Power Outage in Del Valle, TX

Winter Storm. Freezing rain began around 11 AM on January 30 and continued off and on through February 2. By 10:23 PM on January 30 the Pflugerville Police had closed the flyover ramps between Hwy 130 and Hwy 45 due to ice on the roadway. The Austin area was hit hard with approximately 265,000 power outages (estimate from Austin Energy) when trees took out power lines. By the end of the storm the ASOS at Camp Mabry recorded 0.69��� of ice and the COOP observer in Great Hills reported 0.45���. There were many car accidents one of which resulted in a fatality on January 31. The cost of damages was estimated at $55.5 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.

February 01, 2023

Winter Storm. Freezing rain began around 11 AM on the 30th and continued off and on through February 2. By 10:23 PM on the 30th the Pflugerville Police had closed the flyover ramps between Hwy 130 and Hwy 45 due to ice on the roadway. The Austin area was hit hard with thousands of power outages when trees took out power lines. By the end of the storm the ASOS at Camp Mabry recorded 0.69 inches of ice and the COOP observer in Great Hills reported 0.45 inches. There were many car accidents one of which resulted in a fatality.

January 30, 2023

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.

March 21, 2022

Tornado. The Elgin tornado began roughly 9 miles southwest of Elgin near Dry Creek Road and Union Lee Church Road. It moved northeast and crossed into Bastrop County near the end of Ingrid Dr. The tornado moved northeast crossing Upper Elgin River Rd., Balch Rd., Youngs Prairie Rd., and Crooked Hollow Rd. Significant damage was observed through this region to many homes. This included the destruction of multiple mobile homes, significant roof damage to numerous slab homes, two homes having their second story destroyed, numerous large tree limbs, tree trunks, and power poles snapped, barns destroyed, and a large electrical transmission tower toppled. Pockets of high-end EF-2 damage occurred through this region. The tornado continued northeast, crossing Monkey Rd., FM 1704, Hwy 95, and U.S. 290 producing damage to roofs of slab homes, mobile homes, trees, and power poles. Damage through this region was generally rated EF-1. As the tornado reached U.S. 290 it produced significant damage to a metal framed business, buckling the roof purlins and collapsing in the south facing wall. The tornado then rolled an adjacent mobile home into and partially on top of the south facing wall of another metal framed business. Three individuals in the mobile home were injured. Damage to the business and mobile home was on the order of high-end EF-1 to low-end EF-2. As the tornado crossed U.S. 290 a moving pickup truck was rolled onto its side, spun around 360 degrees, and rolled back upright where the driver continued down the road. Several power poles were also damaged along U.S. 290. As the tornado continue northeast a mobile home was completely destroyed off Old McDade Rd. From there the tornado gradually weakened and dissipated roughly 3 miles east-northeast of Elgin, near the intersection of FM 3000 and Mundine Rd. Damage was reported to 109 residences and one business. Of those, 32 residences were classified as major damage and 20 residences and one business were reported as destroyed. Peak wind speed was estimated at 130 mph.

March 21, 2022

Winter Storm. Freezing rain and sleet, mixed with a few flurries, reported with a glaze developing quickly on sidewalks and roads. The ASOS at Austin Camp Mabry reported 0.18 ice accumulation. Broadcast media reported power flashes in the Austin area. Significant ice accumulation was leading to reports of power lines down and carports collapsing due to the weight of ice and snow. Ice buildup is estimated to be at least 1/4 inch. Picture on social media showed a 0.25 inch layer of ice measured from the Lakeway area. New ice and sleet accumulation of 0.25 inch occurred overnight in Leander. Ice accretion on tree branches and exposed surfaces had increased from 0.5 inches to 0.75 inches. More tree branches were breaking. We received a picture of measured half inch of ice in Leander. Estimated 0.2 inches of ice near Creedmore and Mustang Ridge. Approximately 2/5 inch of ice accumulation on tree branches in Wells Branch. A trained spotter reported 0.25 inches on tree branches in Lakeway. A person reported 3/16 inch of ice on tree branches in Pflugerville. Close to 1/4 inch of ice was measured on tree branches in South Austin. The ice event was followed by snow on the 18th. Snowfall totals in the county ranged from 1.2��� in Lost Creek to 3.8��� in Jollyville.

February 16, 2021

Dear Americans from the northern parts of the USA who derided Texas for Winter power outages. Ain't so funny now, is it?

@realFireblazes - March 15, 2023 22:37

Most power outages happen on the local distribution grid. If policymakers commit Texans to pay to overbuild capacit… https://t.co/6EVJRq8XjH

@douglewinenergy - March 15, 2023 14:32

Fun day of user interviews yesterday - I remain impressed that the average consumer thinks that the brand of their… https://t.co/x8Z5BEwUIw

@benji5632 - March 15, 2023 13:33

UPDATE: Northeast digs out from winter storm, faces power outages https://t.co/jrDWdps6qJ

@TALK1370 - March 15, 2023 12:44

Northeast digs out from winter storm, faces power outages https://t.co/jrDWdps6qJ

@TALK1370 - March 15, 2023 12:11