Athens Review, Athens, Texas

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October 2, 2009

False alarm

Storm damage was result of high winds, not a tornado

By Rich Flowers News Editor

The National Weather Service has determined that storm damage that occurred near Brownsboro Thursday was the result of high winds, rather than tornadic activity.

The blustery weather moved through shortly after nightfall, bringing stout winds, heavy rain and lightening.

At 8:50 p.m., Henderson County Sheriff’s Department dispatch personnel received a call reporting a possible tornado in the vicinity of Farm-to-Market Road 3204.

The Brownsboro Volunteer Fire Department was paged to the scene to help clear the area. No injuries were reported in the storm.

National Weather Service Lead Meteorologist Eric Martello said his office was also informed of high winds and downed trees in the Brownsboro area.

“We’ve got it logged, and we’re still going over some of the data, but it looks like it’s going to be straight-line winds,” Martello said. “There was no bowing to the cell, and no rotation noted on our radar. The storm put out about a 50 mile-per-hour localized downburst there”

The NWS often receives reports of tornados from the public who mistake heavy storm activity for twisters.

“We’ve got to go by the storm structure and the wind velocity within the storm itself, and none of that indicated it was tornadic,” Martello said.

According to NWS reports, the Brownsboro event caused the only significant storm damage in Henderson County.

“Our severe stuff was back to the southwest, anywhere from Leon County to Marlin, and back toward Waco,” Martello said. “Those were big boys there.”

The activity that swept through Van Zandt and Henderson County was part of an outflow from the larger front.

Texas AgriLife Extension reported that storms dumped an average of about two inches of rain in Northeast Texas, while spots in Upshur and Wood counties received as much as 18 inches. The weekend is likely to bring more severe weather.

“Late Saturday and early Sunday, with the front to our south, we’ll start getting a little disturbance and moisture overriding the front Martello said. “We’ll see some rain with embedded thunder. Monday, we might be a little more unstable and warmer. That may be a severe weather day.

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