Strong thunderstorm cells with upper-air disturbances focused the mayhem in a 50-mile swath between Beaumont and Jasper on Friday evening, said Roger Erickson, warning coordination meteorologist with the National Weather Service's Lake Charles, Louisiana, office. In Southeast Texas, wind speed topped 50 mph and gusted to probably more than 70 mph, Erickson said, achieving near-hurricane status, which is 74 mph for a Category 1.