A slowly moving storm centered in the heartland of America triggered swarms of destructive tornadoes for three days, from the Great Plains to central Texas and Florida. The hardest- hit area was north of Austin, Texas, where the most deadly string of tornadoes in the state in decades obliterated an entire neighborhood around the town of Jarrell. The most devastating twister in the outbreak was rated as a very rare F5 on the Fujita-Pearson scale, with winds up to 308 mph (480 km/h), strong enough to rip up roadways. National Weather Service meteorologists tracking the tornado swarm by radar were able to give residents 35 minutes of warning. But the storm was so severe, and its damage so widespread, that there were few safe places to take shelter.

Effected areas around Texas were cities and towns of: Leander, Georgetown, Cedar Park, Austin, Kendalia, Blanco, Utopia, Mountain Home, Sisterdale, Gonzales, Lorena, Moody, Belton, Blooming Grove, Hubbard, and Coolidge. As result over 30 deaths and an estimated 300 animals were reported from many Storm chasers and Law Officials. Hail was also reported from 1.25 in to 4.0 inches diameter in size.