HOUSTON – Damage has been reported Tuesday after an apparent tornado tore through suburbs on the southeast side of the Houston metro area.
The National Weather Service issued its first Tornado Emergency after radar showed debris was being thrown into the air by a twister. Officials described it as a “large and extremely dangerous tornado” in the warning that was issued about 2:30 p.m. Central time.
Pasadena is one of the cities southeast of Houston that appeared to have been hit by the tornado. A spokesman for the Pasadena Police Department said “extensive damage” has been reported to buildings on the southeast side of the city. He said no injuries have been reported, but hundreds of calls have been placed to 911, and authorities are starting to search damaged buildings.
The town of Deer Park, just to the northeast of Pasadena, also appears to have sustained damage from the tornado.
“We are getting reports of pretty significant damage down in the Deer Park area, on the southeast side of Harris County,” said Dan Reilly, the warning coordination meteorologist at the Houston NWS office. “There may be other areas of damage, so it’s a very fluid situation right now.”
High winds toppled at least one tractor-trailer that was toppled by high winds on a major highway outside Houston.
There has been at least one additional report of a tornado. A spotter reported debris in the air near Eagle Lake, Texas, about 60 miles west of Houston.
The tornadic weather caused by a powerful winter storm is not only creating severe thunderstorms across the South but also dumping snow on a large swath of the U.S.
This developing story will be updated.