The freak storm that could leave parts of Houston without power for weeks is a once-in-a-generation event, leaving damage in its wake comparable to that caused by a hurricane, meteorologists said Friday.
“We believe this is the most significant storm to hit the Houston area since Hurricane Alicia in 1983,” said Janice Maldonado, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service’s Houston/Galveston office. Ta.
Severe weather across Texas threatens millions with potential for tornadoes and damaging winds
At least four people were killed after the storm hit Houston on Thursday. Fierce winds snapped power towers, blew out windows and uprooted trees.
The National Weather Service confirmed Friday that an EF1 tornado touched down near Cypress, a northwest Houston suburb, and crews were investigating the possibility of several other tornadoes in the area. Maldonado said straight-line winds of more than 130 mph in one direction were contributing to the damage.
The windows of a downtown high-rise building are shown blown out in the aftermath of a severe thunderstorm in Houston on Friday, May 17, 2024. Thunderstorms ripped through southeast Texas on Thursday, killing at least four people, blowing out windows in high-rise buildings and knocking out power to more than 900,000 homes and businesses in the Houston area. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
“The environment across Southeast Texas yesterday was very favorable for these conditions,” Maldonado said, citing wind shear, cold fronts and atmospheric moisture.
The storm was extreme, even for Houstonians accustomed to severe weather.
“I think this is…a generational wind event for Houston. I mean, we don’t see this type of thing very often, unless of course we get hit by a hurricane or a tornado.” Northern Illinois University Weather Professor Victor Gensini says:
It’s what meteorologists call a microburst, and it’s “like pouring pancake batter onto a griddle, it hits the ground and then gets pushed out in all directions,” Gensini said.
Severe weather events raise questions about the role of a warming world. At the end of the day, most people are experiencing climate change through changes in the weather, according to Climate Central, a nonprofit organization with a team of scientists who research and analyze climate change. Extensive scientific research shows that as the atmosphere warms and holds more water vapor, storms become more intense, for example by producing more rain.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
The effects of climate change on thunderstorms are less obvious than on other weather phenomena such as heat waves and hurricanes. Gensini said this was due to the storm’s short duration and relatively small area.
“Imagine if you had a telescope, it would be relatively easy to see Jupiter, depending on the magnification of your telescope. But if your telescope had the same magnification. , you’ll be trying to find one of Jupiter’s moons. It’s a little bit harder,” he said.
