Overview
- The tornado, which touched down at 5:10 p.m. CT Tuesday along U.S. Highway 180 about three miles east of Mineral Wells, carried estimated peak winds near 145 mph according to the National Weather Service.
- City officials said five people were transported to hospitals and no deaths have been reported, with several others treated on scene for minor injuries.
- Survey teams documented heavy destruction that included collapsed warehouses in the Fort Wolters area, roof and window failures in nearby neighborhoods, a damage path of nearly three miles, and about 132 buildings damaged or destroyed.
- Authorities kept an 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew in hard‑hit zones, opened a shelter at Mineral Wells High School with Red Cross support, and worked with utility crews to restore power and control access section by section.
- NWS called the EF‑3 rating preliminary as surveys continue across North Texas, where five additional Tuesday tornadoes were confirmed in Johnson and Montague counties, and forecasters expect more rain with localized flood risk through the workweek.