STORM2K

2 Slight Risk days in Florida Today & Tomorrow

The storms throughout the day today in Florida, while mostly remaining below severe levels, have caused a weather delay for the Daytona 500. Pity, that.

More Severe Storms are expected along the Gulf Coast through Thursday . . .

Upgraded to enhanced

Tornado Watch #7 for Panhandle Florida, SW Georgia & SE Alabama

Mesoscale Discussion #90

Tornado Watch #8 for Southern Georgia & Northern Florida

It appears Damascus, GA has taken a hit by a strong/violent tornado. Very strong velocity signature and debris ball. Debris lofted to about 15K feet. Luckily it appears that it was pretty short lived.

Confirmed Tornado near Damascus, GA

1 Injury reported . . .

Unfortunately it looks like we had another big one today.
https://twitter.com/ou_sams/status/1361544008019943431
This happened in the marginal risk area by the way...

UPDATE: Reports of 2 confirmed fatalities from this storm. Praying for everyone involved. Certainly sounding like a high end event...

Looking at images I would rate an Ef3. Houses totaled but debris remained on site. I wish that the people trapped make it out healthy.

 https://twitter.com/ChrisJacksonSC/status/1361496396545859589



 https://twitter.com/tlyzawx/status/1361650568255721473



 https://twitter.com/ou_sams/status/1361537947733020677



 https://twitter.com/bn9weather/status/1361679303294005252



If this is rated EF4+, it would be one of the closest to the Atlantic Ocean on record, after the EF4 tornado near Darien, GA, on 11 May 2008.

Unlikely in my opinion. An Ef4 would have more or less cleaned a foundation of everything. While a brick house getting demolished says something, it was only 1500 square feet. I am pretty skeptic of high ratings however and may be biased towards a weaker rating.

Marginal risk across Southern Florida today

Maybe a Tornado
60 mph wind gusts

Slight Risk across Coastal Lousisana, Mississippi, Alabama, & Panhandle Florida Tomorrow

75 mph winds
Higher threat of Tornadoes
Up to Half Dollar Sized Hail

InfernoFlameCat wrote:Unlikely in my opinion. An Ef4 would have more or less cleaned a foundation of everything. While a brick house getting demolished says something, it was only 1500 square feet. I am pretty skeptic of high ratings however and may be biased towards a weaker rating.

 https://twitter.com/Oakhurst_WX/status/1361691777548312579



 https://twitter.com/tylburch/status/1361666495709872130



 https://twitter.com/AndyRoszak/status/1361706937168105472



 https://twitter.com/MkwNiko/status/1361718716703064064

https://mobile.twitter.com/tanner_barth ... 5957746690
Drone footage of damage

In my unprofessional opinion, based on the damage I've seen, this will likely be rated a high end EF3 at the minimum. Would not be surprised at all if it gets EF4.

Weather Dude wrote:In my unprofessional opinion, based on the damage I've seen, this will likely be rated a high end EF3 at the minimum. Would not be surprised at all if it gets EF4.

Based on contextual ground scouring, anchoring, debris pile, etc., it’s definitely low-end EF4. The large home was evidently anchored, though the debris did not scatter far. Similar damage was observed during the Estill–Nixville–Fechtig, SC, EF4 tornado on 13 April 2020, which was posthumously upgraded to low-end EF4 status. Damage in Damascus, GA, also looks to be in the low-to-mid EF3 range:
 https://twitter.com/WX_ManMike/status/1361684322558820358

Shell Mound wrote:

Weather Dude wrote:In my unprofessional opinion, based on the damage I've seen, this will likely be rated a high end EF3 at the minimum. Would not be surprised at all if it gets EF4.

Based on contextual ground scouring, anchoring, debris pile, etc., it’s definitely low-end EF4. The large home was evidently anchored, though the debris did not scatter far. Similar damage was observed during the Estill–Nixville–Fechtig, SC, EF4 tornado on 13 April 2020, which was posthumously upgraded to low-end EF4 status. Damage in Damascus, GA, also looks to be in the low-to-mid EF3 range:
https://twitter.com/WX_ManMike/status/1361684322558820358

Keep in mind that the copious amounts of rainfall that area has received has made the soil much less stable and easier to be manipulated by high winds compared to the much drier plains. In other words, it was easier for the tornado to damage the ground than usual. I expect a rating no greater than a minimal Ef4 (Minimal to devastating tornadoes Ef4-Ef5).

Also I would rate the Damascus twister a mid Ef2