NWS confirms EF-1 tornado hit southwest Houston neighborhood where mail truck was knocked over

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — The National Weather Service has confirmed that an E-F1 tornado hit Plumbrook Drive in southwest Houston the day after Christmas.

That tornado was on the ground for only a few seconds, and two homes were damaged.

Footage from a camera in front of Frank Gongora’s home captures the moment heavy rain and strong winds pushed over a mailman’s vehicle, knocking it to the side.

Gongora was inside when it happened.

“I just heard very strong winds, and then I heard my wife scream and a loud crash, and I ran out to the living room,” Gongora said.

Another camera from his backyard shows a different angle – the fence rattling as the storm knocks over plants.

“I opened up the back door, and that’s when I saw the big old piece of steel and patio, and a portion of my fence was knocked over,” Gongora said.

Although his home is OK, that’s not the case for some of his neighbors. One home just a few doors down is the worst damage seen on that street. The right garage door has been ripped off, you can see through the attic, and the driveway is scattered with bricks.

A home across the street shows the garage door full of dents and shingles from the roof flew off.

Gongora has lived in this neighborhood since 2008 and has experienced natural disasters such as Hurricanes Ike, Harvey, and Beryl.

Gongora says Thursday was different.

“This one here was fast. I mean, not even a minute or two it seemed that way,” he said.

It’s not how this community wanted to end the year, but he and others are thankful no one was hurt.

“It makes you think, like, ‘What can happen tomorrow?’ Tomorrow is not promised,” Gongora said.