Res 2006-163 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

I Texas is arguably the tornado capital of the United States, located in the southern portion of the area generally know as "Tornado Alley." Texas has an average of more than 150 tornados touching down each year. Although there have been no devastating tornado events in Hays County, several of the worst tornados in Texas have touched down in close proximity to it. Hays County is located only 100 miles south of the City of Waco where the devastating May 11, 1953 Tornado caused 114 deaths, and only 70 miles from the Jarrell tornado of October 1997. The Jarrell tornado was responsible for 27 deaths and was rated an F5 on the Fujita scale, which indicates the greatest level of damage. Information about the Fujita tornado rating scale is shown in Table 9. According to National Weather Service spotter network records, Hays County has experienced fourteen (14) tornados from 1990 to 2002. Seven of these were rated as FO tornados, four were Fl tornados, and the rest were simply listed as "funnel clouds," presumably because there was either no reported damage or the funnel did not touch down. Of the recorded storms, no deaths and seven (7) injuries were reported. Damages from these storm events totaled over $1.1 million. I Tornados have been infrequent, usually associated with hurricanes or other severe weather storms. Tornadoes may occur in any month and at any hour of the day, but they occur most often in late spring and early summer during late afternoon and evening hours. Although the potential for a devastating tornado causing extensive damage to life and property exists, tornados within the community have been short-lived and only moderate in strength. Touchdown of a tornado usually is expected less than once a year. Table 10: The Fujita Scale FO Light damage 40-72 mph Moderate 73-112 mph tornado Significant 113-157 tornado mph Severe tornado 158-206 mph Devastating 207 -260 Incredible 261 - 318 Light damage - chimney damage, some downed trees limbs, shallow-rooted trees pushed over. The lower limit is the beginning of hurricane wind speed; peels surface off roofs; mobile homes pushed off foundations or overturned; moving autos pushed off the roads; attached garages may be destroyed. Considerable damage. Roofs torn off frame houses; mobile homes demolished; boxcars pushed over; large trees snapped or uprooted; light Object missiles generated. Roof and some walls torn off well constructed houses; trains overturned; most trees in forest uprooted Devastating damage ~ Well constructed homes leveled. structures with weak foundations blown some distance, cars thrown, and large missiles generated. Incredible damage - Strong frame houses swept off foundations, automobile sized missiles generated, trees debarked. F1 F2 F3 F4 F5 I Hays counl~', Texas Mitigalion Plan 62