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Research Projects » Galveston Island Tornado (August 30, 2009)
Galveston Island Tornado
August 30, 2009
At around 948 PM on Sunday, August 30th, a waterspout moved onshore on Galveston Island near the intersection of
29th Street and Seawall Blvd. The tornado then produced an intermittent damage path for about one third of a mile to the
northwest, ending near the intersection of 31st Street and Avenue R. Several structures were damaged including the Dolphin
World Souvenir Shop, where windows were shattered and most of the metal roof was peeled off. A Galveston police patrol car
had its windows blown out in the same area. Heading further inland, the tornado pushed over a home on stilts and removed
most of the roof of a mobile home. Another home at the intersection of 31st Street and Avenue Q 1/2 had its roof completely
removed. Beyond this location, damage was limited to small tree limbs and some shingles removed from roofs.
The observed damage suggested wind speeds in the 80 to 90 mph range, with maximum winds leading to an EF-1 rating
on the Enhanced Fujita Scale.
Damage path length was around one third of a mile, with a width of around 100 feet. There were three injuries reported, including two police officers
who were in the patrol car when its windows shattered. A pedestrian was also reported to have been injured by flying debris.
The above waterspout photo (courtesy of Daniel Pruessner) was taken on Galveston Island near 14th Street approximately one block from the Seawall looking to the southwest.
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