NEAR KATY, TX – A new video shows the cleanup efforts going on in a strip center near Katy -- the day after an EF-1 tornado tore through that area.
The tornado touched down at 2:47 a.m. Wednesday, causing severe damage to some businesses.
The National Weather Service says it initially touched down near or over Mason Road and “immediately produced winds of approximately 90 mph.”
“Given that this storm was able to spin up a tornado that could produce significant damage in less than a few minutes is an important example of how fast storms can go severe and why you need to pay close attention to the changing forecast. I am incredibly grateful that there were no major injuries,” said KPRC 2 Meteorologist Justin Stapleton.
KPRC 2 Chief Meteorologist Frank Billingsley outlines the 1.5-mile path of the tornado right here:
Workers at the Bourbon Street Sports Bar hid inside a restaurant cooler when they heard all the rumbling.
“I’m pretty sure the roof got lifted off,” said Kevin and Jason who both work at the Bourbon Street Sports Bar.
“It was definitely rumbling, uh it built up until . . . the rumble and rumble got stronger until the walls started shaking.”
The tornado weakened to EF-0 as it moved to the east. Winds spun down to 65-75 miles an hour during that stretch, but still powerful enough to throw a lot of trees and tree limbs into and onto homes in nearby neighborhoods. Cars were also damaged.
Power at one point in the morning was out to well over 100,000 customers.