2007 Central Florida tornadoes
Encyclopedia
The 2007 Groundhog Day tornado outbreak was a localized but devastating tornado
event that took place in central Florida
early on February 2, 2007. Early morning temperatures had risen well above average for the season; combined with increased moisture and a powerful jet stream
, this created enough instability
and wind shear for thunderstorms to rotate and spawn tornadoes. Due to the conditions, a long-tracked supercell
formed and produced three tornadoes over one hour and seventeen minutes. The supercell resulted in a 70-mile (110-kilometer) trail of damage.
Twenty-one people were killed and 76 others were injured in the outbreak. The first tornado damaged 1,145 homes and destroyed 200 others in Sumter County
before hitting the Lady Lake area where it killed eight people, damaged 180 homes and destroyed 101 homes in Lake County
. The second tornado killed 13 people in the Lake Mack area and damaged and destroyed over 500 homes during its existence. The final tornado damaged roofs, car ports and garage doors along its path through New Smyrna Beach
. The outbreak was the second-deadliest on record for Florida, with damages of $218 million.
, a warm sector, a region of warm surface air between a cold front
and a warm front
, was positioned ahead of a progressing cold front. Large scale lift was supported by a very strong jet stream
aloft, with strong vertical shear evident, conducive for rotating thunderstorms and tornadoes. Instability
increased overnight with temperatures and dew points increasing through the pre-dawn hours. For example, northwest of Orlando
, temperatures were still at 75 °F (23.9 °C), which was about 3 degrees warmer than the average high for the day and 14 degrees warmer than the average low. The conditions helped to form a long-tracked supercell thunderstorm that traveled from Sumter County
to the coastal waters of Volusia County
during the early morning hours of February 2, 2007, producing three tornadoes along its track.
At 3:06 am EST
(0806 UTC
), the National Weather Service
(NWS) issued a tornado warning
for northern Lake County
until 4:00 am EST (0900 UTC). At 3:10 am EST (0810 UTC), the first tornado touched down near The Villages
and traveled at 55 miles per hour (88.5 km/h) into Lake County. Five minutes after the tornado touched down, a severe weather update bulletin was issued by the NWS stating that there was a high likelihood of an extremely dangerous tornado and people in the path were in a life-threatening situation. The tornado received an EF3 rating on the Enhanced Fujita Scale
and had a track length of 16.5 miles (26.6 km). Initially, the tornado was thought to have still been on the ground and a third bulletin was released at 3:34 am EST (0834 UTC). At this time, Doppler radar indicated that a tornado was forming or was on the ground roughly 5 miles (8 km) north of Umatilla
.
The mesocyclone
that produced the first tornado restrengthened and formed another tornado near Paisley
at 3:37 am EST (0837 UTC) in Lake County. A second tornado warning was issued at 3:52 am EST (0852 UTC) for Volusia County
as the tornado was tracking toward the area. It went east northeast toward the Lake Mack area, exceeding 50 miles per hour (80.5 km/h). The tornado received an EF3 rating on the Enhanced Fujita Scale and traveled a total of 26 miles (41.8 km). A third tornado warning was issued in Volusia County at 4:13 am EST (0913 UTC), nearly ten minutes before the third tornado touched down. The supercell produced its last tornado east of Interstate 95
at 4:22 am EST (0922 UTC) and dissipated five minutes later at the Intracoastal Waterway
, 3 miles (4.8 km) from where it touched down. The tornado had a maximum width of 100 yards (91.4 m) around the time it reached peak intensity. The tornado was rated EF1 on the Enhanced Fujita Scale and traveled for 3 miles (4.8 km).
s, and injured 10 others. It damaged 180 residences and destroyed 101 in Lake County before dissipating near Emerald Marsh Lake at 3:25 am EST (0825 UTC).
When the second tornado impacted the Lake Mack area, 86 residences were destroyed and 144 were damaged. Thirteen people were killed, all in mobile homes, and nine others were injured. The tornado moved across the St. Johns River
into Volusia County where it damaged 277 residences and destroyed 106 in the DeLand
area before lifting at 4:10 am EST (0910 UTC). Forty-two people were injured in Volusia County. The third tornado damaged roofs, car ports and garage doors along its path through New Smyrna Beach
.
). Christopher Patton, spokesman for the Lake County emergency operations center, described the damage as "unlike even perhaps the hurricanes of 2004 when we had minor roof damage, screen damage, pool damage. This is way far more devastating." The tornadoes were the first to be rated on the Enhanced Fujita Scale
, which replaced the original Fujita Scale
.
U.S. President George W. Bush
signed a declaration to designate Sumter, Lake, Volusia and Seminole
counties as disaster area
s. A state of emergency
was declared by Governor Charlie Crist
for the same counties. More than 400 American Red Cross
volunteers from across several states went to help in central Florida. The Tampa Bay
chapter of the American Red Cross sent six volunteers with emergency response vehicles to the main area of damage. The Walt Disney Company
donated $50,000 to the American Red Cross to help aid victims and Feed The Children
sent two truckloads of relief supplies to the central Florida area. The Salvation Army
brought several mobile kitchens to offer relief to victims and Verizon Wireless
helped by offering citizens the use of a wireless emergency communication center, in addition to cleaning and repairing cellular phones damaged by the storms. A moment of silence
was held before Super Bowl XLI
in Miami to honor the victims of the tornadoes.
Tornado
A tornado is a violent, dangerous, rotating column of air that is in contact with both the surface of the earth and a cumulonimbus cloud or, in rare cases, the base of a cumulus cloud. They are often referred to as a twister or a cyclone, although the word cyclone is used in meteorology in a wider...
event that took place in central Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
early on February 2, 2007. Early morning temperatures had risen well above average for the season; combined with increased moisture and a powerful jet stream
Jet stream
Jet streams are fast flowing, narrow air currents found in the atmospheres of some planets, including Earth. The main jet streams are located near the tropopause, the transition between the troposphere and the stratosphere . The major jet streams on Earth are westerly winds...
, this created enough instability
Atmospheric instability
Atmospheric instability is a condition where the atmosphere is generally considered to be unstable and as a result the weather is subject to a high degree of variability through distance and time...
and wind shear for thunderstorms to rotate and spawn tornadoes. Due to the conditions, a long-tracked supercell
Supercell
A supercell is a thunderstorm that is characterized by the presence of a mesocyclone: a deep, continuously-rotating updraft. For this reason, these storms are sometimes referred to as rotating thunderstorms...
formed and produced three tornadoes over one hour and seventeen minutes. The supercell resulted in a 70-mile (110-kilometer) trail of damage.
Twenty-one people were killed and 76 others were injured in the outbreak. The first tornado damaged 1,145 homes and destroyed 200 others in Sumter County
Sumter County, Florida
Sumter County is a county located in the state of Florida, United States. As of the 2000 Census, the population was 53,345. The 2006 Census estimate puts its population at 68,768 . Its county seat is Bushnell, Florida and the largest incorporated municipality is Wildwood, Florida. The Villages,...
before hitting the Lady Lake area where it killed eight people, damaged 180 homes and destroyed 101 homes in Lake County
Lake County, Florida
Lake County is a county located in the state of Florida, United States. As of the 2000 Census, the population was 210,528. The Census Bureau estimated the population in 2008 to be 307,243. Its county seat is Tavares...
. The second tornado killed 13 people in the Lake Mack area and damaged and destroyed over 500 homes during its existence. The final tornado damaged roofs, car ports and garage doors along its path through New Smyrna Beach
New Smyrna Beach, Florida
New Smyrna Beach is a city in Volusia County, Florida, United States. The population was 20,048 according to the 2000 census. As of 2007, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 23,161.-History:...
. The outbreak was the second-deadliest on record for Florida, with damages of $218 million.
Synopsis
In east central FloridaFlorida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, a warm sector, a region of warm surface air between a cold front
Cold front
A cold front is defined as the leading edge of a cooler mass of air, replacing a warmer mass of air.-Development of cold front:The cooler and denser air wedges under the less-dense warmer air, lifting it...
and a warm front
Warm front
A warm front is a density discontinuity located at the leading edge of a homogeneous warm air mass, and is typically located on the equator-facing edge of an isotherm gradient...
, was positioned ahead of a progressing cold front. Large scale lift was supported by a very strong jet stream
Jet stream
Jet streams are fast flowing, narrow air currents found in the atmospheres of some planets, including Earth. The main jet streams are located near the tropopause, the transition between the troposphere and the stratosphere . The major jet streams on Earth are westerly winds...
aloft, with strong vertical shear evident, conducive for rotating thunderstorms and tornadoes. Instability
Atmospheric instability
Atmospheric instability is a condition where the atmosphere is generally considered to be unstable and as a result the weather is subject to a high degree of variability through distance and time...
increased overnight with temperatures and dew points increasing through the pre-dawn hours. For example, northwest of Orlando
Orlando, Florida
Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
, temperatures were still at 75 °F (23.9 °C), which was about 3 degrees warmer than the average high for the day and 14 degrees warmer than the average low. The conditions helped to form a long-tracked supercell thunderstorm that traveled from Sumter County
Sumter County, Florida
Sumter County is a county located in the state of Florida, United States. As of the 2000 Census, the population was 53,345. The 2006 Census estimate puts its population at 68,768 . Its county seat is Bushnell, Florida and the largest incorporated municipality is Wildwood, Florida. The Villages,...
to the coastal waters of Volusia County
Volusia County, Florida
Volusia County is a county located in the state of Florida. The U.S. Census Bureau 2010 official county's population was 494,593 . Its county seat is DeLand, and its most populous city is currently Deltona....
during the early morning hours of February 2, 2007, producing three tornadoes along its track.
At 3:06 am EST
Eastern Time Zone
The Eastern Time Zone of the United States and Canada is a time zone that falls mostly along the east coast of North America. Its UTC time offset is −5 hrs during standard time and −4 hrs during daylight saving time...
(0806 UTC
Coordinated Universal Time
Coordinated Universal Time is the primary time standard by which the world regulates clocks and time. It is one of several closely related successors to Greenwich Mean Time. Computer servers, online services and other entities that rely on having a universally accepted time use UTC for that purpose...
), the National Weather Service
National Weather Service
The National Weather Service , once known as the Weather Bureau, is one of the six scientific agencies that make up the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration of the United States government...
(NWS) issued a tornado warning
Tornado warning
A tornado warning is an alert issued by government weather services to warn that severe thunderstorms with tornadoes may be imminent. It can be issued after a tornado or funnel cloud has been spotted by eye, or more commonly if there are radar indications of tornado formation...
for northern Lake County
Lake County, Florida
Lake County is a county located in the state of Florida, United States. As of the 2000 Census, the population was 210,528. The Census Bureau estimated the population in 2008 to be 307,243. Its county seat is Tavares...
until 4:00 am EST (0900 UTC). At 3:10 am EST (0810 UTC), the first tornado touched down near The Villages
The Villages, Florida
The Villages is a master-planned age-restricted retirement community located mainly in Sumter County, Florida, United States, but also includes portions of Lake and Marion counties. The community is controlled by several Community Development Districts , most of which are controlled by H. Gary...
and traveled at 55 miles per hour (88.5 km/h) into Lake County. Five minutes after the tornado touched down, a severe weather update bulletin was issued by the NWS stating that there was a high likelihood of an extremely dangerous tornado and people in the path were in a life-threatening situation. The tornado received an EF3 rating on the Enhanced Fujita Scale
Enhanced Fujita Scale
The Enhanced Fujita Scale rates the strength of tornadoes in the United States based on the damage they cause.Implemented in place of the Fujita scale introduced in 1971 by Ted Fujita, it began operational use on February 1, 2007. The scale has the same basic design as the original Fujita scale:...
and had a track length of 16.5 miles (26.6 km). Initially, the tornado was thought to have still been on the ground and a third bulletin was released at 3:34 am EST (0834 UTC). At this time, Doppler radar indicated that a tornado was forming or was on the ground roughly 5 miles (8 km) north of Umatilla
Umatilla, Florida
Umatilla is a city in Lake County, Florida, United States. It was named after Umatilla, Oregon. The population was 2,214 at the 2000 census. According to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2004 estimates, the city had a population of 2,502. Umatilla is known as the Gateway to the Ocala National Forest,...
.
The mesocyclone
Mesocyclone
A mesocyclone is a vortex of air, approximately 2 to 10 miles in diameter , within a convective storm....
that produced the first tornado restrengthened and formed another tornado near Paisley
Paisley, Florida
Paisley is a census-designated place in Lake County, Florida, United States. The population was 734 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Orlando–Kissimmee Metropolitan Statistical Area...
at 3:37 am EST (0837 UTC) in Lake County. A second tornado warning was issued at 3:52 am EST (0852 UTC) for Volusia County
Volusia County, Florida
Volusia County is a county located in the state of Florida. The U.S. Census Bureau 2010 official county's population was 494,593 . Its county seat is DeLand, and its most populous city is currently Deltona....
as the tornado was tracking toward the area. It went east northeast toward the Lake Mack area, exceeding 50 miles per hour (80.5 km/h). The tornado received an EF3 rating on the Enhanced Fujita Scale and traveled a total of 26 miles (41.8 km). A third tornado warning was issued in Volusia County at 4:13 am EST (0913 UTC), nearly ten minutes before the third tornado touched down. The supercell produced its last tornado east of Interstate 95
Interstate 95
Interstate 95 is the main highway on the East Coast of the United States, running parallel to the Atlantic Ocean from Maine to Florida and serving some of the most populated urban areas in the country, including Boston, Providence, New Haven, New York City, Newark, Philadelphia, Baltimore,...
at 4:22 am EST (0922 UTC) and dissipated five minutes later at the Intracoastal Waterway
Intracoastal Waterway
The Intracoastal Waterway is a 3,000-mile waterway along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts of the United States. Some lengths consist of natural inlets, salt-water rivers, bays, and sounds; others are artificial canals...
, 3 miles (4.8 km) from where it touched down. The tornado had a maximum width of 100 yards (91.4 m) around the time it reached peak intensity. The tornado was rated EF1 on the Enhanced Fujita Scale and traveled for 3 miles (4.8 km).
Impact
An intermittent path of damage was left by the supercell over a distance of 70 miles (112.7 km). A total of 1,145 homes were damaged in Sumter County with 200 destroyed during the six minute duration of the tornado in the county. Fifteen people were injured in Sumter County. The tornado moved across the Lady Lake area where it killed eight people, all of whom were in mobile homeMobile home
Mobile homes or static caravans are prefabricated homes built in factories, rather than on site, and then taken to the place where they will be occupied...
s, and injured 10 others. It damaged 180 residences and destroyed 101 in Lake County before dissipating near Emerald Marsh Lake at 3:25 am EST (0825 UTC).
When the second tornado impacted the Lake Mack area, 86 residences were destroyed and 144 were damaged. Thirteen people were killed, all in mobile homes, and nine others were injured. The tornado moved across the St. Johns River
St. Johns River
The St. Johns River is the longest river in the U.S. state of Florida and its most significant for commercial and recreational use. At long, it winds through or borders twelve counties, three of which are the state's largest. The drop in elevation from the headwaters to the mouth is less than ;...
into Volusia County where it damaged 277 residences and destroyed 106 in the DeLand
DeLand, Florida
DeLand is the county seat of Volusia County, Florida. In 2006, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated the city's population to be 24,375. It is part of the Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area, which had an estimated population of 436,575 in 2006...
area before lifting at 4:10 am EST (0910 UTC). Forty-two people were injured in Volusia County. The third tornado damaged roofs, car ports and garage doors along its path through New Smyrna Beach
New Smyrna Beach, Florida
New Smyrna Beach is a city in Volusia County, Florida, United States. The population was 20,048 according to the 2000 census. As of 2007, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 23,161.-History:...
.
Aftermath
The outbreak was the second-deadliest on record for Florida, behind one that killed 42 people in February 1998. Damages from the tornado outbreak totaled $218 million (2007 USDUnited States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
). Christopher Patton, spokesman for the Lake County emergency operations center, described the damage as "unlike even perhaps the hurricanes of 2004 when we had minor roof damage, screen damage, pool damage. This is way far more devastating." The tornadoes were the first to be rated on the Enhanced Fujita Scale
Enhanced Fujita Scale
The Enhanced Fujita Scale rates the strength of tornadoes in the United States based on the damage they cause.Implemented in place of the Fujita scale introduced in 1971 by Ted Fujita, it began operational use on February 1, 2007. The scale has the same basic design as the original Fujita scale:...
, which replaced the original Fujita Scale
Fujita scale
The Fujita scale , or Fujita-Pearson scale, is a scale for rating tornado intensity, based primarily on the damage tornadoes inflict on human-built structures and vegetation...
.
U.S. President George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
signed a declaration to designate Sumter, Lake, Volusia and Seminole
Seminole County, Florida
Seminole County is a county in the U.S. state of Florida. Located between Orlando to the south and Deland and Daytona Beach to the north, it is part of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. Its county seat and largest city is Sanford...
counties as disaster area
Disaster area
A disaster area is a region or a locale heavily damaged by either natural hazards, such as tornadoes, hurricanes, tsunamis, floods, earthquakes, technological hazards including nuclear and radiation accidents, or sociological hazards like riots, terrorism or war. The population living there often...
s. A state of emergency
State of emergency
A state of emergency is a governmental declaration that may suspend some normal functions of the executive, legislative and judicial powers, alert citizens to change their normal behaviours, or order government agencies to implement emergency preparedness plans. It can also be used as a rationale...
was declared by Governor Charlie Crist
Charlie Crist
Charles Joseph "Charlie" Crist, Jr. is an American politician who was the 44th Governor of Florida. Prior to his election as governor, Crist previously served as Florida State Senator, Education Commissioner, and Attorney General...
for the same counties. More than 400 American Red Cross
American Red Cross
The American Red Cross , also known as the American National Red Cross, is a volunteer-led, humanitarian organization that provides emergency assistance, disaster relief and education inside the United States. It is the designated U.S...
volunteers from across several states went to help in central Florida. The Tampa Bay
Tampa Bay
Tampa Bay is a large natural harbor and estuary along the Gulf of Mexico on the west central coast of Florida, comprising Hillsborough Bay, Old Tampa Bay, Middle Tampa Bay, and Lower Tampa Bay."Tampa Bay" is not the name of any municipality...
chapter of the American Red Cross sent six volunteers with emergency response vehicles to the main area of damage. The Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company is the largest media conglomerate in the world in terms of revenue. Founded on October 16, 1923, by Walt and Roy Disney as the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio, Walt Disney Productions established itself as a leader in the American animation industry before diversifying into...
donated $50,000 to the American Red Cross to help aid victims and Feed The Children
Feed The Children
Feed The Children founded in 1979 is an international, non-profit relief organization guided by Christian values, whose stated mission is "providing hope and resources for those without life's essentials". In FY 2010, Feed The Children distributed more than 133 million pounds of food and other...
sent two truckloads of relief supplies to the central Florida area. The Salvation Army
Salvation Army
The Salvation Army is a Protestant Christian church known for its thrift stores and charity work. It is an international movement that currently works in over a hundred countries....
brought several mobile kitchens to offer relief to victims and Verizon Wireless
Verizon Wireless
Cellco Partnership, doing business as Verizon Wireless, is one of the largest mobile network operators in the United States. The network has 107.7 million subscribers as of 2011, making it the largest wireless service provider in America....
helped by offering citizens the use of a wireless emergency communication center, in addition to cleaning and repairing cellular phones damaged by the storms. A moment of silence
Moment of silence
A moment of silence is the expression for a period of silent contemplation, prayer, reflection, or meditation. Similar to flying a flag at half-mast, a moment of silence is often a gesture of respect, particularly in mourning for those who have recently died or as part of a commemoration ceremony...
was held before Super Bowl XLI
Super Bowl XLI
Super Bowl XLI was an American football game that featured the American Football Conference champion Indianapolis Colts and the National Football Conference champion Chicago Bears to decide the National Football League champion for the 2006 season...
in Miami to honor the victims of the tornadoes.
External links
- Special Report: The Central Florida Tornadoes: One Year Later from the St. Petersburg TimesSt. Petersburg TimesThe St. Petersburg Times is a United States newspaper. It is one of two major publications serving the Tampa Bay Area, the other being The Tampa Tribune, which the Times tops in both circulation and readership. Based in St...
- Special Report: Tornadoes Ravage Central Florida from the St. Petersburg Times
- Survey of Sumter County tornado
- Lady Lake tornado report