Wednesday storm system set off Tornado Warning and leaves path of destruction in Montgomery County

CONROE, Texas - Those who received the National Weather Service’s Code Red Alert phone text warning at 4:45 a.m. Wednesday morning, were definitely wide awake when they was realized the alert was a Tornado Warning not just a Severe Storm Warning, for the band of severe thunderstorms moving east across Texas between fifty and sixty miles an hour.

The Weather Channel reported two areas of weather rotation in the expansive storm system, one south of The Woodlands and another in north Montgomery County at Willis, Texas. In the aftermath of the storm it appeared that Tomball was severely impacted with numerous trees down and widespread power outages. One elderly resident was killed when a large tree fell on top of her home. Another home was pictured cut in half by a tall tree that appeared to come up at the roots due to the high winds.

In north Montgomery County numerous trees came down, some on power lines. Willis ISD and New Waverly ISD schools were closed due to power outages and possible damage to school buildings. There was definite evidence of a tornado.

“The pines in the driveway were twisted off the tops of trees across the street and dropped there,” said resident, Darbi Lockridge who lives north Montgomery and west of Willis on Lake Mt Pleasant.

During the height of the thunderstorm, Lockridge posted to Facebook…”This house in the woods thing was way more fun before all of these trees kept falling within inches of the house. One of them took the deck out. Ugh.”

In Point Aquarius on the east side of Lake Conroe, trees were down too, and. FM 1097 was closed to through traffic in the aftermath of the storm

“I don't know if it was a tornado but two trees completely lifted from roots!” said Point Aquarius resident, Brandi Chapman.

What did Willis ISD students do since they were unable to attend school? Chapman said her two sons, Chase and Logan Chapman, were out helping neighbors with tree removal. Chapman posted to her Facebook page…”What do you do when school is cancelled because of power outages & downed trees?? The brothers get in their golf cart & help the neighbors clean up! So proud of those boys!”

Willis on the east side of I-45N, appears to have been hit hard too, with at least a couple of trees on houses, but as of yet, no reported injuries.

CenterPoint Entergy immediately hit the streets as power outages ensued during the storm; removing downed power lines in streets first, for safety reasons. Approximately 15,000 were without power in Montgomery County initially, but it’s estimated that power will be restored to a large percentage of the population by mid-afternoon, and another large segment by 7:00 p.m.

For updated information about a specific power outage, view the CenterPoint Energy Outage Tracker.

More wet weather is in the forecast for Saturday, with a 90 to 100 percent chance of thunderstorms at this time, some severe. Conroe Today will update as the weekend approaches, and will post any weather alerts, watches, and warnings, from the National Weather Service to social media as they are issued.