mile-per-hour (48 km/h) forward speed, a lack of precipitation, and its coincidence with ideal, late-afternoon lighting.

Occurring shortly before the end of the workday, the tornado passed just west of Downtown Dallas and was seen by many business and factory workers.

Additionally, structural surveys following this and the Fargo tornado later in the year provided data that contributed to the development of the Fujita scale.

[32] Severe thunderstorm winds reached 83 kn (96 mph; 154 km/h) in Toledo, Lucas County, Ohio, on April 5.