LEE COUNTY, Texas -- One person is injured after a weak tornado touched down near Giddings Tuesday afternoon.
The National Weather Service reported sheriff's deputies and emergency management officials spotted the tornado Tuesday afternoon.
People staying at a Ramada hotel said debris injured a person staying in his room.
Wind snarled metal and tore off roofing and planks, but Lee County Judge Paul Fisher said that was the worst of the damage in Giddings.
"Everybody is doing fine, we're just thankful it wasn't worse that what it is and no loss of life," Fisher said.
Steve Loomis was staying on the second floor of the hotel, visiting from New York.
"I got a phone call from my Buddy, and he asked me if I wanted to see a tornado. And I always have, and I've always said I have. And I was joking around with him, saying 'Yeah right,' and I come down. Then all the sudden the wind picked up and you could just feel it. That's when I looked up and you could just see the roof start peeling away," Loomis said.
Hotel employees are still assessing the damage. Giddings economic development experts said they will offer their support as they pick up the pieces.
KVUE meteorologist Jared Plushnick said windows at a convenience store in Giddings had been blown out in the storm.
The National Weather Service sent a meteorologist to the scene in Giddings to survey the damage left by the tornado. The tornado was rated an EF-0 on the Enhanced Fujita Scale. Tornadoes with that rating have wind speeds 65-85 mph.
"Right now what I'm doing is looking at the damage that occurred. I'm trying to find out where the beginning path of the tornado was and where the ending path was," said Paul Yura with the NWS.
The National Weather Service said it did not issue a tornado warning because the thunderstorms appeared to be minor at first, a reminder that all storms can be potentially dangerous.
"We did not have a tornado warning out right when the tornado was actually forming," said Yura. "The storm did not look all that strong on radar, but it just kind of lets you know that anytime you have a thunderstorm there are dangers, not only lightning, but even sometimes a tornado."
In a separate event, the Bastrop County Office of Emergency Management, along with several public reports said a possible funnel cloud was reported west of Cedar Creek Tuesday afternoon.
