Seminole County struck by EF-2 tornado Monday: How rare is this?
SUCH A SHOCK TO SEE DAMAGE LIKE THAT, BRINGING CAM IN. NOW, THIS THIS IS A RARE TORNADO FOR US. IT ABSOLUTELY. IT IS A VERY RARE TORNADO. IT WAS CLASSIFIED AS AN EF TWO WITH WINDS OF 120MPH. TYPICALLY HERE IN CENTRAL FLORIDA, WHEN WE GET TORNADOES, THEY’RE MUCH WEAKER THAN THAT, CLASSIFIED AS F0, F1. SO THIS INDEED WAS A VERY, VERY RARE, STRONGER TORNADO. AGAIN, 90% ARE WEAK WITH WINDS OF ABOUT 65 TO 110MPH. THIS ONE WAS AN EF TWO AND IT HAD WINDS OF UP TO 120MPH, WHICH MAKES IT THAT CLASSIFICATION ONLY 10% OF TORNADOES THAT WE SEE HERE IN CENTRAL FLORIDA ARE THAT STRONG. SO LET ME GIVE YOU THE LATEST ON THE SURVEY THAT THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DID ON THIS SEMINOLE COUNTY TORNADO. IT WAS STARTED OUT IN WEKIWA SPRINGS AND HEADED TO LONGWOOD. WINDS OF 120MPH, AGAIN MAKING IT THAT EF TWO. IT HAPPENED AROUND 935 TO 941 THIS MORNING. THE TRACK FOUR MILES, THE WIDTH ABOUT 300 YARDS. AND NOW THIS ACTUALLY CROSSED I-4 AND THEN MOVED INTO LAKE MARY. HOWEVER, NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CREWS, THEY ARE PLANNING TO DO THAT SURVEY TOMORROW. SO WE’LL FIND OUT A LITTLE BIT MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS. I CAN TELL YOU METEOROLOGIST KELLIANNE KLASS AND I WERE ON AIR WATCHING THAT TORNADO DEVELOP. THIS IS WHAT WE CALL THE DEBRIS SIGNATURE ON THE RADAR. AND IT WAS CLEARLY DEFINED ON THAT RADAR. WE COULD SEE IT. AND REALLY, WHEN THAT TORNADO WARNING WAS HAPPENING, WE SAW RADAR INDICATION THAT DEFINITELY THERE WAS SOME TYPE OF ROTATION ON THE GROUND. THANKFULLY, THOUGH, AS WE TAKE A LOOK AT OUR FIRST WARNING RADAR THIS AFTERNOON, WE ARE ALL CLEAR. THINGS ARE DRYING ON OUT AND WE ARE LOOKING AT QUIET SKIES AHEAD. I’LL SHOW YOU HOW LONG SOME OF THESE BLUSTERY WINDS THAT WILL CONTINUE INTO CENTRAL FLORIDA AS THE CLEANUP CONTINUES, AND HOW LONG THESE D
Seminole County struck by EF-2 tornado Monday: How rare is this?
Updated: 5:13 PM EDT Mar 10, 2025
A rare and devastating weather event occurred Monday in Central Florida when an EF-2 tornado touched down along Interstate 4 in the Longwood/Lake Mary area around 9:30 a.m. The National Weather Service confirmed the tornado had peak winds of 120 mph, earning it the classification of EF-2.While tornadoes are not uncommon in Central Florida, the vast majority are weak. About 90% of the tornadoes that touch down in the area only have winds of 65 – 110 mph, which fall into the categories of EF-0 or EF-1. The remaining 10% of tornadoes fall into the category of EF-2 or EF-3, which have winds of 111 – 165 mph.Officials believe the tornado’s four-mile track began in Wekiva Springs and extended to Longwood, before crossing I-4 and into Lake Mary. With a width of 300 yards, the tornado was on the ground for about six minutes, according to preliminary data. Another survey will be conducted Tuesday.
LAKE MARY, Fla. —A rare and devastating weather event occurred Monday in Central Florida when an EF-2 tornado touched down along Interstate 4 in the Longwood/Lake Mary area around 9:30 a.m.
The National Weather Service confirmed the tornado had peak winds of 120 mph, earning it the classification of EF-2.
While tornadoes are not uncommon in Central Florida, the vast majority are weak.
About 90% of the tornadoes that touch down in the area only have winds of 65 – 110 mph, which fall into the categories of EF-0 or EF-1.
The remaining 10% of tornadoes fall into the category of EF-2 or EF-3, which have winds of 111 – 165 mph.
Officials believe the tornado’s four-mile track began in Wekiva Springs and extended to Longwood, before crossing I-4 and into Lake Mary. With a width of 300 yards, the tornado was on the ground for about six minutes, according to preliminary data.
Another survey will be conducted Tuesday.
