HOUSTON, Texas — Last night, a strong line of severe storms swept through the city of Houston. In the downtown area, the winds blew out the windows of skyscrapers, sucking out insulation and littering the street with glass and debris.
It also blew rain through the retractable roof of Minute Maid Park during an Astros game.
A couple of miles to the west, the neighborhood called Spring Branch was one of the hardest hit areas, and it was also where I grew up. Trees were uprooted entirely, fences were dislodged, and branches were scattered throughout the streets.
As the storms passed over my neighborhood, winds were reported to range from 80 to 110 miles per hour, comparable to winds during Hurricane Ike. The winds also knocked down transmission lines, causing a massive power outage. After the storm, it was estimated that 922,00 residents were without power.
What caused the widespread damage? The National Weather Service confirmed that the storm was classified a "derecho."
A derecho is a widespread, long-lived wind storm capable of producing extreme straight-line winds. Derechos must have winds equal to or greater than 58 miles per hour. Due to the intense strength of these winds, derechos can produce damage similar to that of low-rated tornadoes, making them just as dangerous. The winds from derechos will also be more extensive.
Derechos are most common in the month of May.
After they survey the damage, the National Weather Service will have the official answer to the cause of last night’s destruction.
The National Weather Service released updates on the storm Friday afternoon. You can find them on social media here.