Severe Weather Damages Katy Businesses and Homes

KATY MAGAZINE NEWS

April 10, 2024

By Natalie Cook Clark

Katy experienced severe weather early Wednesday morning. At least two businesses off of South Mason Road are reporting damage and one home in Pine Mills Ranch was struck by lightning. Thousands of Katy residents lost power and many are still in the dark.

UPDATE: The National Weather Service confirms that an EF-1 tornado touched down in Katy early this morning.

Firestone Complete Auto Care sustains severe damage in last night's storm. Photo: HCESD48

Katy Business Destroyed

A Katy business center was hit hard by severe wind and rain during last night’s storm. According to authorities, rescue teams are still on-site evaluating neighboring structure stability of the undamaged businesses.

“It seems to be a localized weather incident that impacted two buildings in one specific area,” explains Jason Tharp Harris County ESD 48 Chief Community Risk Reduction and PIO.

The National Weather Service has confirmed that an EF-1 tornado touched down in Katy early this morning causing damage.

The Firestone Complete Auto Care at the 700 block of South Mason Road partially collapsed. Damage was reported around 3:00 a.m. The lobby is barely recognizable, but the garage seems ok.

HCESD48

Katy Bar Damaged

Bourbon Street Sports Bar was also damaged. The front of the business was torn up, windows broken, and an air-conditioning unit was pulled out into the parking lot.

“The owner of the sports bar was present during the weather event but only sustained minor injuries, for which firefighters on-site treated,” says Tharp.

Update: According to HCESD48, the Comerica Bank and Mexican Restaurant across Mason has damage including blown out windows.

Debris was blown around the parking lot damaging several cars.

Katy residents are also taking to social media to report property damage such downed fences, missing backyard trampolines, car damage, and downed trees.

Damage now confirmed to have been caused by a tornado were mostly along Shillington, Crossfield, and Rock Canyon drives.

Lightning Strikes a House

Willowfork Fire Department

Willowfork Fire Department responded to a house fire at just after 4:00 a.m. in the Pine Mills Ranch community. The home had been struck by lightning. The department said the fire was quickly extinguished and they praised neighboring fire departments that helped.

Katy Residents Talk Damage

Katy residents share damage on Katy Magazine's Facebook page. Many have downed trees, fences, etc.

Tabitha Floyd in Cinco Ranch section 1 shared a picture of a broken community mailbox. She has been alerting the HOA about a rotten base. Last night’s storm was too much for the base and it broke.

Tabitha Floyd

Katy ISD Campuses Affected, STAAR Test Rescheduled

Thousands of Katy residents lost power, and many are still in the dark. Katy ISD confirmed that Nottingham County Elementary briefly lost power, but it was restored.

Fielder Elementary continues to have power outages. They sent a notification to parents stating that today's 4th grade STAAR RLA assessment has been rescheduled to April 16, 2024.

Do you have damage? Share it with us at editor@katymagazine.com or share on Facebook.  

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