Storm chaser: Round Rock, Texas not under a Tornado Warning when twister touched down
A storm tracker tells FOX Weather that he hasn't seen anything like this in quite a while.
Storm tracker on Round Rock tornado: Violent twister, shingles fell on car
Storm tracker Von Castor describes to FOX Weather the intense scene from Round Rock, Texas earlier this evening.
ROUND ROCK, Texas – Late Monday afternoon a devastating tornado is believed to have hit the town of Round Rock and storm chaser Von Castor watched the entire event unfold.
Castor said he was taking video of the storm when he saw power flashes from transformers light up the horizon and heard debris hit his car.
"Round Rock was actually not under a Tornado Warning at the time that this tornado touched down, so we were the first ones on it, and it was a pretty violent tornado," Castor told FOX Weather as he shared the video. "We had shingles falling on the car as it came over, so it did do some damage in Round Rock."
Round Rock, Texas tornado damages homes, causes power outages
A powerful tornado damages homes and results in power outages for Round Rock, Texas. Residents huddled under a Chevron gas station to seek shelter.
Castor said he tracked the severe thunderstorm from its infancy stage near San Antonio and followed the storm through Round Rock and points further east.
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"These things are rain-wrapped tonight. All day long it's been raining out, so you're not going to be able to see it," said Castor. "That's really the only sign you have that there's a tornado is that you see a power flash."
Castro said that he couldn't see the bottom of the tornado through the rain but knew it was there when he saw the power flashes.
(FOX Weather)
The veteran storm chaser warns rain can make the situation dangerous by obscuring the view of the twisters.
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"Everybody wants to see a tornado. But when it's headed at your town, your best is to get in your safe place," Castor stated. "The best place is in your safe place in your house. Unless you're in a mobile home and I tell everybody to leave a mobile home, it’s not structurally sound, and you need to get out."
"Have you ever seen anything quite like this?" FOX Weather’s Nick Kosir asked Castor.
"I have, but it doesn't come along that often," Castor answered. "When you get there by the evening, usually … all your instability leaves because the lack of sunlight. But we were in this environment a dew point about 71 and the temperature was about 78. That pretty rich environment."