'Hunker down': Family hides in tornado shelter during severe weather
BRIGGS, Texas (KXAN) — At least one tornado touched down near Oakalla in northeastern Burnet County Thursday late afternoon with a potential second tornado soon after in Briggs, according to KXAN’s First Warning Weather Team.
The severe weather risk continued through late Thursday evening with scattered severe storms in the Hill Country, northern Austin metro counties and into our eastern counties as well.
For 45 minutes, Ryan Murray and his family huddled in their tornado shelter in Briggs.
“Just enough room to hunker down,” Murray said. “My main goal was to get them in there quickly and to just stand guard until the last possible second.”
-
Ryan Murray said his family got the tornado shelter back in 2019, after having a few nerve-wracking tornado warnings. (Photo: KXAN) -
Ryan Murray said his family got the tornado shelter back in 2019, after having a few nerve-wracking tornado warnings. (Photo: KXAN) -
Ryan Murray said his family got the tornado shelter back in 2019, after having a few nerve-wracking tornado warnings. (Photo: KXAN) -
Ryan Murray said his family got the tornado shelter back in 2019, after having a few nerve-wracking tornado warnings. (Photo: KXAN)
They saw something headed their way.
“We looked straight north of here, and we could tell the funnel cloud was really close,” Murray said. “We watched it form before our eyes.”
Murray said this was their first time using the shelter in the six years they’ve had it.
“We could hear the the hail hitting the top of the roof and and every once in a while I would briefly pop my head out, and I got pretty much soaked.”
Ryan Murray, Hid in tornado shelter
Murray’s greenhouse sustained a bit of damage from the hail, but it was nothing major. Ultimately, they’re grateful to have this resource.
“We have a little box in there with some some blankets and flashlights,” Murray said. “We’re just glad to have something like that. If worse comes to worse, at least we would have our lives.”
