Storms leave debris scattered throughout Bertram

Several homeowners in Bertram are cleaning up after storms swept through the area Tuesday night. Hail, front line winds and heavy rain left debris all over the place in the small town.

“It was straight hail, like a wall of hail. It was just white, kind of like a blizzard or something,” said Pierce Leonard who was at home when the storm rolled in.  

Leonard said he's never seen so much hail in his town, but even more surprising to him was the wind. “I don't think anybody around here's experienced a storm that bad before. Myself, I have never seen or experienced anything like that,” said Leonard. 

Many people in Bertram were convinced it was a tornado. 

“It was pretty much sideways rain,” said Chris Sikes, who lost part of his roof in the storm.  

The National Weather Service said straight line winds can sometimes be even stronger than a twister and there was no indication of any rotation in Bertram on Tuesday. 

Still, as the storm passed, it left evidence of its power at almost every turn. “Roofs ripped off, blocking the road, trailer houses rolled over, car ports damaged and stuff like that,” Leonard said.  

Sikes' home on County Road 252 was in the storm's direct path. “There's a lot of trees, a lot of rubble lying around, but I think it went right over my house really,” Sikes said. 

With the roof partially torn off, Sikes ended up with about three inches of water inside. “When I got here, there was just trees and it was all underwater, but it happened really quick,” said Sikes.   

Just down the road, his neighbor also lost part of her roof and a carport behind her home was tossed against her shed. Luckily, no injuries were reported and neighbors said that's what's most important.