Granbury tornado
During the evening hours of May 15, 2013, a violent and deadly EF4 tornado struck the southeastern part of Granbury, Texas. It killed 6 people, making it the deadliest tornado of the Tornado outbreak of May 15–17, 2013 and the deadliest violent tornado in the region since an F4 struck Lancaster, Texas in 1994. It was the strongest tornado of the outbreak, with estimated windspeeds of 180 mph (290 km/h) estimated by NWS Fort Worth.
What was the Granbury tornado?
The Granbury tornado was a violent and deadly storm that struck the southeastern part of Granbury, Texas, on the evening of May 15, 2013. This system reached a maximum intensity of EF4, marking it as the strongest tornado of that specific outbreak. It caused significant destruction, particularly within the Rancho Brazos subdivision, where it claimed six lives. The event remains notable as the deadliest violent tornado in the region since 1994.
What was the Granbury tornado wind speed?
The Granbury tornado reached estimated maximum wind speeds of 180 mph. NWS Fort Worth calculated these figures based on damage surveys conducted after the event. The most intense EF4 damage appeared on well-built homes located on Sundown Court and Fox Hollow Court. These wind speeds allowed the vortex to sweep foundations clean of all debris in several areas.
What was the Granbury tornado path?
The Granbury tornado touched down at 7:55 P.M. on Apache Trail Court and followed an east-northeast track. It crossed Lake Granbury and the Brazos River before entering the Rancho Brazos subdivision. The tornado continued its path northward through farmsteads and rural areas before dissipating near Bob White Drive. It traveled a total distance of 2.75 miles while maintaining a maximum width of 800 yards.
How many people died in the Granbury tornado?
The Granbury tornado claimed the lives of six people. All victims were adults who sheltered inside mobile homes within the Rancho Brazos subdivision. Additionally, the event resulted in 54 injuries among the local population. Initial reports identified 11 missing persons, but search teams later revised that number downward to seven.
What did the Granbury tornado destroy?
The tornado destroyed 19 houses in the Rancho Brazos subdivision and left 17 others with critical structural damage. In total, 97 of the 110 residential structures in the subdivision sustained either heavy damage or complete destruction. The storm also demolished 17 mobile homes and caused widespread power outages for 20,000 buildings. Rural infrastructure, including barns and electrical transmission lines, also suffered extensive damage.
What caused the Granbury tornado?
An upper-level shortwave trough moved from Mexico into the Southern Plains, creating the necessary environment for severe storms. A destabilizing atmosphere resulted from decreasing cloud cover, which increased regional temperatures across North and Central Texas. The National Weather Service noted that abundant low-level moisture and wind shear further fueled the system. These conditions led the Storm Prediction Center to issue a severe thunderstorm watch across the region.
What happened after the Granbury tornado?
Volunteers and organizations like the Salvation Army and Habitat for Humanity arrived to support the recovery efforts. The General Motors foundation contributed 500,000 dollars toward the massive reconstruction process. Tornado preparedness in the area improved significantly in the following years as residents built homes with strong interior rooms. By November 2015, 50 homes officially registered as storm shelter owners to improve future safety.
Granbury Tornado Track
The mapped ground track below shows the surveyed touchdown point, damage corridor, and dissipation coordinates recorded by NWS field crews. The Granbury tornado traveled 2.75 miles across Granbury, Texas. Coordinates are derived from the official SPC historical tornado database.
How many houses were destroyed in the Granbury tornado?
The Granbury tornado destroyed 19 homes in the Rancho Brazos subdivision and heavily damaged 17 more.
What was the maximum EF rating of the Granbury tornado?
The Granbury tornado reached a maximum intensity of EF4.
When did the Granbury tornado touch down?
The Granbury tornado touched down at 7:55 P.M. on May 15, 2013.
How many horses were killed in the Granbury tornado?
The tornado killed 3 horses after throwing them during its track through a rural farm area.