NWS rates East Austin tornado as EF1
Wednesday’s slow-moving storm in Austin damaged buildings in an area 50 yards wide and a little more than one mile long, and as suspected, the National Weather Service determined it was a tornado, not just high winds.
After studying the damage, on Thursday NWS rated the tornado as an EF1, which is considered in the “weak” category . The length of the path of destruction was 1.14 miles and the twister was on the ground for seven minutes. It had a maximum wind force of 100 mph, according to NWS .
The tornado’s path started near the intersection of Commercial Park Drive and Old Manor Road. It touched down at 2:58 a.m. and headed north through an industrial park where an empty building was destroyed and the roofs of several others were damaged.
NWS said the tornado crossed U.S. Highway 290 and entered the Walnut Place subdivision where it caused damage to trees and homes along Springdale Road and Happy Trail. Only one home had its roof lifted off, and debris was found in a large field just south of Ferguson Lake. The tornado’s path ended just west of the intersection of Ferguson Lane and Sansom Road.
Another area hit by high winds was in Pflugerville. The school bus barn near Crystal Bend Drive and Immanuel Road was damaged, but NWS said Thursday that was due to strong, straight-line thunderstorm winds in excess of 60 mph.
NWS staff is still investigating other reports of damage in Central Texas, including some in San Antonio. Results will not be available for a few days.
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