Severe thunderstorms with hurricane-force winds ripped through Houston, causing power outages for nearly 1 million homes and businesses in the region and resulting in significant damage. Houston Mayor John Whitmire confirmed four to five fatalities as a result of the storm, with trees falling on two victims and a crane blowing over in strong winds, causing the third death. With multiple transmission towers down, Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo warned that power outages could last weeks, and urged residents to be patient as utility workers worked to restore power to affected areas. The storm brought much of Houston to a standstill, with debris scattered across streets and school cancellations affecting over 400,000 students.
Government offices and schools were closed, and city officials advised residents to avoid downtown and stay off roads due to flooding and downed power lines. At least 2,500 traffic lights were out, leading to traffic disruptions, and authorities warned potential looters that police presence had been increased to prevent such activities. Despite the widespread destruction, power had been restored to around 200,000 customers, with another 100,000 still without power in Louisiana. The storm also impacted surrounding areas, with Montgomery County reporting catastrophic damage to transmission lines.
The Gulf Coast states were warned of the potential for more severe thunderstorms, tornadoes, large hail, and damaging winds. The National Weather Service issued flood watches and warnings for Houston and surrounding areas, with heavy rainfall expected. While no tornado touchdowns had been confirmed in Houston or Harris County, the agency stated that the majority of damage was caused by straight-line winds that could have reached up to 100 mph. Louisiana also experienced severe weather, with a suspected tornado hitting the Romeville area of St. James Parish and causing property damage, although no injuries were reported.
Authorities in New Orleans and Baton Rouge issued a flash flood warning through Saturday due to heavy storms. The storms in Houston came on the heels of similar weather events earlier in the month that led to high-water rescues and flooded homes. The storm left a trail of destruction in its wake, with shattered glass, fallen trees, and damaged buildings visible throughout the city. Emergency crews and utility workers were mobilized to address the damage and restore essential services to affected residents. The impact of the storm is expected to be long-lasting, with recovery efforts predicted to take weeks given the extent of the devastation caused by the severe weather event.
