EF-1 tornado confirmed to land in Cypress area amid severe weather

Officials confirmed the strength of the tornado was an EF-1 tornado with winds gusting to 110 mph.

• Here’s what hit Houston yesterday

As for downtown Houston and Baytown, officials classified this entire event as a derecho, which is a type of straight-line wind storm.

Straight line winds are often confused with tornadoes due to their dangerous and destructive nature. Unlike tornadoes, straight-line winds do not rotate. Powerful winds are often caused by the accumulation of cool, dry air during a thunderstorm. Eventually it gets so cool that it becomes heavy enough to fall from the storm and crash onto the warmer air at the surface.

This difference in temperature and density accelerates the air to a high velocity, leading to damage like we saw in Baytown and downtown Houston on Thursday.

Baytown

In Baytown, the storm survey reports straight-line wind damage between 90 and 100 mph. Large hardwood trees were snapped and roof and vehicle damage was reported throughout the area.

• 4 – possibly 5 – dead after severe storm sweeps Houston area, officials confirm

Downtown Houston

The Downtown Houston Storm Survey Report: Strong straight-line winds. Exposed buildings on the north and west sides had windows blown out by winds estimated at around 100 mph.

• Damage in downtown Houston following severe thunderstorm

WEATHER COVERAGE

Harris County residents “may have to go a few weeks without power” after severe weather ravaged Southeast Texas.

Trees, power lines down in Houston; Daylight sheds light on how serious the deadly storm really is

Another series of storms in Houston; what will follow?

“We are in recovery mode”: storm kills at least 4, Houston mayor asks Houstonians to stay home

Mother killed by fallen tree in southeast Houston near Buffalo Bayou during Thursday’s severe weather