Power Outage in Round Rock, TX

Freezing rain began around 11 AM on January 30 and continued off and on through February 2. By 9:13 PM on January 30 the Emergency Manager reported ice accumulating on the roadway of the 183A toll road overpass at Brushy Creek Rd in Cedar Park. By the end of the event 0.5��� of ice had accumulated in Round Rock, 0.41��� in Hutto, 0.38��� in Jollyville and Taylor, and 0.33��� in Leander. There were multiple accidents across the county. There were also trees and tree branches down around the county and thousands of power outages. The cost of damages was estimated at $22.6 million. The Pedernales Electric Cooperative, headquarters in Johnson City, provides electricity to most of Blanco and Burnet Counties and parts of Edwards, Real, Kerr, Williamson, Travis, Hays, Comal, and Kendall Counties, reported $13 million in damage. This damage is likely included in the damage estimates reported by the counties.

Freezing rain began around 11 AM on the 30th and continued off and on through February 2. By 9:13 PM on the 30th the Emergency Manager reported ice accumulating on the roadway of the 183A toll road overpass at Brushy Creek Rd in Cedar Park. By the end of the event 0.5 inches of ice had accumulated in Round Rock, 0.41 inches in Hutto, 0.38 inches in Jollyville and Taylor, and 0.33 in Leander. There were multiple accidents across the county. There were also trees and tree branches down around the county and thousands of power outages.

A National Weather Service storm survey team determined a tornado touched down just west of CR 234 and north of CR 239. The tornado moved southeastward producing EF-0 damage to trees and a barn and knocked down a two-story home that was still under construction near CR 310 and CR 237. As the tornado crossed this intersection it turned east and strengthened and widened. High end EF-0 damage was observed to trees and some homes just to the west of I-35. The tornado crossed I-35 south of CR 314 and north of Ronald Reagan Blvd. and strengthened further. A semi-trailer was flipped on I-35 and the driver sustained minor injuries. Nine wooden power poles were brought down on the north bound side of I-35, including one that was snapped in half. As the tornado continued east of I-35 and west of Little Road EF-1 damage was observed. Additional power poles were damaged and snapped. A home sustained roof damage and many large tree branches were snapped. A barn had a portion of the roof removed. A small, enclosed cargo trailer on the property was lofted roughly 100 yards downwind. Maximum winds were estimated at 100 mph just east of I-35. The tornado dissipated east of Little Road.

A National Weather Service storm survey team determined a tornado touched down just west of CR 234 and north of CR 239. The tornado moved southeastward producing EF-0 damage to trees and a barn and knocked down a two-story home that was still under construction near CR 310 and CR 237. As the tornado crossed this intersection it turned east and strengthened and widened. High end EF-0 damage was observed to trees and some homes just to the west of I-35. The tornado crossed I-35 south of CR 314 and north of Ronald Reagan Blvd. and strengthened further. A semi-trailer was flipped on I-35 and the driver sustained minor injuries. Nine wooden power poles were brought down on the north bound side of I-35, including one that was snapped in half. As the tornado continued east of I-35 and west of Little Road EF-1 damage was observed. Additional power poles were damaged and snapped. A home sustained roof damage and many large tree branches were snapped. A barn had a portion of the roof removed. A small, enclosed cargo trailer on the property was lofted roughly 100 yards downwind. Maximum winds were estimated at 100 mph just east of I-35. The tornado dissipated east of Little Road.

The Round Rock - Granger tornado was a long-lived tornado that started approximately 1.25 miles southwest of the I-35/Hwy 45 interchange. The tornado tracked to that interchange moving into Williamson County and then moved northeastward across the county and into Bell County approximately 0.8 miles east of CR 352. Touchdown was found near the Silverstone subdivision where some shingles were torn off roofs and fences blown down. This was rated weak EF0 damage. The tornado quickly strengthened to EF1 as it continued to cross a residential area and business park where a section of roof was lifted off a warehouse building and several empty semi-trailers were tipped over. Several trees were snapped and air conditioning units were blown off the roofs of several buildings. The tornado crossed the I-35/Hwy 45 intersection and entered a large retail shopping center where roof and window damage was observed on several businesses. Still an EF1, the tornado crossed Dell Way and entered the Windy Terrace and Greenlawn Place neighborhoods. Widespread tree and roof damage was observed to multiple homes, a few lost their entire roof indicating the tornado had strengthened briefly to EF2. The tornado likely weakened a bit before regaining EF2 strength as it moved northeast and crossed Gattis School Rd. where substantial roof damage was seen on some homes near the intersection of Gattis School Rd. and windy Park Dr. The Clay Madsen Recreation Center and the adjacent playing fields sustained damage as well. The storm crossed A.W.Grimes Blvd. and entered the South Creek neighborhood where tree and roof damage was once again observed across many streets until it exited the neighborhood at Brushy Creek. Before crossing Hwy 79 the tornado made a slight right turn and started to parallel the south side of Hwy 79 and moved through the parking lot of the Kalahari Resort where multiple vehicles were damaged, trees blown down, and some windows of the resort were broken from flying debris. The tornado was likely at high end EF1 strength when it followed Brushy Creek into the Forest Bluff neighborhood off Red Bud Ln. Trees were blown down along the creek and several homes sustained roof damage where large sections of roof were blown off the house. The tornado crossed Red Bud Ln. and damaged a few businesses at the Red Bud Ln. and CR123 intersection. Shortly after crossing Hwy 79 east of Red Bud Ln., the tornado produced EF1 damage to an industrial park complex to numerous metal warehouse buildings. The tornado then weakened and continued to the northeast for nearly 5 miles producing minor EF0 damage to residential roofs, trees, and signs. Just east of FM1660, several homes under construction with only visible studs collapsed. As the tornado approached Chandler Rd. near the intersection with CR 101, the intensity of the tornado increased again with EF1 damage observed to a large metal building system with sections of the roof peeled away. Additional EF1 damage was observed to a stable on a property near the San Gabriel River with substantial tree damage as well. As the tornado neared CR337, EF2 damage was observed to a home on piers as the roof, most exterior walls, and some interior walls failed and were moved away from the property. As the tornado crossed Hwy 95 and CR345 EF1 damage was found on more homes and metal system buildings. Significant EF2 damage occurred to a home near the intersection of CR347 and CR346. The tornado then produced EF1 damage to trees, power poles, and a few structures as it crossed CR348, FM971, CR352, and CR357 before exiting Williamson County and entering Bell County. The maximum width of the tornado and its damage path was roughly 500 yards with maximum winds at 135 mph, the high end of EF2. Most of the 29-mile-long track however was at EF1 strength. There were reports of a total of 16 injuries, most of which were minor. There were no reported fatalities with this tornado.

The Round Rock - Granger tornado was a long-lived tornado that started approximately 1.25 miles southwest of the I-35/Hwy 45 interchange. The tornado tracked to that interchange moving into Williamson County and then moved northeastward across the county and into Bell County approximately 0.8 miles east of CR 352. Touchdown was found near the Silverstone subdivision where some shingles were torn off roofs and fences blown down. This was rated weak EF0 damage. The tornado quickly strengthened to EF1 as it continued to cross a residential area and business park where a section of roof was lifted off a warehouse building and several empty semi-trailers were tipped over. Several trees were snapped and air conditioning units were blown off the roofs of several buildings. The tornado crossed the I-35/Hwy 45 intersection and entered a large retail shopping center where roof and window damage was observed on several businesses. Still an EF1, the tornado crossed Dell Way and entered the Windy Terrace and Greenlawn Place neighborhoods. Widespread tree and roof damage was observed to multiple homes, a few lost their entire roof indicating the tornado had strengthened briefly to EF2. The tornado likely weakened a bit before regaining EF2 strength as it moved northeast and crossed Gattis School Rd. where substantial roof damage was seen on some homes near the intersection of Gattis School Rd. and windy Park Dr. The Clay Madsen Recreation Center and the adjacent playing fields sustained damage as well. The storm crossed A.W.Grimes Blvd. and entered the South Creek neighborhood where tree and roof damage was once again observed across many streets until it exited the neighborhood at Brushy Creek. Before crossing Hwy 79 the tornado made a slight right turn and started to parallel the south side of Hwy 79 and moved through the parking lot of the Kalahari Resort where multiple vehicles were damaged, trees blown down, and some windows of the resort were broken from flying debris. The tornado was likely at high end EF1 strength when it followed Brushy Creek into the Forest Bluff neighborhood off Red Bud Ln. Trees were blown down along the creek and several homes sustained roof damage where large sections of roof were blown off the house. The tornado crossed Red Bud Ln. and damaged a few businesses at the Red Bud Ln. and CR123 intersection. Shortly after crossing Hwy 79 east of Red Bud Ln., the tornado produced EF1 damage to an industrial park complex to numerous metal warehouse buildings. The tornado then weakened and continued to the northeast for nearly 5 miles producing minor EF0 damage to residential roofs, trees, and signs. Just east of FM1660, several homes under construction with only visible studs collapsed. As the tornado approached Chandler Rd. near the intersection with CR 101, the intensity of the tornado increased again with EF1 damage observed to a large metal building system with sections of the roof peeled away. Additional EF1 damage was observed to a stable on a property near the San Gabriel River with substantial tree damage as well. As the tornado neared CR337, EF2 damage was observed to a home on piers as the roof, most exterior walls, and some interior walls failed and were moved away from the property. As the tornado crossed Hwy 95 and CR345 EF1 damage was found on more homes and metal system buildings. Significant EF2 damage occurred to a home near the intersection of CR347 and CR346. The tornado then produced EF1 damage to trees, power poles, and a few structures as it crossed CR348, FM971, CR352, and CR357 before exiting Williamson County and entering Bell County. The maximum width of the tornado and its damage path was roughly 500 yards with maximum winds at 135 mph, the high end of EF2. Most of the 29-mile-long track however was at EF1 strength. There were reports of a total of 16 injuries, most of which were minor. There were no reported fatalities with this tornado.

A tree was down on a powerline due to icing from freezing rain near the Walgreens at the intersection of El Salido Pkwy and RR 620 N in Anderson Mill. Following the ice event, snow fell on the 14th and 15th. Snowfall totals ranged from 4.8��� in Georgetown to 8.0��� in Cedar Park and Leander. Some other totals include 7.0��� in Round Rock, 6.0��� in Jollyville, and 7.0��� in Brushy Creek.

A thunderstorm produced wind gusts estimated at 60 mph that downed power lines in Florence, Georgetown, and Taylor.

A thunderstorm produced wind gusts estimated at 58 mph which knocked down powerlines along Ranch Road 2338.

Thunderstorm wind gusts, estimated at 60 mph, knocked down trees. One tree landed on a car and others tore down power lines.

A NWS storm survey concluded an EF1 tornado with winds estimated at 85 to 95 mph developed three miles WSW of Jonah, moved northeast and dissipated one mile west of Jonah along Hwy 29. Over 20 homes were damaged, mostly minor roof damage due to falling branches and trees. Several out buildings and small storage sheds were destroyed. Three power poles were snapped. One travel trailer was rolled on its side.

Hurricane Harvey moved onshore as a Category 4 hurricane over San Jose Island east of Rockport during the late evening of August 25th. Harvey moved inland entering southern DeWitt County during the morning of August 26th as a Category 1 hurricane. It continued to weaken as it moved farther inland eventually reaching south central Gonzales County as a tropical storm during the late evening of August 26th. The center of the storm made a loop through Gonzales, Karnes, and DeWitt Counties before exiting our County Warning Area during the afternoon of August 27th moving into Victoria County. The maximum sustained winds were 46 mph recorded at Austin Bergstrom International Airport and at two private weather stations, one near Yorktown and the other near Smiley. The maximum recorded wind gusts were 58 mph at New Braunfels Airport, Randolph AFB, and at a private weather station near Smiley. The highest rainfall total was 29.19 inches outside of LaGrange in Fayette County. A number of places in Fayette, Lavaca, and Bastrop Counties received 20 or more inches of rain. Tropical storm force winds with estimated gusts up to 60 mph caused damage across the region. Trees and branches were knocked down by the winds. Some of these in turn knocked down power lines causing power outages in Bastrop, Comal, Hays, and Guadalupe Counties. At one point, 15,000 customers in Comal County were without power. There was also some minor structural damage in Caldwell, Comal, and Lavaca Counties. Maximum rainfall totals in these counties ranged from 4.67 inches in Bexar to 29.19 in Fayette. Flooding and flash flooding forced 608 people to be evacuated from their homes. Most of these, 400, were in Fayette County.

Rainfall began near sunrise over Williamson County, with totals in the mid-morning period approaching 3 inches. By the end of the afternoon, amounts were generally 4 to 6 inches over the south portion of the county, with a major part of the rainfall occurring over the drainage area of Brushy Creek. Emergency planners reported the flooding along the San Gabriel River to be some of the worst since 1957. Numerous rescues were required, with some victims having to be pulled out of trees. At least 3 cars washed off a bridge over Brushy Creek south of Hutto. Several dozen people were evacuated from their homes and a few homes were destroyed. Nearly 3 dozen trailers and recreational vehicles were damaged or destroyed at resorts along SH29 east of Georgetown along San Gabriel Creek. Power outages were common but short-lived. Two deaths occurred in the Brushy Creek area. The first, a 27-year old man drowned after his car stalled in a low water crossing across Brushy Creek. He had left the vehicle and was last seen standing atop the flooded car, talking on the telephone. Shortly afterward, A 59-year old woman drowned after her car had stalled fin a low water crossing across Brushy Creek. Her body was found after being swept 600 yards downstream.