HARRIS COUNTY, Texas (KTRK) — Strong thunderstorms passed over the Houston area on Sunday afternoon and left behind some damage in northwest Harris County.
Video captured by ABC13 Storm Tracker Jaime Garcia showed a large branch downed in a residential neighborhood near Jersey Village, which was under a Severe Thunderstorm Warning at around 3:30 p.m.
The warning, issued by the National Weather Service, reported that 60-mile-per-hour wind gusts and quarter-sized hail were possible in the area at the time.
The storm lasted less than an hour but prompted hours of cleanup as homeowners cleared fallen branches and other storm damage from their properties.
Residents described a sudden burst of heavy rain, hail, and strong winds that caught many off guard.
“I was in the bathroom at the time, and I heard hail hitting the window,” resident Marie Prysukha said. “I immediately told my grandson, ‘Let’s get all these blinds shut because we have paper-thin windows.'”
Another resident, Maggie Mottu, said she sought shelter after hail began falling.
“It was hailing, so we stopped for shelter at the gas station on West and Eldridge,” she said.
The storm damaged fences, snapped large tree limbs, and even knocked part of a chimney cap from a home. Some residents said rising water and powerful winds made for a frightening experience.
“It was nerve-wracking,” resident Jim Griffin said. “When it came down, the water came rushing up my patio. It scared me to death.”
13 Alert Radar showed the severe thunderstorm that passed over the area, with wind speeds estimated to be between 40 and 50 miles per hour.
As the weather cleared, neighbors helped one another remove debris.
“We had a lot of debris, and luckily, a lot of neighbors helped me pick stuff up,” Griffin said. “But it was more of a nuisance than anything else.”
Charmion Brooks said she and her husband remained inside their parked vehicle in their driveway until the storm passed.
“Our car was shaking back and forth,” Brooks said. “I was scared.”
Despite the damage, residents said they were relieved no one was seriously hurt, and no homes appeared to suffer catastrophic damage.
An ABC13 Weather Watch was declared for Monday and Tuesday due to the potential for street flooding.
Governor Greg Abbott’s office said it activated emergency response resources on Sunday ahead of the expected storms that may bring flash flooding to several areas of Texas.
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Tony Atkins
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