Severe weather spawns tornadoes across Central Texas

A large area of Central Texas was put on high alert after severe thunderstorms brought hail, flash flooding and tornadoes to the area.

Residents across ten counties were notified to take immediate shelter throughout the evening of Monday, March 21, with well over a dozen tornadoes reported across the region. Tornado sightings began shortly after the end of the work day, with the National Weather Service reporting the first tornado in Wimberley at 5:25 p.m. So far, no damage has been reported in Wimberley from the storm. The storm then continued to move northeast, into Driftwood, and extending past College Station.

Andrew Quigley, meteorologist at the National Weather Service Austin/ San Antonio, said that the severe weather was caused by a low pressure system in the Texas Panhandle meeting a “very energetic” upper level disturbance coming from Mexico and New Mexico with the temperature difference helping ignite the storms.

While weather experts had warned that this storm could bring tornadoes, the unusual occurrence still caught many by surprise . Even after the first tornado was confirmed, many continued to conduct business as usual, with some even commuting home during the thick of the storm.

KXAN meteorologist David Yeomans attributed this to the rarity of such intense and widespread tornado activity in the Central Texas region.

“These are storms you’d see in Oklahoma,” he explained. “We’re not used to that here in Austin. These storms don’t behave well, and rotations can jump without warning. It’s possible that a tornado could be right in front of you, but you can’t see it because of the rain.”

Although Hays County made it through fairly unscathed, Monday’s tornadoes did notable damage, with a significant rotation passing over the intersection of Interstates 35 and 45 in Round Rock and overturning a semi-truck.

“Advanced warning is the key to saving lives,” the Texas Department of Insurance stated. “Keep a backup battery communication system, such as a weather alert radio, available to listen to storm advisories and be ready to act.”