Convenience Big Store: After last weekend's outbreak of twisters, is the area at risk of becoming a Tornado Alley?

DON'T MISS OUR BEST DEAL!
6 MONTHS FOR 99¢: Unlimited Digital Access

J.R. Gonzales
Web Producer
john.gonzales@chron.com

For the vino aficionados out there, there's a new wine bar in Our Fair City.

You'll find it at Tilman Fertitta's Post Oak Hotel at Uptown Houston. It's called Stella's Wine Bar.

I mention this because the establishment isn't named after anyone in particular, at least not anyone human. But it has to be the only wine bar in the country named after a, well, you'll see.

Expect the same weather today, just a little more cloudy. Highs will be in the mid 50s.

Photo: Jason Fochtman, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer

What we can learn about twisters from last weekend's tornado outbreak.

Did you get all those tornado alerts on your cell phone over the weekend, too?

With all the weird weather we've seen here in the Houston area these last few years (including last month), you might be wondering if we're now living in Tornado Alley. Will a Mayfield, Kentucky-style twister target the Bayou City now?

Well, Andrea Leinfelder looked into it and, if history is any indicator, your home won't be sucked up into the Land of Oz anytime soon. She found that the Houston area tends to get weaker EF-0 or EF-1 tornadoes with winds maxing out at 110 mph.

Now those kinds of twisters aren't what you'd call devastating, but one passing over your house or car could possibly put you in contact with a claims adjuster nonetheless.

Research shows that tornadoes are shifting to the east from what was traditionally known as Tornado Alley. Climate change could be playing a role in that shift, but the research isn't there yet to definitively say for sure.

Five other stories to read today

Federal watchdogs are probing delays in Harvey repairs.

Both the city of Houston and Federal Emergency Management Agency are under scrutiny.

The 'dean of Houston land development' has died at age 81.

Larry Johnson, a prominent real estate developer known for shaping dozens of master-planned communities in the Sun Belt, has died but leaves behind a thriving company still responsible for shaping much of Houston's growth.

Congress must counter threats to American democracy. [Editorial]

It's long past time for the Senate to put a common-sense democracy reform bill on the floor and put intransigent lawmakers on the record, writes the Editorial Board.

Georgia dethrones Alabama for its first national title since 1980.

Georgia got Alabama at last Monday night, by turning a gnarly five-point fourth-quarter deficit into a gleeful victory.

Here are the most beautiful bathrooms in Houston.

Let these gorgeous spaces inspire you to redo your own in 2022.

One last thing ...

Smoking is bad. We all know that. Did we know that 1964? Maybe not. At least not until this federal report came out that would change how we view smoking.

In other news from that day, ground was broken on what would become a major performing arts venue here.

Finally, with all the news regarding the death of Bob Saget, I went and found an early mention of him in the Houston Post. Find out where and when the stand-up comedian appeared here in this tweet on the Bayou City History Twitter page.

- J.R.