LIVE BLOG: 1 injured, 1 home destroyed after tornado hits Burnet County
AUSTIN (KXAN) — A tornado was confirmed on the ground in Burnet County Thursday, according to a National Weather Service storm spotter.
Rounds of storms Thursday and Friday were expected to bring severe weather to parts of Central Texas, according to the KXAN First Warning Weather Team.
Hail, winds and an isolated chance of flooding are all possible Thursday. On Friday, flooding could occur with the rain, and the storms also carry a severe weather risk with large hail, damaging winds, and an isolated tornado.
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Follow live updates below
9:30 p.m.
‘Hunker down’: Family hides in tornado shelter during severe weather
At least one tornado touched down near Oakalla in northeastern Burnet County on 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.”
8:30 p.m.
One house and one large outbuilding were destroyed after a tornado was confirmed in Burnet County Thursday, the Burnet County Office of Emergency Management (BCOEM) said in a news release. Additionally, one driver who was on Country Road 223 was injured. Those damage assessments were still ongoing Thursday evening.
Around 4:13 p.m., the National Weather Service issued a Tornado Warning for northeast Burnet County. The storm moved south toward Burnet County from Lampasas and Coryell counties, according to BCOEM.
The agency said the tornado was confirmed on the ground around 4:20 p.m. in the area of CR 223 and moved “roughly south.”
“First responders and Burnet County Precinct 2 Road and Bridge crews are clearing debris from roadways in the area of County Road 223 and are conducting initial damage assessments,” the agency said.
BCOEM said heavy rain and severe storms continued to threaten the county Thursday evening and asked the public to stay aware of weather conditions by monitoring the media for updates.
Anyone who has experienced damage from the storm or other storms that passed through the county Thursday can report damages to the iSTAT tool on the Texas Division of Emergency Management website.
“Stay aware of the weather over the next 24 hours as another severe weather system is expected Friday afternoon. Watch for water on area roads and low water crossings,” the agency said.
For anyone requiring assistance, they are asked to either dial 911 or call 512-756-8080.
6 p.m.
Softball size hail is now possible near Buchanan Dam, according to NWS.
5:47 p.m.
KXAN viewer Kelsey B. sent us this photo of hail in Copperas Cove
5:40 p.m.
Tornado Warning issued in northeast Burnet and northwest Williamson counties until 6:30 p.m. Ping pong ball-sized hail is also possible, according to NWS.
5:25 p.m.
A Severe Thunderstorm Watch has been issued for the Austin/Travis County area until 9 p.m., according to Austin Emergency Management.
