Power Outage in Hondo, TX

An NWS Storm Survey Team determined that damage done east of the EF-1 tornado south of Dunlay was caused by straight line thunderstorm winds estimated at 80 to 105 mph. Two separate sections of power lines were knocked down, the roofs of two houses were damaged, several center pivot irrigation systems were damaged, and large tree limbs were knocked down.

A thunderstorm produced a wind gust measured by the Hondo Municipal Airport ASOS at 54 kts. This strong wind brought down several trees and caused power outages.

The Medina County emergency manager reported 12 inch diameter Hackberry trees were blown down in Hondo. There were also power outages caused by the high winds.

Severe thunderstorm winds knocked over trees and blew down power lines down east of Hondo.

Severe thunderstorm sweeping southeastward from central Medina County blew down power lines across the southeast part of the county. Officials reported that power was restored after two hours.

Ice and snow accumulations began Monday night, with sections of I-35 being shut down near midnight. County roads were also closed for most of Tuesday. Electric power experienced short failures only. Several schools closed on Tuesday, while others opened in the late morning. Damage was reported to trees and plants from the combination of cold temperatures and the ice.

The damage at Hondo was due to the combination of a large tornado, severe downburst winds and large hail. The event was classic, as taught in the NWS Skywarn training program. Severe downburst winds (estimated in excess of 100 miles an hour), struck first, followed by heavy rain, then hail to the size of golfballs, and finally, just in front of the tornado, winds began to calm. This is the classic sequence - wind - rain - hail - calm - tornado. Wind damage began 2 miles northwest of the Hondo Airport, continued across the downtown area, and ended 5 miles southeast of the center of town. This damage was characterized by large limbs knocked from trees, trees uprooted, roofs and winds torn from homes and businesses, and power lines knocked down.

The tornado was spotted as it touched down near 940 pm CST just northwest of the Hondo airport. It grew to nearly 500 yards in width and moved toward the southeast for 1.2 miles across the airport and over the National Guard Armory before dissipating near the center of town. Although much of the damage was F0 and F1 on the Fujita Scale, the tornado was rated F2 because of the level of damage from the airport to the armory. During this time it destroyed a large hangar, partially destroyed the roof and walls of the concrete Armory and moved numerous mobile homes off their pads. One mobile home clearly showed the nature of damage from a tornado. The center of the mobile home was completely destroyed, along with a tree in front of it, while much less damage was indicted on both ends of the mobile home as well as vegetation near the ends. The storm also knocked out power to much of the area, and this, along with the darkness in the late night hour, made spotting very difficult. It is possible that additional small tornadoes might have accompanied the storm, but the combination of damage from the large tornado and the downburst winds, along with the darkness of the late night hour made it impossible to tell. Almost 150 homes in Hondo and almost 50 more outside the city were damaged, with nearly 100 mobile homes damaged. At least 10 houses and 30 mobile homes were destroyed. Losses to homes and mobile homes were estimated at 1.5 million dollars. In addition, nearly two dozen aircraft, including one corporate jet and 14 crop dusters, were damaged and destroyed at the Hondo Airport. Some were in collapsed hangars while others were lifted, tossed and set down across the Airport area. Commercial losses placed at 18 million dollars. At least 25 persons were injured.

Severe thunderstorms, striking again well after the previous tornadoes and downbursts, knocked out power to homes in the Hondo area and caused damage to roofs and carports around the town.

Severe thunderstorm winds blew down trees and power lines and damaged roofs of homes in Hondo.

Severe thunderstorm winds blew down power lines and poles near Hondo.