2007 Groundhog Day tornado outbreak
Tracks of the three tornadoes in Florida
|
|
| Type | Tornado outbreak |
|---|---|
| Duration | February 2, 2007 |
| Tornadoes confirmed | 4 |
| Max rating1 | EF3 tornado |
| Duration of tornado outbreak2 | 4 hours, 50 minutes |
| Damage | $218 million (2007 US$) |
| Casualties | 21 fatalities; 76 injuries |
| Areas affected | Central Florida |
|
1Most severe tornado damage; see Enhanced Fujita scale 2Time from first tornado to last tornado |
|
1Most severe tornado damage; see Enhanced Fujita scale
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 where it killed 21 people. The second tornado killed 13 people in the Lake Mack area and damaged or destroyed over 500 homes and other structures during its existence, including the 1500-foot (450-meter) tall transmission tower of WCFB FM. 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.
In east central Florida, 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 (24 °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.
...
Wikipedia