Houston windstorms: Once

Exceptional windstorms that could leave some Houston residents without power for weeks were a once-in-a-generation event and the damage left in their wake is comparable to that caused by a hurricane, meteorologists said Friday.

“We believe this windstorm is the most significant windstorm likely for the Houston area since Hurricane Alicia back in 1983,” said Janice Maldonado, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service Houston/Galveston office.

At least four people died after the storms barreled through Houston on Thursday. The fierce winds folded transmission towers, blew out windows and uprooted trees.

The National Weather Service on Friday confirmed one EF1 tornado touched down near the northwest Houston suburb of Cypress, and crews were investigating several other possible twisters in the area. Straight-line winds gusting over 80 mph in a single direction have been blamed for the damage, Maldonado said.