How strong was Elgin, Texas tornado?

A tornado ripped through Elgin and left behind piles of damaged homes and other buildings. Crews from the National Weather Service will be out there to determine the intensity of the tornado Tuesday. (KXAN photo/Frank Martinez)

by: David Yeomans

Posted: Mar 24, 2022 / 09:17 PM CDT

Updated: Mar 24, 2022 / 09:17 PM CDT

ELGIN, Texas (KXAN) — As the National Weather Service continues to survey the damage caused during the March 21 tornado outbreak, it is releasing detailed reports about each tornado.

Elgin tornado facts

Rating: EF-2
Estimated peak wind: 130 mph
Path length: 12.12 miles
Path width (maximum): 500 yards
Fatalities: 0
Injuries: 3
Start time: 6:30 PM CDT
Start location: 6 miles NE of Garfield (Travis Co.)
End time: 6:50 PM CDT
End location: 3 miles ENE of Elgin (Bastrop Co.)

The Elgin tornado began roughly nine miles southwest of Elgin near Dry Ceek Road and Union Lee Church Road. The tornado moved northeast crossing upper Elgin River Road, Balch Road, Youngs Prairie Road and Crooked Hollow Road. Significant damage was observed through this region to many homes. This included the destruction of multiple mobile homes, significant roof damage to numerous slab homes, two homes having their second story destroyed, numerous large tree limbs, tree trunks and power poles snapped, barns destroyed and a large electrical transmission tower toppled. Pockets of high-end EF-2 damage occurred through this region.

The tornado continued northeast, crossing Monkey Road, FM 1704, Highway 95, and U.S. 290 producing damage to roofs of slab homes, mobile homes, trees and power poles. Damage through this region was generally rated EF-1.

As the tornado reached U.S. 290, it produced significant damage to a metal-framed business, buckling the roof purlins and collapsing the south-facing wall inward. The tornado then rolled an adjacent mobile home into and partially on top of the south-facing wall of another metal-framed business. Three individuals in the mobile home were injured. Damage to the business and mobile home was on the order of high-end EF-1 to low end EF-2.

As the tornado crossed U.S. 290, a moving pickup truck was rolled onto its side, spun around 360 degrees and rolled back upright where the driver continued down the road. Several power poles were also damaged along U.S. 290.

As the tornado continued northeastward, a mobile home was completely destroyed off Old McDade Road. From there, the tornado gradually weakened and dissipated roughly three miles east-northeast of Elgin, near Old Lexington Road.

As of this writing, 109 residences and one business were reported damaged. Of those, 32 residences were classified as major damage and 20 residences and one business were reported as destroyed.

Note: The information in this statement is preliminary and subject to change pending final review of the event and publication in NWS Storm Data.