HOUSTON, TX – A tornado touched down near Houston, Texas, on November 23, 2023, causing damage to multiple homes, particularly in northwest Harris County. A tornado warning had been issued for teh area prior to the event, indicating a confirmed sighting or radar detection of a tornado and posing an imminent threat to residents.
the National Weather Service distinguishes between a tornado watch – which signals conditions are favorable for tornado development across a broad region – and a tornado warning, which signifies an immediate threat.
texas experiences a high frequency of tornadoes due to its size and geographical location, leading the nation in the average number of tornadoes annually. While most tornadoes form in “Tornado Alley” – encompassing Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, and parts of the Midwest – they can occur anywhere strong thunderstorms develop, including other areas of Texas and the Southeast. Tornadoes are most common during spring and early summer.
Eyewitness Grayson Moore, who captured video of the storm, described seeing “lots of lightning strikes around the office and saw wind pickup and windows buckled with a pressure drop” before filming the tornado.
Following the event, Harris county Precinct 4 Constable Mark Herman reported that deputies were actively working to clear debris, assist stranded motorists, and check on impacted neighborhoods, coordinating with other agencies in recovery efforts.Herman urged residents to “avoid travel if possible, treat all downed power lines as live, and report hazardous conditions immediately” in a Facebook post.
Damage assessments are ongoing, and officials are advising continued vigilance as the possibility of further severe weather remains. Flight operations at Bush Intercontinental Airport are anticipated to resume as conditions improve.
