Florida tornado destroys homes after hitting Orlando TV station during live broadcast

ORLANDO, Fla. – A tornado destroyed two homes north of Orlando on Monday morning after hitting the FOX 35 Orlando television station in what a meteorologist called a rare event. 

The tornado is believed to have cut across Interstate 4 just north of Orlando, moving across Lake Mary and into Sanford just before 10 a.m. ET.

Staff at FOX 35 Orlando said they felt the building shake and heard debris hitting the roof as the tornado hit.

“This is a very rare event,” FOX 35 Orlando Meteorologist Brooks Garner said Monday morning. “We were able to confirm the tornado as it hit our station.”

National Weather Service teams from the Melbourne office surveyed the damage and believe the tornado briefly strengthened to an EF-2, based on the Enhanced Fujita Scale. 

According to the initial NWS report, the tornado touched down just east of Wekiwa Springs State Park before barreling through the Wingfield Reserve neighborhood with peak winds up to 95 mph.

When the tornado moved into the Whispering Winds subdivision, it briefly produced winds up to 115 mph, reaching an EF-2 rating.

This is where Seminole County first responders say two homes were destroyed on Blue Iris Place.

The tornado continued across Markham Woods Road before crossing Interstate 4 in Lake Mary, where FOX 35 Orlando video captured the tornado’s winds and rain bands. 

The tornado’s path covered about 4 miles and lasted 15 minutes, according to the survey. 

NWS officials said they will continue to survey damage in Lake Mary on Monday afternoon to determine where the tornado ended. 

FOX 35 reporter Amanda McKenzie showed scenes of downed tree branches, signs, and even a brick wall brought down by a tree in the Whispering Winds neighborhood of Lake Mary.

“A lot of debris on the ground, several first responders are on the scene, McKenzie said. “We are hearing that several homes on this street are damaged.”

Another FOX 35 reporter showed damage to their car and other vehicles in the TV station’s parking lot.

Seminole, Volusia and Sarasota counties were all placed under Tornado Warnings on Monday morning.

The Seminole County Sheriff’s Office told FOX Weather two homes in Longwood, Florida were destroyed by the tornado. 

“Due to the weather impact, there is a collapsed home in … Longwood and another damaged home. There were two occupants, and both were uninjured,” Seminole County Fire Department said in a statement. “Residents are currently safe from the collapsed home.”

Fire officials later said the only part of the home that survived the storm was where the two people took shelter.

“This couple moved into the room of safety,” said Alan Harris the Seminole County Emergency Manager. “That’s what we want them to do.”

Police encouraged people to stay indoors and warned of dangerous debris on the roads. In the immediate aftermath of the storm, at least 500 people were without power, according to police.

Officials said no serious injuries have been reported. 

These storms are part of an upper-level low moving over Alabama, Florida and Georgia.

The low will continue moving eastward throughout the day and eventually push offshore by the evening. 

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