A tornado swept through the Upton area Friday night, destroying a barn, damaging property and upending farm equipment. There were no reported injuries. It was one of two reported in the county.
The National Weather Service confirmed an EF-1 tornado with maximum winds of 95 miles per hour struck along a 1.25 mile path from about five miles southwest of Success to one-half mile east of Highway AJ. The width was about 50 yards.
The NWS said a roof, carport, outbuilding and trees were affected.
Heavy hit was the Murray farm off Highway AJ in western Texas County.
The tornado leveled a barn and equipment, including a round baler. Nearby, a trailer used to store feed was turned over. The National Weather Service is expected to make a survey of the site.
Paul Murray, the property owner, said he was notified early Saturday morning by an Intercounty Electric Cooperative crew that the barn was destroyed. Murray’s brother, James, lives just a short distance from the destruction. He said a piece of tin was wrapped around a metal post on the front of his house. A nearby shop had the windows sucked out of the north side. In a nearby field, a round bale of hay was moved some distance. The National Weather Service issued a tornado warning Friday evening for a portion of western Texas County. In Houston, a storm shelter was opened at First and Pine streets.
On Saturday morning, friends and families looked on at the Upton destruction as they helped remove debris and fix fences. An insurance company had been notified.
The storm downed electrical lines and many in the neighborhood had no power. Property owners said a line landed across Highway AJ. Nearby, some damage was reported at the Roy Gaither residence.
The second tornado occurred at about 8:20 p.m. about four miles west, northwest of Licking. The EF-1 tornado had maximum winds of 100 miles per hour and a width of about 50 yards, the National Weather Service said. It said the twister damaged a house, a vacant mobile home, and numerous trees were snapped and uprooted.
The path was five miles and extended to five miles southeast of Beulah near Sherrill Creek.
by Houston Herald
April 14, 2018
