2012 Tropical Storm Debby tornado outbreak
The 2012 Tropical Storm Debby tornado outbreak was a tropical cyclone-produced severe-weather event that affected the U.S. state of Florida for nearly 3 days on June 23–26, 2012. As of 12:25 p.m. EDT on June 25, the Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Oklahoma, had received 25 tornado reports from Florida, including one fatality near Venus. Throughout the entire event, 25 tornadoes touched down across the state, making the outbreak the second largest on record in Florida, behind only that spawned by Hurricane Agnes, which produced 28 tornadoes on April 18–19, 1972.[4] At least ten of the tornadoes—the largest 24-hour total in South Florida since Hurricane Isbell produced eight in 1964—had been confirmed in four South Florida counties by the National Weather Service forecast office in Miami.[5]
Track map of radar–derived mesovorticies on June 24, 2012 | |
Type | Tornado outbreak |
---|---|
Duration | June 23–26, 2012 |
Tornadoes confirmed | 25 |
Max. rating1 | EF2 tornado |
Duration of tornado outbreak2 | 2 days, 18 hours, 50 minutes |
Highest winds |
|
Largest hail | No large hail reported[2] |
Damage | $1.8 million[3] |
Casualties | 1 fatality total |
1Most severe tornado damage; see Enhanced Fujita scale 2Time from first tornado to last tornado |
Event summary
At 3:44 p.m. CDT on June 23, as Tropical Storm Debby was located west of Florida, the SPC in Norman first noted an increasing potential for severe weather in Southwest Florida, including tornadoes, due to increasing wind shear in the lower levels of the atmosphere.[6] Later, at 7:09 p.m. CDT, the SPC highlighted a threat of waterspouts in the region.[7] On June 24 at 10:45 a.m. CDT, after two possible tornadoes had already been reported, the first Tornado Watch was issued for 22 counties in Central and South Florida.[8] As of 4:00 a.m. CDT on June 25, a Tornado Watch remained in effect in portions of Central Florida.[9] Despite the tornado watches, no tornadoes were confirmed on June 25. However, on June 26 a lone tornado touched down as Debby lingered over Florida.[10]
Confirmed tornadoes
EFU | EF0 | EF1 | EF2 | EF3 | EF4 | EF5 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
0 | 19 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 25 |
June 23 event
List of reported tornadoes - Saturday, June 23, 2012 | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Florida | ||||||
EF0 | ESE of Naples | Collier | 26.12°N 81.75°W | 1935 | 1.7 miles (2.7 km) | A few structures suffered minor roof damage and several trees were downed. |
EF0 | North Naples | Collier | 26.27°N 81.79°W | 2000 | 100 yards (91 m) | Brief tornado broke tree branches and light poles. One person was injured by a falling branch. |
Sources: SPC Storm Reports for 06/23/12, NWS Miami, FL | ||||||
June 24 event
List of reported tornadoes - Sunday, June 24, 2012 | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Florida | ||||||
EF0 | SE of Bowling Green | Hardee | 27.63°N 81.88°W | 1415 | 17 miles (27 km) | Several trees were downed and tractors and a barn were damaged. |
EF0 | Muse area | Glades | 26.83°N 81.50°W | 1500 | 50 yards (46 m) | A barn suffered roof damage with this brief tornado. |
EF0 | E of Goodland | Collier | 25.92°N 81.66°W | 1510 | 16.2 miles (26.1 km) | Waterspout moved onshore and downed a few trees. |
EF0 | WNW of Rock Island | Collier | 26.19°N 81.49°W | 1600 | 50 yards (46 m) | Brief tornado with no damage. |
EF0 | Venus area | Highlands | 27.04°N 81.36°W | 1623 | 3.6 miles (5.8 km) | 1 death - A woman was thrown 200 yards (180 m) from her mobile home and killed when it was destroyed. One other person was injured. |
EF0 | Lake Worth | Palm Beach | 26.62°N 80.07°W | 1625 | 50 yards (46 m) | Damage was confined to a few homes and some vegetation. |
EF0 | SW of Immokalee | Collier | 26.34°N 81.53°W | 1625 | 50 yards (46 m) | No damage was reported with this brief tornado. |
EF0 | West Palm Beach | Palm Beach | 26.71°N 80.06°W | 1725 | 1.2 miles (1.9 km) | Most of the damage occurred to trees. However, a few structures sustained roof damage, a gate was blown across a street, and a railroad crossing arm was broken. |
EF0 | Golden Beach | Miami-Dade | 25.97°N 80.12°W | 1805 | 0.5 miles (0.80 km) | Waterspout came onshore and twisted a gate. It also blew open a garage door and two more gates. |
EF0 | SW of Palmdale | Glades | 26.93°N 81.32°W | 1904 | 0.5 miles (0.80 km) | No damage was reported. |
EF1 | NW of Lake Placid | Highlands | 27.33°N 81.39°W | 1923 | 5.3 miles (8.5 km) | Several homes were severely damaged and power lines were downed. One home of poor construction was left with only one wall standing. |
EF1 | SSE of Indian Rocks Beach | Pinellas | 27.88°N 82.84°W | 1940 | 0.75 miles (1.21 km) | 21 structures were damaged, including mobile homes, car ports, and billboards. Several trees were downed as well. |
EF0 | NE of Lake Magdalene | Hillsborough | 28.15°N 82.37°W | 2039 | 1.1 miles (1.8 km) | Five homes, pool cages, and fences were damaged and trees were downed. |
EF1 | SSE of New Port Richey | Pasco | 28.24°N 82.72°W | 2117 | 0.4 miles (0.64 km) | Five homes suffered major damage. |
EF0 | SE of Winter Haven | Polk | 27.96°N 81.68°W | 2255 | 0.9 miles (1,400 m) | A semi was overturned and trees and power lines were downed. |
EF2 | E of Winter Haven | Polk | 27.95°N 81.68°W | 0004 | 7 miles (11 km) | 17 homes, a retail store, and several mobile homes suffered minor to major roof and other structural damage. Several power lines were downed. One person was injured. |
EF1 | SSE of St. Petersburg | Pinellas | 27.70°N 82.74°W | 0021 | 3.3 miles (5.3 km) | Large waterspout moved onshore where a marina building was damaged, a house lost its roof, and the top floor of a condo building was destroyed. One two story home had its bottom floor collapse. Multiple other structures sustained lesser roof damage. Trees were downed in the area as well. |
EF0 | SE of Clermont | Lake | 28.484°N 81.660°W | 0059 | 3.7 miles (6.0 km) | Tornado moved over Johns Lake and caused minor damage to four homes and surrounding property. Numerous trees were downed. |
EF0 | Yeehaw Junction area | Osceola | 27.69°N 80.90°W | 0155 | 3.1 miles (5.0 km) | Many trees were downed, a few structures suffered minor damage, and a few vehicles were damaged. |
EF1 | Sugarmill Woods area | Citrus | 28.70°N 82.47°W | 0157 | 5 miles (8.0 km) | 20 homes suffered minor damage. Another home suffered major damage and a mobile home was destroyed. Numerous trees were downed. |
EF0 | NE of Deer Park | Osceola | 28.103°N 80.876°W | 0246 | 1.2 miles (1.9 km) | Several trees were downed and a fence was damaged. |
EF0 | SW of Titusville | Brevard | 28.531°N 80.861°W | 0337 | 1.2 miles (1.9 km) | A few trees and tree limbs were downed. |
Sources: SPC Storm Reports for 06/24/12, NWS Miami, FL, NWS Tampa Bay, FL, NWS Melbourne, FL, NCDC Storm Events Database | ||||||
June 26 event
List of reported tornadoes - Tuesday, June 26, 2012 | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Florida | ||||||
EF0 | ENE of Brighton | Highlands | 27.27°N 81.02°W | 1425 | 1.1 miles (1.8 km) | Brief touchdown with no damage. |
Sources: SPC Storm Reports for 06/26/12, NCDC Storm Events Database | ||||||
See also
References
- "Florida Event Report: Thunderstorm Winds". National Climatic Data Center. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. 2012. Retrieved September 20, 2012.
- "Storm Reports for June 24, 2012". Storm Prediction Center. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. July 4, 2012. Retrieved September 20, 2012.
- "Storm Events Database: Florida Tornadoes from June 23–24, 2012". National Climatic Data Center. 2012. Retrieved September 20, 2012.
- "SPC National Severe Weather Database Browser". Storm Prediction Center. Retrieved 25 June 2012.
- "Summary of Tornado Reports Over South Florida: June 23-24, 2012" (PDF). NWS Forecast Office, Miami, Florida. Retrieved 25 June 2012.
- "Mesoscale Discussion 1252". Storm Prediction Center. Retrieved 25 June 2012.
- "Mesoscale Discussion 1254". Storm Prediction Center. Retrieved 25 June 2012.
- "Tornado Watch 422". Storm Prediction Center. Retrieved 25 June 2012.
- "Tornado Watch 423". Storm Prediction Center. Retrieved 25 June 2012.
- "NCDC Storm Events Database". National Climatic Data Center. Retrieved 30 September 2012.