EF2 tornado, Jarrell Sybert Arpt to Vilas, Texas, March 21, 2022

1. EF065 to 85 mph

   Light damage. Surface peeled off some roofs, gutters and siding damaged, branches broken, shallow-rooted trees pushed over.

2. EF186 to 110 mph

   Moderate damage. Roofs badly stripped, mobile homes overturned or badly damaged, exterior doors lost, windows broken.

3. EF2111 to 135 mphthis tornado

   Considerable damage. Roofs torn off well-built houses, frame homes shifted on their foundations, mobile homes destroyed, large trees snapped or uprooted, cars lifted off the ground.

4. EF3136 to 165 mph

   Severe damage. Whole stories of well-built houses destroyed, large buildings badly damaged, trains overturned, trees debarked, heavy cars lifted and thrown.

5. EF4166 to 200 mph

   Devastating damage. Well-built houses leveled, structures with weak foundations moved some distance, cars thrown and large missiles generated.

6. EF5over 200 mph

   Incredible damage. Strong frame houses swept off their foundations, car-sized missiles thrown more than 100 meters, steel-reinforced concrete badly damaged, high-rise buildings deformed.

7. Unrated

   The survey recorded a tornado but could not put a number on it, most often because it crossed open country and damaged nothing a rating can be read from.

Rating

EF2

Date

March 21, 2022

Touchdown

5:54 PM CDT (22:54 UTC)

Lifted

6:47 PM CDT (23:47 UTC)

On the ground

53 minutes

Path length

34.6 miles (55.7 km)

Path width

600 yards (549 m)

Deaths

0

Injuries

0

Property damage

$2,000

Counties

Travis, Williamson and Bell counties

Touchdown point

30.463, -97.684

Lift-off point

30.847, -97.316

Record number

2203211654-01

93 damage points were recorded along this path by NWS EWX and NWS FWD, in the Damage Assessment Toolkit the survey teams carry. The strongest indicator was rated EF2. The highest wind the damage implies is 132 mph.

• Debris from upstream being cleaned up
• 5 homes with various degrees of roof and cinder block damage.
• Barn roof taken off and one wall collapsed. Roof taken off home.
• Garage door blown in and roof off.

Survey points are preliminary and are the raw material the published rating was built from. Source: NWS Damage Assessment Toolkit.

A warm front brought a warm, moist airmass over South Central Texas early in the day. A dryline moved into this area from the west and generated thunderstorms. Some of these storms produced tornadoes, large hail, and damaging wind gusts.

A strong shortwave trough aided in the development of scattered to numerous thunderstorms during the late morning, afternoon, and evening hours of March 21. Thunderstorms initially fired along a dryline, many of which became severe, and some of which produced strong tornadoes. A total of 17 tornadoes were confirmed by storm survey teams, the strongest of which was the EF-3 Jacksboro tornado. One death occurred in a tornado in Grayson County near the Red River.

The supercell that produced the Jarrell Tornado developed near CR 139 and Ronald Reagan Blvd., on the southwest side of Jarrell. The tornado crossed the Williamson and Bell County line near CR 304. The tornado dissipated near Prairie Dell Church Rd., just west of Interstate 35 in Bell County. In Williamson County, the tornado moved northeast from its starting point, crossing CR 234 and back across CR 239. Damage through this area was rated EF-0 and confined mainly to trees and barns. The tornado then crossed FM 487 and CR 305. Several homes received substantial roof damage through this segment, including along Villa Franco Ln. Two travel trailers were rolled at a storage lot. A stone company had large doors blown out of their business, two trailers totally destroyed, a utility pole snapped at the base, and a small metal building demolished. Damage through this area was rated EF-1. The tornado continued northeast crossing CR 396 where substantial roof damage was done to several homes. A large metal building also had its doors blown out. The damage along CR 396 was the peak of the intensity surveyed, rated EF-1 with maximum winds of 100 mph and a maximum width of 300 yards. This same area was also struck by the F5 Jarrell tornado in 1997. The tornado moved northeast crossing CR 305 and CR 307, just to the north of Jarrell Memorial Park. A small trailer was destroyed on CR 307. The tornado crossed CR 308 producing minor EF-0 damage to trees and fences.

The Round Rock - Granger tornado was a long-lived tornado that started approximately 1.25 miles southwest of the I-35/Hwy 45 interchange. The tornado tracked to that interchange moving into Williamson County and then moved northeastward across the county and into Bell County approximately 0.8 miles east of CR 352. Touchdown was found near the Silverstone subdivision where some shingles were torn off roofs and fences blown down. This was rated weak EF0 damage. The tornado quickly strengthened to EF1 as it continued to cross a residential area and business park where a section of roof was lifted off a warehouse building and several empty semi-trailers were tipped over. Several trees were snapped and air conditioning units were blown off the roofs of several buildings. The tornado crossed the I-35/Hwy 45 intersection and entered a large retail shopping center where roof and window damage was observed on several businesses. Still an EF1, the tornado crossed Dell Way and entered the Windy Terrace and Greenlawn Place neighborhoods. Widespread tree and roof damage was observed to multiple homes, a few lost their entire roof indicating the tornado had strengthened briefly to EF2. The tornado likely weakened a bit before regaining EF2 strength as it moved northeast and crossed Gattis School Rd. where substantial roof damage was seen on some homes near the intersection of Gattis School Rd. and windy Park Dr. The Clay Madsen Recreation Center and the adjacent playing fields sustained damage as well. The storm crossed A.W.Grimes Blvd. and entered the South Creek neighborhood where tree and roof damage was once again observed across many streets until it exited the neighborhood at Brushy Creek. Before crossing Hwy 79 the tornado made a slight right turn and started to parallel the south side of Hwy 79 and moved through the parking lot of the Kalahari Resort where multiple vehicles were damaged, trees blown down, and some windows of the resort were broken from flying debris. The tornado was likely at high end EF1 strength when it followed Brushy Creek into the Forest Bluff neighborhood off Red Bud Ln. Trees were blown down along the creek and several homes sustained roof damage where large sections of roof were blown off the house. The tornado crossed Red Bud Ln. and damaged a few businesses at the Red Bud Ln. and CR123 intersection. Shortly after crossing Hwy 79 east of Red Bud Ln., the tornado produced EF1 damage to an industrial park complex to numerous metal warehouse buildings. The tornado then weakened and continued to the northeast for nearly 5 miles producing minor EF0 damage to residential roofs, trees, and signs. Just east of FM1660, several homes under construction with only visible studs collapsed. As the tornado approached Chandler Rd. near the intersection with CR 101, the intensity of the tornado increased again with EF1 damage observed to a large metal building system with sections of the roof peeled away. Additional EF1 damage was observed to a stable on a property near the San Gabriel River with substantial tree damage as well. As the tornado neared CR337, EF2 damage was observed to a home on piers as the roof, most exterior walls, and some interior walls failed and were moved away from the property. As the tornado crossed Hwy 95 and CR345 EF1 damage was found on more homes and metal system buildings. Significant EF2 damage occurred to a home near the intersection of CR347 and CR346. The tornado then produced EF1 damage to trees, power poles, and a few structures as it crossed CR348, FM971, CR352, and CR357 before exiting Williamson County and entering Bell County. The maximum width of the tornado and its damage path was roughly 500 yards with maximum winds at 135 mph, the high end of EF2. Most of the 29-mile-long track however was at EF1 strength. There were reports of a total of 16 injuries, most of which were minor. There were no reported fatalities with this tornado.

The Round Rock - Granger tornado was a long-lived tornado that started approximately 1.25 miles southwest of the I-35/Hwy 45 interchange. The tornado tracked to that interchange moving into Williamson County and then moved northeastward across the county and into Bell County approximately 0.8 miles east of CR 352. Touchdown was found near the Silverstone subdivision where some shingles were torn off roofs and fences blown down. This was rated weak EF0 damage. The tornado quickly strengthened to EF1 as it continued to cross a residential area and business park where a section of roof was lifted off a warehouse building and several empty semi-trailers were tipped over. Several trees were snapped and air conditioning units were blown off the roofs of several buildings. The tornado crossed the I-35/Hwy 45 intersection and entered a large retail shopping center where roof and window damage was observed on several businesses. Still an EF1, the tornado crossed Dell Way and entered the Windy Terrace and Greenlawn Place neighborhoods. Widespread tree and roof damage was observed to multiple homes, a few lost their entire roof indicating the tornado had strengthened briefly to EF2. The tornado likely weakened a bit before regaining EF2 strength as it moved northeast and crossed Gattis School Rd. where substantial roof damage was seen on some homes near the intersection of Gattis School Rd. and windy Park Dr. The Clay Madsen Recreation Center and the adjacent playing fields sustained damage as well. The storm crossed A.W.Grimes Blvd. and entered the South Creek neighborhood where tree and roof damage was once again observed across many streets until it exited the neighborhood at Brushy Creek. Before crossing Hwy 79 the tornado made a slight right turn and started to parallel the south side of Hwy 79 and moved through the parking lot of the Kalahari Resort where multiple vehicles were damaged, trees blown down, and some windows of the resort were broken from flying debris. The tornado was likely at high end EF1 strength when it followed Brushy Creek into the Forest Bluff neighborhood off Red Bud Ln. Trees were blown down along the creek and several homes sustained roof damage where large sections of roof were blown off the house. The tornado crossed Red Bud Ln. and damaged a few businesses at the Red Bud Ln. and CR123 intersection. Shortly after crossing Hwy 79 east of Red Bud Ln., the tornado produced EF1 damage to an industrial park complex to numerous metal warehouse buildings. The tornado then weakened and continued to the northeast for nearly 5 miles producing minor EF0 damage to residential roofs, trees, and signs. Just east of FM1660, several homes under construction with only visible studs collapsed. As the tornado approached Chandler Rd. near the intersection with CR 101, the intensity of the tornado increased again with EF1 damage observed to a large metal building system with sections of the roof peeled away. Additional EF1 damage was observed to a stable on a property near the San Gabriel River with substantial tree damage as well. As the tornado neared CR337, EF2 damage was observed to a home on piers as the roof, most exterior walls, and some interior walls failed and were moved away from the property. As the tornado crossed Hwy 95 and CR345 EF1 damage was found on more homes and metal system buildings. Significant EF2 damage occurred to a home near the intersection of CR347 and CR346. The tornado then produced EF1 damage to trees, power poles, and a few structures as it crossed CR348, FM971, CR352, and CR357 before exiting Williamson County and entering Bell County. The maximum width of the tornado and its damage path was roughly 500 yards with maximum winds at 135 mph, the high end of EF2. Most of the 29-mile-long track however was at EF1 strength. There were reports of a total of 16 injuries, most of which were minor. There were no reported fatalities with this tornado.

This tornado crossed the Williamson/Bell County line moving towards the north-northeast, crossing Alligator Rd where some power poles and trees were damaged. The tornado continued northeast, damaging more trees and power poles near FM-487 and along Donahoe Rd. It is believed to have lifted just as it was crossing FM-2268 east of the town of Vilas. Maximum estimated winds in Bell County were 90 mph.

From NOAA NCEI's Storm Events Database, the narrative the local forecast office wrote for Storm Data.

14 minutes of warning. NWS EWX issued a tornado warning for this county at 22:40 UTC, 14 minutes before the tornado touched down, in force until 23:15 UTC.

The county was under a tornado watch, issued at 20:14 UTC and running to 06:00 UTC.

Every warning and watch covering the touchdown point that day, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service products. Lead time is measured from the issue of the warning in force to the touchdown time in the database, both of which were recorded to the minute by different people.

The Storm Prediction Center had this point in a Moderate Risk, with a 0.10 chance of a tornado within 25 miles, in the hatched area where significant tornadoes were expected. The outlook in force was issued at 19:59 UTC.

SPC's Day 1 convective outlook as it stood when the tornado began, read at the touchdown point. The same archive is on the radar archive.

The radiosonde launches on either side of the tornado, from the nearest station that was launching then, drawn and analyzed the way Storm Lab does: the same diagram, the same parcel and shear definitions SPC's mesoanalysis uses.

Taylor (T74), 11 km from the path, in the two hours either side.

From the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of airport observations.

The Ft Hood radar (KGRK), 13 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the touchdown began at 22:53 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment, over the track

Reflectivity and velocity, decoded from the Level II archive in the browser. Volumes take a few seconds to open the first time.

Local storm reports within 60 km of the path, in the three hours either side.

From the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service local storm reports.

The live radar over the trackEvery 2022 tornado in TexasEvery tornado in Texas since 1950Warnings in force in Texas nowThe forecast where you are

35 more were confirmed in the United States that day.

Ratings are the survey's, read off the damage rather than measured; the rating scale is above. Tornado counts rise through the record as reporting improved, so a year in the 1950s is not comparable with one today except for the strongest tornadoes, which were always noticed.

NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database, 1950-2025, the official record kept by NOAA's Storm Prediction Center.