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The Jarrell Tornado was the F5 tornado that struck the town of Jarrell, Texas, on May 27, 1997. It killed 27 people, making it the second deadliest tornado of the 1990s. The tornado was 3/4 of a mile (1.2 km) wide and tracked across the ground for 7.6 miles (12.2 km). It was the most notable of six that formed that afternoon in central Texas.
Double Creek Estates, a subdivision of Jarrell, was literally wiped off the map with 20 homes demolished.
Later analysis of the damage indicated the tornado was a definite F5. It is believed that in the field where the tornado developed, it ripped the corn husks out of the ground by the millions and then impaled the cows in the next field. The tornado lifted the cows and dropped them on the ground multiple times, breaking their legs.
The grass and dirt was ripped up out of the ground to a depth of 18 in (50 cm). When the tornado crossed county roads outside Jarrell, it ripped 500 feet (150m) of asphalt off the roads.
Well, it wasn't the Jarrell tornado, but was one spawned by it:
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As the storm travelled south, it generated another tornado near Cedar Park, which destroyed an Albertsons grocery store. A National Weather Service report credits the store manager with saving numerous lives by evacuating those in the store into a steel meat locker. No lives were lost in Cedar Park, although there was significant property damage. Hail with a diameter of 4 in. (10 cm) was reported in association with this tornado.
I'll never forget what the sky looked like that day or how all those kids were screaming as the daycare ladies tried to, well, do 