HOUSTON — There were plenty of weather watches and warnings issued during Tuesday’s severe weather across the Houston area.
One of those alerts issued by the National Weather Service was a 'Tornado Emergency' and it was the first time such an alert has been issued in the Houston area.
The alert was issued when a tornado was spotted on the ground in the Pasadena/Deer Park area, heading toward Baytown.
What is a Tornado Emergency?
According to KHOU meteorologist Tim Pandajis, a Tornado Emergency has been available as an alert from the National Weather Service in Houston for seven years but Tuesday was the first time it was ever used.
Here is the definition of a Tornado Emergency, verbatim from the National Weather Service: 'An exceedingly rare tornado warning issued when there is a severe threat to human life and catastrophic damage from an imminent or ongoing tornado. This tornado warning is reserved for situations when a reliable source confirms a tornado, or there is clear radar evidence of the existence of a damaging tornado, such as the observation of debris.'