Florida Hazard Watch - Tornadoes
When is Florida's Tornado Season?
Florida has two Tornado Seasons.
The Summer Season, from June until September has the highest frequencies with usual intensities of F0 or F1 on the Fujita Scale. This includes those tornadoes that form from landfalling Tropical Cyclones.
The Deadly Spring Season, from February through April is characterized by more powerful tornadoes because of the presence of the jet stream. When the jet stream digs south into Florida and is accompanied by a strong cold front and a strong squall line of thunderstorms, the jet stream's high level winds of 100 to 200 mph often strengthen a thunderstorm into what meteorologists call a supercell or mesocyclone. These powerful storms can move at speeds of 30 to 50 mph, produce dangerous downburst winds, large hail and the most deadly tornadoes.
What Time Are Florida's Tornadoes Likely to Strike?
Florida tornado climatology shows us that strong to violent tornadoes are just as likely to occur after midnight as they are in the afternoon. This unique feature makes these tornadoes more dangerous, because most people are asleep after midnight and cannot receive weather warnings relayed by commercial radio or television stations.
The solution to this is to have a NOAA Weather Radio in your home with a tone alert feature. This will allow you to receive warnings issued by your local National Weather Service office.
Where Can You Go For Up-To-Date Info?
- Convective Outlooks - Issued to outline areas where severe thunderstorms may develop and qualifies the degree of risk (i.e. SLGT, MDT, and HIGH risk areas).
- Day 3 Convective Outlook - Issued once a day
- Day 2 Convective Outlook - Issued twice a day
- Day 1 Convective Outlook - Issued 5 times a day
- Hazardous Weather Outlook - Issued daily by local NWS offices to advise storm spotters and emergency managers of potentially hazardous weather and other hazards.
- Tornado Watch - Issued to alert the public that conditions are favorable for the development of tornadoes in and close to the watch area. These watches are issued with information concerning the watch area and the length of time they are in effect.
- Short Term Forecast - Issued as a 1-2 hour forecast of local weather conditions; emphasizing hazardous weather.
- Tornado Warning - Issued by local NWS offices to warn the public that a tornado has been sighted by storm spotters or has been indicated by radar. These warnings are issued with information concerning where the tornado is presently located and what communities are in the anticipated path of the tornado.
What Actions Should You Take To Be Prepared?
- Build or identify a Safe-Room in your Home
- Purchase and use a NOAA Weather Radio.
- Inquire if your Community is StormReady.
Fujita Tornado Damage Scale
| Developed in 1971 by T. Theodore Fujita of the University of Chicago | ||
| SCALE | MPH | TYPICAL DAMAGE |
| EF0 | 65-85 (mph) | Gale Tornado Some damage to chimneys. Tree branches broken off. Shallow rooted trees uprooted. |
| EF1 | 86-110 (mph) | Moderate Tornado Peels surface off roofs. Mobile homes overturned. Moving autos pushed off roads. |
| EF2 | 111-135 (mph) | Significant Tornado Considerable damage. Roofs torn off frame houses. Large trees snapped or uprooted. Light-object projectiles generated. |
| EF3 | 136-165 (mph) | Severe Tornado Severe damage. Roofs and some walls torn off well-constructed homes. Most trees in forests uprooted. Heavy cars lifted off ground. |
| EF4 | 166-200 (mph) | Devastating Tornado Well-constructed houses leveled. Structures blown off weak foundations. Cars thrown and large projectiles generated. |
| EF5 | 200+ (mph) | Incredible Tornado Strong frame houses lifted off foundations and disintegrated. Automobile-sized projectiles fly through the air in excess of 100 mph. Trees debarked. |
