May 9, 1981: 6 tornadoes rip through southeast Texas

Wednesday, May 9, 2018
Yes, it's hot in Houston, but it's better than the weather experienced on this date in 1981. Half a dozen tornadoes touched down in southeast Texas on this date 37 years ago.

It started off as a quiet Saturday, but by the afternoon, large rotating thunderstorms known as "supercells" developed ahead of an approaching cold front.
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An EF-2 tornado (winds 111-135 mph) touched down northwest of Houston in Montgomery, tracking near the high school and injuring two people. It was on the ground for a total of five miles.

Another EF-2 tornado touched down southeast of Houston in Dickinson, ripping the roof off a home and injuring one person.

A third EF-2 tornado moved over the village of Pleak in Fort Bend County, but no injuries were reported. All together the tornadoes caused $300,000 in damages.
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LOOK BACK: Watch the original newscast from the day the tornadoes hit

News report on the damage left behind by a tornado in 1981
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