Twister reported in Lake Mary on I-4

AND THEN THE BACK HALF OF THE WEEK LOOKS AMAZING. ALL RIGHT. WE’VE GOT CREWS SCATTERED ALL OVER CENTRAL FLORIDA THIS AFTERNOON KEEPING AN EYE ON THE DAMAGE IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS AND WHAT PEOPLE ARE SEEING. ALL RIGHT, DAVID JONES HAS BEEN DOING AN INCREDIBLE JOB ALL MORNING. NOW INTO THE AFTERNOON. DAVID IN WEKIVA SPRINGS, YOU’VE TALKED TO SO MANY NEIGHBORS OUT THERE, MANY WHO HAVE LIVED IN FLORIDA THEIR WHOLE LIVES. ONE WOMAN SAID SHE’S BEEN HERE 25 YEARS, LIVED THROUGH HURRICANES, NEVER HEARD OR SEEN ANYTHING LIKE WHAT SHE EXPERIENCED THIS MORNING. YEAH, EVERYONE JUST SAYS JUST TELLS ME THAT IT HAPPENED SO QUICKLY THAT THEY GOT THOSE WARNINGS AND THEY WENT TO THEIR SAFE SPACES SO QUICKLY, AND THEY JUST NEVER HAVE EXPERIENCED ANYTHING LIKE THIS. THAT’S FROM WHAT I’M HEARING FROM FROM NEIGHBORS OUT HERE IN THE SWEETWATER OAKS NEIGHBORHOOD. THIS IS RIGHT OFF WEKIWA SPRINGS, JUST ABOUT A MILE, A MILE AND A HALF EAST OF THE SPLIT WITH 434. WE’RE ACTUALLY IN A RESIDENCE BACKYARD HERE ON FOX VALLEY DRIVE, WHERE YOU CAN SEE A MASSIVE TREE HAS JUST SPLIT AND FALLEN, AND CREWS HAVE ACTUALLY BEEN OUT HERE ALL MORNING LONG GOING INTO THE AFTERNOON, WORKING TO CLEAR THIS TREE TO GET ALL OF THE BRANCHES AND THE TREE ITSELF OUT OF THIS NEIGHBOR’S HOME. NOW, HERE’S THE CRAZY PART ABOUT THIS. I WAS SPEAKING WITH THE NEIGHBOR. HE DIDN’T WANT TO GO ON CAMERA, BUT HE WAS TELLING ME THAT BACK IN JULY OF 2018, HE WAS ACTUALLY IN NEW SMYRNA BEACH WHEN HIS CAR GOT TWISTED UP IN A TORNADO. SO THIS GUY IS IS VERY EXPERIENCED WITH THESE SORTS OF EVENTS. BUT LOOK AT THAT. JUST TWISTED UP AND MANGLED HERE. SO NOW WE’VE BEEN TALKING WITH A LITTLE BIT OF TALKING WITH THE CREWS, TALKING WITH THE HOMEOWNER ALSO, AS THEY’VE BEEN WORKING TO CLEAR OUT THIS AREA, THEY WERE HERE WITHIN I MEAN, LITERALLY, I WOULD SAY MAYBE WITHIN 30 MINUTES OR SO OF THE OF THE TORNADO OR AN UNCONFIRMED TORNADO ACTUALLY HITTING OUT HERE AND TEARING DOWN THIS TREE. BUT AGAIN, THIS NEIGHBOR JUST EXPRESSING GRATITUDE THAT IT DIDN’T FALL ON HIS ROOF, IT DIDN’T DO ANY KIND OF DAMAGE TO THE ROOF. YOU CAN SEE THAT SUPERMAN SAM RIGHT THERE WORKING TO WORKING TO CLEAR OUT THE TREE. AND WE WANT TO TALK TO HIM, BUT WE ALSO DON’T WANT TO INTERRUPT THE IMPORTANT WORK THAT HE’S DOING OUT HERE, ESPECIALLY AS THIS LIGHT RAIN HAS STARTED TO COME DOWN. BUT YOU CAN SEE HIM ACTUALLY CUTTING UP THE TREE, AND THEN HE’S GOT SOME WORKERS HERE WITH HIM AS WELL, WORKING TO ACTUALLY CLEAR UP THE BRANCHES AND TAKE THE BRANCHES AND HAUL THEM OFF. SO THIS IS JUST SOME OF THE WORK THAT’S ONGOING HERE IN THIS PART OF WEKIWA SPRINGS. AGAIN, IN THE SWEETWATER NEIGHBORHOOD HERE IN WEKIVA SPRINGS. SO WE’VE BEEN WATCHING THIS HAPPEN ALL DAY, AND NOW THEY’VE ACTUALLY CLEARED OUT THESE TWO MASSIVE TREES THAT HAD FALLEN ON ON FOX VALLEY ROAD AND HAD ACTUALLY BLOCKED THE ROAD FOR MUCH OF THE MORNING. SAM. SAM, DO YOU MIND COMING OVER HERE AND TALKING TO ME REALLY QUICK? YOU MIGHT TALK TO ME REALLY QUICK. HEY, MAN, TELL ME ABOUT THE WORK THAT YOU’RE DOING OUT HERE. WELL, THERE’S SOME VERY, VERY DANGEROUS WORK, I CAN TELL YOU THAT RIGHT NOW. RIGHT OFF THE TOP, YOU KNOW? HEY, TREE WORK, DANGEROUS WORK. YEAH. TALK TO ME ABOUT WHAT THIS LOOKED LIKE WHENEVER YOU FIRST GOT HERE AND WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE NOW. OH, MAN. IT WAS A WILD MESS. IT WAS A MILE. IT WAS A WILD MESS WHEN WE GOT HERE. I MEAN, THIS THING WAS IN A MESS. THEY GOT REAL LUCKY AND BLESSED. IT DIDN’T HIT THE HOUSE. YEAH. AND THAT’S WHAT WE’VE BEEN SAYING WITH THE TWO TREES THAT FELL ON FOX VALLEY TWO, THEY DIDN’T HIT ANY HOMES OR ANY CARS. OH, MAN. THEY GOT BLESSED BECAUSE WHEN WE FIRST PASSED THROUGH OUT THERE ON OUR IOWA SPRING ROAD, WE SEEN A BIG TAMBOURINE. THAT AND I DON’T KNOW WHAT NEIGHBOR Y’ALL THAT HAD CAME OUT OF, BUT MAN, IT HAD AN ARM FELL IN THE ROAD AND IT GOT BLESSED. IT DIDN’T HIT A CAR. YEAH. HOW? TALK ABOUT HOW QUICKLY Y’ALL GOT I MEAN, I SAW Y’ALL WITHIN LIKE IT SEEMED LIKE WITHIN 30 MINUTES OR SO. YEAH, MAN, I GOT A CALL. ONE OF THEM, A CUSTOMER HAD CALLED AND SHE TOLD ME IT HAD A TORNADO HAD DONE TOUCHED DOWN AT THEIR HOUSE. SO I SAID, WELL, I’M ON THE WAY. YEAH, I’M ON THE WAY. YEAH. WELL, THANK YOU FOR THE WORK YOU’RE DOING, MAN. DO YOU JUST KIND OF WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE DANGER, THE DANGER OF THIS? YEAH, IT’S VERY DANGEROUS WORK. SO YOU HAVE TO BE CAREFUL DOING TREE WORK. YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? YEAH. YOU GOT TO BE SUPER, SUPER, SUPER CAREFUL. IS THAT WHY THEY CALL YOU SUPERMAN? THEY CALL ME SUPERMAN BECAUSE I GET THE JOB DONE. THANK YOU. MAN, I APPRECIATE IT. THANKS FOR TALKING WITH US. ALL RIGHT. SO, LOOK, WE’RE GOING TO STAY OUT HERE AND KEEP BRINGING YOU THESE KINDS OF STORIES FROM NEIGHBORS WHO LIVE OUT HERE IN WEKIVA SPRINGS. BUT FOR NOW, WE’RE GOING TO SEND IT BACK TO YOU GUYS IN THE STUDIO. I JUST I’M GOING TO CALL YOU LATER, DAVID, TO GIVE SUPERMAN MY ADDRESS. SO GOD FORBID ANYTHING EVER HAPPEN AGAIN AROUND HERE. THAT’S WHO I WANT. SHOWING UP IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD. HE WITH A SMILE ON HIS FACE AND HAPPY TO DO IT. DAVID, I HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION FOR YOU. I’VE BEEN SO CURIOUS TO SEE WHAT THE DAMAGE HAS BEEN LIKE IN OTHER PARTS OF CENTRAL FLORIDA. AND YOU WERE SHOWING US SOME DAMAGE TO A CAR IN VOLUSIA COUNTY. CAN YOU JUST WALK US THROUGH WHERE EXACTLY THAT WAS AGAIN? WAS IT NEW SMYRNA BEACH, NEW? YEAH. SO HE WAS ACTUALLY THIS THIS IS THE HOMEOWNER THAT WE WERE TALKING WITH. THANK YOU. SAM, I APPRECIATE IT. IT’S THE HOMEOWNER WHO LIVES OUT HERE IN WEKIWA SPRINGS OFF FOX VALLEY DRIVE. AGAIN, HE DIDN’T WANT TO GO ON CAMERA, BUT HE WAS TALKING ABOUT A TORNADO, ACTUALLY, FROM 2018. SO FROM A FEW YEARS AGO THAT ACTUALLY TOUCHED DOWN. I BELIEVE IT WAS JULY OF 2018. AND I’LL SHOW YOU GUYS THE PICTURE AGAIN. BUT HE SAYS THAT HE WAS DRIVING IN NEW SMYRNA BEACH WHEN THAT TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN AND ACTUALLY WHIPPED HIS CAR AROUND. SO THIS GUY HAS A LOT OF EXPERIENCES IN THESE TYPES OF SITUATIONS. SO AGAIN, HE’S JUST VERY BLESSED, VERY FORTUNATE. AGAIN, THAT DAMAGE WAS FROM 2018. BUT HE SAYS NO DAMAGE. THANKFULLY TODAY AT HIS HOME HERE ON FOX VALLEY DRIVE IN WEKIWA SPRINGS. OKAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR CLARIFYING BECAUSE I DIDN’T KNOW IF THAT WAS FROM TODAY OR ANOTHER STORM. WE APPRECIATE THAT, DAVID. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. RIGHT NOW WE WANT TO GET OUT TO MICHELLE MEREDITH. SHE IS CHECKING OUT SOME DAMAGE IN THE LONGWOOD AREA. SO MICHELLE, WALK US THROUGH EXACTLY WHERE YOU ARE AND WHAT YOU’RE SEEING OUT THERE. WELL, I’M AT THE WHISPERING WIND SUBDIVISION IN LONGWOOD, AND WHEN WE GOT HERE, I SAW THESE THREE FELLAS HANGING OUT AND I ASKED THEM, DO YOU LIVE HERE? WHAT’S YOUR DEAL? AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY WORK FOR A RESTORATION COMPANY THAT RESTORES HOMES THAT, SAY, A PIPE BURST AND YOUR FLOORS ARE RUINED AND THEY HAPPEN TO BE WORKING IN A HOUSE OVER HERE. WHEN THE TORNADO CAME AND THEIR CREW WAS LIKE, WHOA, THERE IS A TORNADO COMING. AND THE WINDOWS WERE FLEXING AND THE BOSSES HAPPENED TO BE IN A SALES MEETING, AND THEY CALLED THEM AND THEY SAID, WHAT DO WE DO NOW? I’M GOING TO PITCH IT TO WHAT THE BOSS HAD TO SAY. THEY SAID THEY COULD HEAR IT. AND SO THE SOUNDS AND IT’S LIKE THAT, IT MADE THE WINDOWS POP OUT INSIDE THE HOME. AND SO THAT WAS LIKE THE PANICKING, WELL, THEY SCARED. YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. THEY WERE VERY SCARED. SO BECAUSE THEY’VE NEVER BEEN NEVER BEEN THROUGH A TORNADO LIKE THAT. THEY WERE FROM SOUTH FLORIDA. WHAT ARE YOU THINKING. WE JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY WERE SAFE AND SOUND AND THAT THE HOMEOWNERS THAT THEY WERE WORKING IN THAT WERE SAFE. AND SO WE WERE ABLE TO CONFIRM WITH THE HOMEOWNERS AND THE EMPLOYEES THAT WE HAD INSIDE THAT THEY WERE SAFE. SO THEY’RE ALL GOOD. NOW, I WANT TO SHOW YOU WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE OUT HERE AT THE BEGINNING. THE FRONT OF THE SUBDIVISION GOT A STOP SIGN, CRACKED UP ON THE GROUND, LOTS OF PINE TREE DEBRIS, AND YOU CAN SEE WHERE THE PINE TREE HIT A POWER POLE. AND WE WERE STANDING AROUND. COME BACK THIS WAY. JAKE, I WANT TO SHOW YOU SOMETHING. JAKE FOUND ON THE GROUND. THE PHOTOGRAPHER I’M WORKING WITH. JAKE. WHAT DID WE DECIDE? THIS WAS THE FUZE. IT’S THE FUZE. AND YOU CAN SEE THIS IS PART OF THE POWER POLE. YOU CAN SEE WHERE IT CLIPPED OFF RIGHT HERE. AND THIS IS THE KIND OF DEBRIS WE’RE FINDING OUT HERE. BUT AS WE KNOW, FORTUNATELY EVERYONE’S OKAY. BACK TO YOU FOLKS. YEAH, THAT’S THE KIND OF THING I KEEP TALKING ABOUT WHEN I KNOW I’M JUMPING AHEAD HERE, EVERYBODY. BUT I KEEP THINKING ABOUT KIDS WALKING HOME FROM SCHOOL IN SOME OF THESE AREAS THAT HAVE BEEN MOST IMPACTED, AND THE STUFF THAT’S STILL GOING TO BE ON THE GROUND. SO WE HAVE TO KEEP THAT IN MIND AND THINK ABOUT MAYBE PICKING THEM UP, MAYBE NOT A TIME TO WALK HOME, BECAUSE WE GOT TO BE REALLY CAREFUL OF WHAT COULD BE IN THAT DEBRIS. AND UNFORTUNATELY, IT’S NOT JUST THE KIDS WHO NEED TO HEAR THAT WARNING. WE’VE HAD UNFORTUNATE, AWFUL STORIES OVER THE YEARS OF ADULTS WHO WERE OUT AND ABOUT AFTER A STORM AND TOUCHING STUFF AND LIVE WIRES WERE THERE, AND IT ENDED CATASTROPHICALLY. SO A WARNING TO EVERYONE THIS AFTERNOON WHO’S WATCHING TO JUST BE MINDFUL AS YOU’RE HEADING ABOUT AND DEALING WITH SOME OF THE AFTERMATH OF THIS DAMAGE. SO OF COURSE, SOME OF THE BEST PERSPECTIVE THAT WE’VE GOTTEN OF THE DAMAGE HAS BEEN FROM CHOPPER TWO. AND THAT’S WHERE OUR ERIC BURRIS IS NOW, REALLY TAKING ALL OF THIS IN AND GIVING US THIS INCREDIBLE VIEW OF HOW THIS STORM JUST SLICED THROUGH THAT NEIGHBORHOOD. ERIC. YEAH, I MEAN, IT REALLY, IT REALLY IS SOMETHING TO SEE FROM ABOVE. THIS OBVIOUSLY IS ONE OF THE HOMES THAT JUST TOOK SUCH A SUCH A HIT. AND AS WE HEARD FROM THE PRESS CONFERENCE JUST A LITTLE BIT EARLIER AND LET’S HAVE MARIA ZOOM IN, THERE’S ONE ROOM IN THIS HOME STANDING, AND THAT’S WHERE THE FAMILY WAS LOCATED DURING THE STORM. CAN YOU IMAGINE GOING INTO ONE ROOM, RUSHING IN, SAYING, THIS IS THIS IS OUR SAFE ROOM. THIS IS WHERE WE’RE GOING TO BE, OKAY? AND THEN HEARING JUST CHAOS OUTSIDE FOR A FEW SECONDS AND THEN WHEN IT’S DONE, IT’S ALL QUIET AND YOU EMERGE AND SEE YOUR HOME, YOUR EVERYTHING LOOKING LIKE THIS. JUST UNBELIEVABLE TO SEE. AND WE WERE ALSO NOTICING, LOOKING AROUND AT THIS HOME, I MEAN, THE BED IS THERE, THE PILLOWS ARE THERE ON SOME OF THE DRESSERS. WE EVEN SAW WHERE THERE WAS SOME DECORATION STILL ON TOP. AND THAT’S THE KIND OF EERIE THING THAT TORNADOES CAN DO. THEY’LL THEY’LL THROW EVERYTHING AROUND. I CAN RECALL IN THE OH SEVEN TORNADOES, I WAS I WAS IN SOMEBODY’S HOME WITH THE HOMEOWNER WHO SURVIVED. AND THE ONE ROOM THAT WAS STILL STANDING, AND HE HE SAID, YOU KNOW, DO YOU KNOW, IT WASN’T TOUCHED MY BIBLE IN MY NIGHTSTAND. AND SO YOU HEAR THOSE KINDS OF STORIES AND IT CAN’T HELP BUT JUST KIND OF SEND THAT CHILL DOWN YOUR SPINE. SO, YEAH, LOOKING AROUND, I MEAN, THIS WAS A SIZABLE TORNADO THAT HAD MOVED THROUGH. YOU’RE NOT JUST TALKING ABOUT A QUICK WIND GUST OF 45 MILES AN HOUR. THIS IS A WOOD FRAME HOME, BUT IT TOOK WELL. WALLS DOWN. IT DIDN’T JUST PEEL BACK THE ROOF. AND WHILE THIS ONE SPOT THIS HOME AND THEN A COUPLE OF THE HOMES AROUND HAD THE MOST SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE, WE WERE ABLE TO TRACE THE DAMAGE PATH FROM THIS ALL THE WAY TO I-4 TO AN INDUSTRIAL PARK JUST BEYOND RIGHT OFF OF LAKE EMMA ROAD THERE. SO, YOU KNOW, THIS WAS THE KIND OF THING. WHENEVER WE TALK ABOUT TORNADO WARNINGS, REMEMBER, WE USE DOPPLER RADAR AND WE LOOK AT THE WINDS IN THE STORM AND THOSE WINDS FROM OUR DOPPLER RADAR ARE ABOUT WHERE WE’RE FLYING IN CHOPPER TWO AT ABOUT 500FT UNTIL WE SEE DEBRIS ALOFT. WE DON’T KNOW IF ANYTHING MAKES IT DOWN TO THE SURFACE. AND OF COURSE, I WAS GLUED TO THE TELEVISION THIS MORNING WATCHING KELLIANNE. AND THEN WHEN CAM JOINED KELLIANNE AND CAM AND WHEN THEY GOT THAT DEBRIS SIGNATURE, THAT’S PROOF POSITIVE THAT THERE’S THINGS IN THE AIR THAT HAVE DIFFERENT SHAPES. AND THAT’S THE WAY DOPPLER RADAR CAN TELL WATER DROPLETS HAVE A VERY UNIFORM SHAPE THAT SHOWS UP IN ONE THING. AND WHEN YOU START SEEING THINGS OF VARYING SHAPES, THAT’S THE DOPPLER RADARS WAY OF SAYING, HEY, YOU GOT TO LOOK HERE. AND THAT WAS WHERE WE KNEW THAT THERE WAS A TORNADO ON THE GROUND. AND JUST LOOKING AROUND. SOME HOMES HAVE A FEW SHINGLES MISSING SOME HOMES. YOU’VE GOT TREES DOWN, SOME HOMES, A LOT OF POOL SCREENS POPPED OUT, EVEN POOL CAGES COMPLETELY DROPPED DOWN. BUT THERE’S A LOT OF TREE DAMAGE. THIS WAS A STORM OF STORMS THAT HAD MOVED THROUGH. AND THE UNFORTUNATE NEWS IS, FOR THE HOMEOWNERS HERE, MINOR DAMAGE OR NOT, THERE’S GOING TO BE A CLEANUP EFFORT AND AND A TOLL CERTAINLY TAKEN ON THEM FROM THIS. IT’S GOING TO BE A LITTLE WHILE BEFORE WE KNOW WHAT TYPE OF TORNADO THIS WAS. AS FAR AS INTENSITY ON THE SCALE. BUT IF IT WAS AN EF ZERO AND IT’S CAUSING ALL THIS DAMAGE, IT’S CRAZY TO THINK HOW MUCH WORSE THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN, BECAUSE IF THIS WAS A SMALLER SCALE TORNADO AND IT STILL CAUSED THIS MUCH DAMAGE AS JUST A WARNING FOR ALL OF US TO TAKE ALL OF THESE WARNINGS VERY SERIOUSLY. WELL, THAT’S THE THING. WHEN WHEN THERE’S A TORNADO WARNING ISSUED. RIGHT? THAT’S BECAUSE WE ARE LOOKING AT WINDS SPINNING IN THE ATMOSPHERE. AND WHEN YOU SEE WINDS SPINNING IN THE ATMOSPHERE, THAT ISN’T A NATURAL THING, RIGHT? THAT AT THE VERY LEAST IS A DAMAGING, DESTRUCTIVE TYPE OF A STORM SYSTEM. RIGHT. BUT EVERY NOW AND THEN YOU CAN GET A TORNADO TOUCHING THE GROUND. AND WHEN WE’RE ON OUR LIVE COVERAGE, THE ONE THING WE ALWAYS SAY IS WHETHER IT’S A STRAIGHT LINE WIND GUST OF 60 MILES AN HOUR OR SPINNING WINDS AT 6070 MILES AN HOUR, IT CAN BE DEADLY. AND THAT’S WHY, AS YOUR FIRST WARNING WEATHER TEAM, WE DO NOT MESS AROUND. WE TAKE EVERY TORNADO WARNING, EVERY SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING SERIOUSLY. BECAUSE WHILE THIS MAY NOT BE YOUR HOME, WHILE THIS MIGHT MAY NOT BE YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD, YOU’VE GOT TO FEEL FOR THE FOLKS HERE THAT ARE NOW GOING TO HAVE TO CLEAN UP THEIR LIVES UNEXPECTEDLY. AND NEXT TIME IT COULD BE YOU. AND YOU’VE GOT TO. YOU’VE GOT TO HAND IT TO THE FOLKS AT THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE. YOU KNOW, WE WORK IN CONJUNCTION WITH OUR COLLEAGUES THERE IN MELBOURNE, TAMPA AND JACKSONVILLE. THEY WORK LIKE US AROUND THE CLOCK, AND IT’S THEM THAT PUSH THAT TORNADO WARNING BUTTON. WE ARE JUST AS DEGREED AND AS EDUCATED AS THEY ARE. AND IF WE FEEL WE NEED TO GET ON THE AIR, WE GET ON THE AIR. BUT WE WORK AS A TEAM. THEY’RE THE ONES THAT ARE HITTING THAT TORNADO WARNING BUTTON, AND WE WORK TO TO WARN PEOPLE. AND WHETHER IT’S THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT OR THE MIDDLE OF THE MORNING, AS IT WAS TODAY, TORNADOES CAN HIT. AND I WOULD ADD THAT STATISTICALLY, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, THERE ARE MORE TORNADOES. AND MAYBE THIS HAS CHANGED, BUT IN THE LAST FEW YEARS THERE ARE MORE TORNADOES THAT STRIKE THE STATE OF FLORIDA THAN ANY OTHER STATE IN THE COUNTRY. THEY ARE TYPICALLY VERY, VERY WEAK. AND OFTENTIMES, YOU KNOW, IT MAY JUST BE THAT IT KNOCKS OUT POOL SCREENS. IT MAY BE THAT IT’LL BLOW OUT A WINDOW. BUT IN THIS MORNING’S CASE, LOOK AT WHAT IT’S DONE. LOOK AT THAT. I MEAN, THAT IS A THAT IS A TRUE TESTAMENT TO HOW MOTHER NATURE CAN TURN ON A DIME. AND WHY WEATHER IN FLORIDA IS ONE OF THOSE THINGS YOU HAVE TO KEEP VERY, VERY CLOSE TABS ON. AND ON A PERSONAL NOTE, I WOULD SAY THAT THIS IS THE KIND OF THING THAT GOT ME INTO METEOROLOGY. I GREW UP HERE IN CENTRAL FLORIDA, AND IT WAS THE 98 TORNADOES. LOOKING AT THE DAMAGE FROM CHOPPER TWO THAT LED ME TO SAY, I HAVE GOT TO HELP PEOPLE. AND ONE THING YOU’LL SEE HERE ON THE GROUND IS THERE ARE PEOPLE HELPING, WHETHER IT’S NEIGHBORS, WHETHER IT’S EMERGENCY FIRST RESPONDERS, WHETHER IT’S JUST PEOPLE THAT SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT, MY COUSIN LIVES THERE. I USED TO LIVE THERE. I’VE GOT TO HELP THEM. LOOK AT THOSE RED TRUCKS. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, THE AMERICAN RED CROSS. THEY ARE THERE. ALWAYS LOOK FOR THE HELPERS. AND I’LL BE TELLING THAT TO MY KIDS LATER TODAY. CERTAINLY. AS WELL. ERIC, YOU TALKED ABOUT THIS A LITTLE BIT. THE PREPARATION AND OUR METEOROLOGISTS GETTING ON THE AIR. YOU KNOW, WE COVER WE HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF COVERING NINE COUNTIES HERE IN CENTRAL FLORIDA. AND SOMETIMES PEOPLE GET UPSET WHEN WE BREAK INTO PROGRAMING BECAUSE WE HAVE TO LET PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT THESE WARNINGS. BUT IT’S FOR THIS VERY REASON. SO PEOPLE CAN TAKE COVER ON MORNINGS LIKE THIS AND STAY PREPARED. WELL. AND THIS HAPPENED TO WORK THROUGH A VERY, VERY POPULATED AREA. SHELDON. BUT I COULD TELL YOU ON SO MANY OTHER ACCOUNTS WHERE WE HAD A TORNADO MOVE THROUGH A FAIRLY SPARSELY POPULATED AREA, AND THE ONE PERSON, THE ONE PERSON THAT WAS IMPACTED WROTE AN EMAIL, OR I HAVE I’VE HAD HANDWRITTEN LETTERS DROPPED OFF AT THE TV STATION, AND THIS IS NOT PATTING OURSELVES ON THE BACK, BUT THIS IS A PRIVILEGE THAT WE HAVE, AND WE WILL ALWAYS TAKE THAT RESPONSIBILITY AND ALWAYS TRY TO FIGHT HARD TO EARN THAT TRUST. LOOK AT THIS. THE ROOF COMPLETELY PEELED BACK, AND THIS IS ONE OF THE LUCKY RESIDENTS HERE THAT AT LEAST STILL HAS SOME THEORETICAL PROTECTION FROM THE ELEMENTS BECAUSE IT IS LIGHTLY TO MODERATELY RAINING OUT HERE. WHEREAS SOME OF THESE HOMES WHERE THE ROOFS WERE PEELED COMPLETELY OFF THEIR THEIR FAMILY HEIRLOOM PHOTOGRAPHS, THE IRREPLACEABLE ITEMS ARE NOW EXPOSED FOR THESE ELEMENTS. SHELDON IT REALLY IS SOMETHING ELSE. ERIC THANK YOU FOR THAT REPORTING. IT’S HEARTBREAKING. IT’S JUST DEVASTATING FOR THOSE FAMILIES THAT ARE IMPACTED. AND IT REALLY SEEMS LIKE IT MIGHT JUST BE A HANDFUL, REALLY, OF HOMES THAT SAW THIS SEVERE DAMAGE. BUT I THINK IT SPEAKS TO WHAT CAN HAPPEN IN OUR COMMUNITY AND WHY WE PREPARE AND WHY WE SAY IT OVER AND OVER AGAIN. IT’S SO IMPORTANT TO PAY ATTENTION TO THESE WARNINGS. AS YOU GUYS WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT. LET’S GET TO BOB HAZEN NOW, WHO IS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD? THEY’RE OFF OF MARKHAM WOODS ROAD. BOB, I KNOW YOU CAN SPEAK TO THIS TOO. YOU AND I HAVE COVERED STORMS TOGETHER IN THIS COMMUNITY FOR MANY, MANY YEARS, AND I KNOW, YOU KNOW, WE CAN GET COMPLACENT AROUND HERE IN CENTRAL FLORIDA, RIGHT? WE HAVE A LONG STRETCH OF REALLY NICE WEATHER, AND WE START TO KIND OF, YOU KNOW, NOT REALLY PAY ATTENTION. AND HERE WE GO WITH THIS SHOCKING REMINDER OF WHY WE SHOULD. YEAH. EVEN WHEN YOU’RE HERE, THE IMPACT WEATHER IS COMING. YOU THINK MAYBE IT’S GOING TO HIT SOMEWHERE ELSE. AND THAT’S WHAT WE WERE SEEING THIS MORNING. IT’S STARTING WAY TO THE WEST OF HERE IN SEMINOLE COUNTY. AND IT JUST KEPT MOVING THIS WAY. AND THEN THOSE ALERTS STARTED COMING OUT AND ME AND PHOTOGRAPHER JAMES ROBERTS WERE DRIVING. WE GOT THOSE ALERTS ON OUR PHONE. AND THEN THAT’S WHEN EVERYTHING JUST KIND OF STARTED POURING DOWN ON US. WE KNEW THE STORM WAS REALLY RIGHT UPON US. AND SO YOU DO HAVE TO WATCH THOSE ALERTS AND TAKE CARE WHEN THOSE DO COME OUT AND GET INTO A PLACE THAT’S SAFE FOR YOU. AND I WANT TO SHOW YOU WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW. WE ARE ON MARKHAM WOODS ROAD RIGHT NOW, JUST A LITTLE BIT DOWN FROM WHERE STU AND MICHELLE ARE. BUT WE’RE RIGHT IN FRONT OF WHAT USED TO BE A BRICK WALL RIGHT HERE. BUT NOW YOU CAN SEE ON THE GROUND HERE, ERIC WAS TALKING ABOUT THOSE MEMENTOS IN PEOPLE’S ATTIC THAT ARE EXPOSED. SOME OF THOSE THINGS ARE ACTUALLY OUT HERE ON THE ROAD. NOW, THIS IS A PHONE BILL FROM SOUTHERN BELL FROM 1989. SO THAT’S SOMETHING THAT WAS MUST HAVE BEEN UP IN SOMEONE’S ATTIC ALONG WITH ALL THESE OTHER PAPERS. THERE’S BANK STATEMENTS, INVESTMENT PORTFOLIOS, ALL KINDS OF STUFF THAT HAS JUST BEEN THROWN ALL OVER MARKHAM WOODS ROAD. AND AGAIN, RIGHT HERE, THE SEMINOLE COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE HAS PUT CRIME SCENE OR CAUTION TAPE UP NOW SO PEOPLE DON’T GO BACK HERE. BUT YOU CAN SEE THAT BRICK WALL IS ALL COLLAPSED. AND THEN IF YOU LOOK A LITTLE BIT FURTHER HERE AT THIS POOL ENCLOSURE, YOU CAN SEE WHAT LOOKS LIKE A BIG SECTION OF A ROOF THAT CAME IN THROUGH THAT POOL ENCLOSURE. AND THEN IF YOU LOOK A LITTLE BIT FURTHER TO THE RIGHT THERE, A LITTLE BIT MORE IN THE DISTANCE, THERE’S A POOL ENCLOSURE THAT’S BEEN COMPLETELY KNOCKED DOWN AS WELL. AND THEN SORT OF THE MORE COMMON DAMAGE THAT WE’VE BEEN SEEING AROUND HERE IS, FOR INSTANCE, OVER IN THE YARD, THAT TREE, YOU CAN SEE THE ROOTS OF IT ALL UPROOTED. IN THE BIG CLUMP THERE. THAT’S JUST SITTING OUT THERE FROM GETTING KNOCKED OVER DURING THIS HEAVY, HEAVY WIND THAT WE HAD. I WANT TO COME DOWN JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE DOWN MARKHAM WOODS ROAD. YOU CAN SEE THIS HOUSE WITH THE TERRACOTTA ROOFING THERE. A LOT OF THOSE HAVE BEEN RIPPED OFF. AND WE TALKED TO THE OWNER OF THAT HOUSE. HE’S LIVED HERE FOR DECADES NOW, AND WE TALKED TO HIM ABOUT HOW THIS STORM FELT WHEN IT WAS COMING THROUGH THIS MORNING. JUST A FEW SECONDS LATER, DEBRIS STARTED HITTING THE WINDOWS ON ALL SIDES OF THE HOUSE, AND MY WIFE SAID, WE BETTER GET IN THE CLOSET. SO WE DID. AND, YOU KNOW, IT DIDN’T LAST VERY LONG. BUT IT WAS PRETTY UGLY. YEAH, FOR SURE. AND YOUR HOUSE DID TAKE SOME DAMAGE. WHAT DID YOU SEE? WE BLESSED. WELL, IT BLEW SOME TILE OFF THE ROOF AND A LOT OF TREES DOWN AND SO FORTH. BUT YEAH, WE WERE. WE’RE BLESSED. REALLY, BECAUSE WE DIDN’T HAVE ANY WATER DAMAGE. SO A LOT OF PEOPLE WITH DAMAGE IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD. AND RIGHT HERE YOU CAN SEE THIS TREE THAT WAS SPLIT IN HALF CAME DOWN ON THIS FENCE. A LOT OF TREES THAT ARE DOWN HERE. AND AS WE SAID, THERE’S A LOT OF DAMAGE TO HOUSES HERE. LOOK AT ALL THESE CARS UP AND DOWN MARKHAM WOODS ROAD. IT’S NOT JUST FIRST RESPONDERS. IT’S ALSO A LOT OF PEOPLE. FOR ONE, FRIENDS, FAMILY, OF PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT ALSO ROOFING COMPANIES. DISASTER RESPONSE COMPANIES. THEY HAVE REALLY FLOODED THIS AREA TO GET IN THERE AND TRY TO HELP PEOPLE OUT WITH WHATEVER KIND OF DAMAGE THEY HAVE. AND WE HEARD FROM ONE PERSON THAT THERE’S ABOUT 20 HOUSES AT LEAST IN THERE, THAT THEY SAID THAT THEY HAD SEEN, THAT HAD DAMAGE, THAT ARE GOING TO NEED SOME REPAIRS. SO OBVIOUSLY, A LOT OF WORK FOR THESE FOLKS AND FOR THE HOMEOWNERS IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD. BACK TO YOU, BOB. JUST INCREDIBLE PERSPECTIVE. THEY’RE BRINGING IN CAM AND KELLIANNE. NOW BACK WITH US TO TO KIND OF REALLY PROCESS NOW, REALLY FOR THE FIRST TIME, WHAT WE’RE SEEING HERE. AND I KNOW KELLIANNE, WE WERE JUST TALKING. I MEAN, IT MUST BE SOMETHING FOR YOU BECAUSE WE ALL HEARD YOU AND YOU ON THE AIR TELLING PEOPLE, THIS IS IT. THIS IS THE MOMENT. FIND A SAFE SPOT. AND NOW WE ARE SEEING WHAT WAS HAPPENING, AS YOU GUYS WERE SAYING, THAT, YOU KNOW, IN THE MOMENT WHEN YOU LOOK AT THAT DEBRIS SIGNATURE, IT’S, YOU KNOW, WE THAT’S CONFIRMING THAT THERE’S A TORNADO ON THE GROUND. RIGHT. BUT YOU HAVE TO LIKE TAKE THAT APART FROM YOUR EMOTIONAL SIDE AND YOU JUST HAVE TO REALLY FOCUS ON GIVING THE LIFE SAVING INFORMATION. AND THEN WHEN YOU LOOK AT IMAGES LIKE THAT, LIKE IT TRULY DOES GET ME UPSET BECAUSE THAT’S SOMEONE’S PROPERTY, THAT’S SOMEONE’S LIFE, YOU KNOW? AND JUST SO TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE HERE TO GIVE YOU THAT INFORMATION TO SAVE YOUR LIFE. AND I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE GET FRUSTRATED WHEN WE’RE ON TELEVISION AND WE’RE TALKING ABOUT A TORNADO WARNING, LIKE, YES, WE DON’T WANT TO BE ON TELEVISION ALL THE TIME COVERING UP YOUR PROGRAMING, BUT WE DO IT BECAUSE WE WANT TO SAVE LIVES. AND WE DID THAT TODAY. AND I THINK, I DON’T KNOW ABOUT YOU, BUT KELLIANNE, WHEN WE SAW THAT SIGNATURE ON THE RADAR, WHAT WE CALL THE DEBRIS SIGNATURE ON THE RADAR, MY HEART SANK. BECAUSE I LIVE IN SEMINOLE COUNTY, I KNOW THIS COMMUNITY LIKE THE BACK OF MY HAND. I GO TO THE SHOP, THE STORE, AND I KNEW THIS WAS A VERY POPULATED AREA. IT WAS GOING TO IMPACT SOMEONE, AND I DID NOT WANT THAT TO HAPPEN. I WISH IT WAS LIKE WOODS OR SOMETHING, BUT WHEN WE, YOU AND I LOOKED AT EACH OTHER AND WHEN WE SAW THAT SIGNATURE, I THINK BOTH OF OUR HEARTS SANK BECAUSE WE KNEW THIS WAS RADAR CONFIRMATION, WHICH IS WHAT WE LOOK AT AS METEOROLOGISTS, THAT THERE IS A TORNADO TOUCHING THE GROUND. AND IT WAS IN A VERY POPULATED PORTION OF OUR AREA. BUT YOU BOTH MANAGE EVERYTHING IN A MEASURED WAY. YOU GAVE OUR VIEWERS INFORMATION IN A WAY THAT HELPED THEM PREPARE. WE HEARD COUNTLESS PEOPLE THIS MORNING SAYING THAT THEY GOT INTO THEIR INTERIOR SPACES AND THEIR HOMES, LAUNDRY ROOMS, UNDER THE STAIRCASES. THAT’S EXACTLY WHAT YOU WANT TO DO WHEN YOU HEAR OUR METEOROLOGISTS GIVING YOU THESE WARNINGS LIKE THEY DID TODAY. I MEAN, I PERSONALLY, WE TOOK TURNS GOING THERE WHEN KELLIANNE WAS ON AIR. I PERSONALLY TOLD MY HUSBAND TO TAKE OUR CHILD TO OUR SAFE ROOM. THAT’S HOW SERIOUS IT WAS. IT WAS IN AGAIN, I LIVE IN THIS AREA, SO IT WAS SERIOUS. AND, YOU KNOW, EVEN IF YOU WEREN’T IMPACTED BY THIS AND YOU’RE LUCKY ENOUGH TO LIVE IN A COUNTY THAT YOU KNOW WASN’T TOUCHED, THIS IS THE MOMENT TO LEARN FROM ALL THIS, RIGHT? AND TO LISTEN TO WHAT YOU GUYS ARE TALKING ABOUT. THIS IS WHY WE TALK ABOUT HAVING THOSE SAFE SPACES. I CAN’T EMPHASIZE ENOUGH THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT WE HAVE MOVING INTO CENTRAL FLORIDA WHO DON’T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THIS, WHO’VE NEVER EXPERIENCED ANYTHING LIKE THIS BEFORE. AND THEN FOR THOSE OF US WHO’VE LIVED HERE FOREVER, YOU GET COMPLACENT, RIGHT? AND YOU THINK, OH, IT CAN’T HAPPEN TO ME. IT WON’T HAPPEN IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD. WELL, LOOK AT WHAT HAPPENED THIS MORNING. YEAH. AND THIS IS WHY WE CALL THINGS IMPACT DAYS. THAT’S WHY WE GIVE YOU THE FIRST WARNING. WE’RE CALLED THE FIRST WARNING WEATHER TEAM FOR A REASON. AND WE ARE JUST HAPPY TO HEAR NO ACTUAL CONFIRMATIONS OF ANY INJURIES, INJURIES, LIVES LOST, ANYTHING LIKE THAT. BUT WE WILL MOVE FORWARD. YES, YES. AND I JUST WANT TO LET YOU KNOW THE THREAT IS NOT COMPLETELY OVER YET. UNFORTUNATELY, WE STILL HAVE ABOUT AN HOUR, POSSIBLY AN HOUR AND A HALF OF THE POSSIBILITY OF MORE SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IN OUR AREA. RIGHT NOW, WE ACTUALLY HAVE A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING TO OUR SOUTH. THIS IS IN OKEECHOBEE COUNTY, SO IT’S NOT IN CENTRAL FLORIDA, BUT IT GOES TO SHOW THAT THE THREAT FOR SEVERE WEATHER IS STILL HERE IN CENTRAL FLORIDA. SO I WANT TO HONE IN A LITTLE CLOSER HERE. NO ACTIVE WARNINGS. I WANT TO SAY NO ACTIVE WARNINGS FOR OUR AREA. THAT SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING IS DOWN TO THE SOUTH RIGHT NOW. WE STILL HAVE A LOT OF LIGHTNING. LOOK AT THIS. ALMOST 200 LIGHTNING STRIKES JUST IN OUR AREA ALONE. I WANT TO SHOW YOU WHERE WE’RE SEEING THE HARDEST AND THE HEAVIEST HIT OF RAIN SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. IT’S MOSTLY RIGHT ALONG THE SPACE COAST. WE DO HAVE THIS HEAVY LINE OF RAIN OVER IN PORT SAINT JOHN AND ROCKLEDGE THIS AFTERNOON. WE’RE ALSO SEEING THAT HEAVY RAIN AND THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY OVER INTO THE NORTHEASTERN PORTIONS OF OSCEOLA COUNTY. SO WE’RE STILL DEALING WITH LOTS OF LIGHTNING, HEAVY RAIN, AND GUSTY WINDS. THE RADAR STILL PINGING, WINDS EASILY OVER 38 TO 40MPH, WHICH IS STILL ENOUGH TO CAUSE SOME DAMAGE OUT THERE. SEVERE GUSTS ABOUT 58 TO 60 IS WHAT IT TAKES TO TRIGGER A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING. WE’RE UNDER THAT, BUT WE’RE STILL SEEING VERY STRONG WINDS. RIGHT NOW WE ARE SEEING ON OUR FIRST WARNING RADAR RAIN OVER IN THE CITRUS RIDGE CELEBRATION. KISSIMMEE, SAINT CLOUD, POINCIANA AS WELL. LIGHT TO MODERATE SHOWERS RIGHT NOW OVER GENEVA. AND WE ALSO HAVE A SECONDARY LINE THAT’S SETTING UP HERE. YOU CAN SEE OVER IN LAKE COUNTY NEAR APOPKA. WE’RE ALSO SEEING THAT OVER IN OCOEE, ACTUALLY THIS ORANGE COUNTY, EXCUSE ME, NORTHERN LAKE COUNTY INTO ORANGE COUNTY, THIS IS HEADING EASTWARD TOWARDS SEMINOLE COUNTY. THIS IS THE LAST OF IT. ONCE THIS SECONDARY LINE MOVES THROUGH, WE ARE FINALLY GOING TO BE IN THE CLEAR. BUT UNTIL THEN, THOUGH, MODERATE HEAVY RAIN IN OCOEE RIGHT NOW TO WINDERMERE IN APOPKA, HEADING TOWARDS A THEME PARK DISTRICT AS WE SPEAK, ANOTHER LINE OF SHOWERS WILL BE HEADING INTO DOWNTOWN ORLANDO SOON. WE’RE ALSO SEEING THAT LINE OF RAIN STRETCHING NORTH INTO FLAGLER BEACH. A COUPLE RAIN SHOWERS THERE AND ISOLATED RUMBLES OF THUNDER. SO THE SPC NOW HAS SHAVED AREAS WEST OF I-4 OUT OF THE LEVEL ONE OUT OF FIVE RISK. SO FOLKS, WEST OF I-4 YOU’RE IN THE CLEAR. ONCE THAT SECONDARY LINE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS I WAS SHOWING YOU EARLIER CLEARS OUR AREA, WE ARE FINALLY GOING TO BE OUT OF THE WOODS. AND THAT IS NOT UNTIL ABOUT 2:00 THIS AFTERNOON. AGAIN, AREAS EAST AND SOUTHEAST OF ORLANDO, STILL UNDER A LEVEL ONE OUT OF FIVE RISK FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS TODAY. GOING BACK TO THAT TORNADO WARNING, METEOROLOGIST KELLIANNE KLASS WILL HAVE A LITTLE CLOSER LOOK AT THAT AND SHOW YOU REALLY THAT SIGNATURE THAT REALLY CAUSED OUR HEARTS TO DROP AND HOW MUCH LONGER WE STILL HAVE THAT THREAT AROUND KELLIANNE. YOU KNOW, CAM THANKFULLY, WE ARE ACTUALLY GOING TO BE OKAY IN TERMS OF OUR I-4 LOCATIONS NORTH AND WEST OF TOWN. WE’RE NOT CONCERNED ABOUT SEVERE WEATHER THERE. WE’RE GOING TO BE WATCHING THAT POTENTIAL IN EASTERN ORANGE COUNTY, OSCEOLA COUNTY AND BREVARD COUNTY. NOW UNTIL ABOUT 2:00 THIS AFTERNOON. IT’S AN ISOLATED SEVERE WEATHER THREAT. BUT AT THIS POINT, I’M NOT SEEING A WHOLE LOT AT THE MOMENT, BUT WE’LL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THAT. I WANT TO TAKE YOU THROUGH TIME BACK TO THE SEMINOLE COUNTY AREA, WHERE WE HAD THAT DEBRIS SIGNATURE POP UP THAT WE WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT A FEW MINUTES AGO. THIS REALLY LED US TO BELIEVE THAT THERE WAS A TORNADO ON THE GROUND. AND THAT’S THE INDICATION THAT REALLY WAS LIKE, OKAY, YES, WE HAVE THIS TORNADO ON THE GROUND. SOMETIMES WE GET TORNADO WARNINGS. THERE MAY NOT ACTUALLY BE A TORNADO ON THE GROUND. IT MAY JUST BE A FUNNEL CLOUD. BUT THERE’S ALWAYS THAT PRECAUTION JUST IN CASE THAT PRECAUTION FOR THAT TORNADO WARNING TO GET ISSUED. BUT HERE WAS THAT ACTUAL CONFIRMATION. WE WERE TRACKING IT BEFORE IT GOT EVEN WARNED TO A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING OR A TORNADO WARNING. AND THEN IT QUICKLY POPPED UP AS IT PASSED OVER HEATHROW, LONGWOOD LAKE MARY CROSSING OVER I-4. THANKFULLY, AGAIN, MOST OF US RIGHT NOW ARE DOING OKAY IN TERMS OF SHOWER AND THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY. COLD FRONT CONTINUES TO WORK OFF TOWARDS THE SOUTH AND TO THE EAST, SO THIS AFTERNOON ONE 2:00 SOME LINGERING SHOWERS, COUPLE OF THUNDERSTORMS. WE REALLY START TO DRY OUT THOUGH. LATE AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING. WE’VE DEFINITELY COOLED DOWN DOWN THOUGH. TEMPERATURES ARE IN THE 70S AT THIS TIME FRAME AND HIGHS TODAY WILL ONLY REACH THE 70S. WE COULD SEE GUSTS AS HIGH AS 30MPH. SO WE’RE UNDER A WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 7:00. THEN TOMORROW LOTS OF SUN HIGHS IN THE MID 70S. 80S RETURN THURSDAY. ALL RIGHT. WE ARE NOW GETTING THESE IMAGES FROM SEMINOLE COUNTY. THEY ARE STARTING TO POST MORE AND MORE PHOTOS OF THE DAMAGE THAT THEIR CREWS ARE EXPERIENCING. AND THEY POSTED THESE PICTURES ON SOCIAL MEDIA. IT REALLY SHOWS EXACTLY WHAT WAS HAPPENING ON THE GROUND AFTER THAT STORM PASSED THROUGH. YOU CAN SEE JUST HOW EXTENSIVE THAT DAMAGE IS, INCLUDING THIS HOUSE THAT COLLAPSED. WE HEARD FROM SOME OF THE SENIOR LEADERS THERE AT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND IN SEMINOLE COUNTY. AND EVEN THOUGH THE IMAGES FROM THAT HOUSE THERE IN THE WHISPERING WINDS SUBDIVISION COLLAPSED, THE PARENTS, THE KID THAT WERE HOME AT THE TIME, THEY ALL GOT OUT SAFELY, NO SEVERE INJURIES, WHICH IS JUST INCREDIBLE. WHEN YOU SEE JUST THE DAMAGE TO THEIR HOUSE AND HOW EXTENSIVE IT WAS, THE ROOF BLOWN OFF, WALLS TAKEN DOWN. IT IS JUST INCREDIBLE THAT THEY WERE ABLE TO SURVIVE. SO AS WE WORK OUR WAY THROUGH SOME OF THESE PICTURES, IT’S GIVING US MORE OF A 360 HOLISTIC VIEW OF WHAT’S HAPPENING THERE ON THE GROUND. AS SEMINOLE COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT RESPONDS TO NEIGHBORHOODS IN THE LONGWOOD AREA, LAKE MARY AND WEKIWA SPRINGS. IMPORTANT TO NOTE AS WE CONTINUE TO LOOK AT THIS DAMAGE FROM THESE NEIGHBORHOODS, A LOT OF PEOPLE MIGHT BE WATCHING OUR COVERAGE FROM WORK. RIGHT? AND THEY’RE WONDERING, WHAT IS WHAT IS THAT DRIVE HOME GOING TO BE LIKE? WE HAD TALKED TO ERIC BURRIS ABOUT THIS BECAUSE HE WAS WORKING HIS WAY AROUND THESE COMMUNITIES. FROM CHOPPER TWO, AND HE DID SEE SOME TRAFFIC BUILDING UP IN NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE MOST IMPACTED, MAYBE BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE CURIOUS AND THEY WANT TO SEE, YOU KNOW, WHAT’S GOING ON. WE URGE YOU NOT TO DO THAT. LET THESE CREWS DO THE WORK THEY NEED TO DO. LET’S KEEP THOSE ROADS CLEAR FOR THE CREWS THAT ARE ALSO CLEANING UP THE DEBRIS, THE TREE LIMBS THAT WENT FLYING EVERYWHERE. SO THERE’S A LOT OF WORK TO DO TODAY. SO IF YOU CAN STAY AWAY FROM THESE AREAS, I KNOW THAT THESE CREWS WOULD CERTAINLY APPRECIATE IT, BUT IT DOES LOOK LIKE THE COMMUTE MIGHT BE OKAY IN TERMS OF STREET LIGHTS. ERIC SAID HE DIDN’T NOTICE THAT THERE WAS TOO MUCH DAMAGE TO TO THAT SORT OF INFRASTRUCTURE, RIGHT ON THE ROADS AND THE STREET LIGHTS. IF YOU DO COME ACROSS, YOU KNOW, PERHAPS AN INTERSECTION WHERE THE LIGHTS WENT OUT, REMEMBER TO TREAT IT AS A FOUR WAY STOP. WE ALWAYS SAY THAT ALWAYS WANT TO REMIND FOLKS OF THAT PARTICULARLY, I ALWAYS KEEP GOING BACK TO ALL THESE PEOPLE THAT HAVE MOVED TO CENTRAL FLORIDA. SO MANY NEW RESIDENTS HERE EVERY MONTH WHO PERHAPS HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED ANYTHING LIKE THIS BEFORE. YEAH, NO. AND TODAY’S A WARNING AND A WAKE UP CALL FOR ALL OF US TO TAKE THESE ALERTS WHEN THEY COME TO OUR PHONE, TO TAKE THEM SERIOUSLY. WE DO WANT TO PASS ALONG THAT. SEMINOLE COUNTY IS HANDING OUT TARPS FOR PEOPLE’S ROOFS THAT HAVE BEEN DAMAGED. ALL RIGHT. OUR COVERAGE OF THIS TORNADO CONTINUES HERE AT 1:00. WE’VE GOT A TEAM OF REPORTERS. THEY ARE SCATTERED ALL ACROSS CENTRAL FLORIDA RIGHT NOW, ESPECIALLY IN SEMINOLE COUNTY. KEEPING AN EYE ON THAT DAMAGE. NANCY. ALL RIGHT. WE DO WANT TO BEGIN WITH. YEAH, WE WANT TO GET TO OUR FIRST CREW THIS AFTERNOON. AND LET’S CHECK IN WITH THEM IN SEMINOLE COUNTY WITH STEWART. ALL RIGHT. SHELDON AND NANCY. YES, WE ARE LIVE OVER HERE IN THE WHISPERING WINDS SUBDIVISION ONCE AGAIN, WHERE THEY ARE STILL TRYING TO RECOVER FROM THAT MASSIVE STORM SYSTEM THAT CAME THROUGH THIS AREA THIS MORNING, STILL NOT CONFIRMED THAT THERE WAS A TORNADO, BUT OBVIOUSLY THAT’S THE EXPECTATION. THE TORNADO WARNING HAPPENED AT THE SAME TIME. THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IS ON SITE RIGHT NOW SURVEYING THE DAMAGE TO CONFIRM THERE WAS A F0 F1 TYPE OF TORNADO. BUT THE DAMAGE YOU CAN SEE THIS IS PART OF SOME OF THE HOUSES THAT STILL LEFT THAT HAS BLOWN ALL THE WAY TOWARDS THE ENTRANCE. WE’VE BEEN TOLD THAT THE HOUSES ARE MORE THAN A HALF A MILE DOWN THIS ROADWAY THAT ARE MOST SEVERELY DAMAGED, ABOUT 7 OR 8 HOUSES. ONE NEIGHBOR TOLD US AS HE WAS WALKING OUT, HE SAID THAT HIS WIFE WAS HIDING UNDERNEATH THE STAIRWELL WHEN THE STORM STARTED TO PASS, INCLUDING THE NEIGHBORS NEXT DOOR WHO WERE UNDERNEATH THEIR STAIRWELL WHEN THEIR HOUSE COLLAPSED ON TOP OF THEIR HOME. CHOPPER TWO HAS BEEN GETTING SOME OF THE BEST VANTAGE POINT FROM WHAT WE HAVE SEEN THUS FAR OF THIS AREA. THEY’VE BEEN TRAVELING ABOVE OUR HEADS FOR NOW FOR THE PAST HOUR OR SO. THE BIG TAKEAWAY FROM EVERYONE HERE IS THAT NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED. DESPITE THE DAMAGE THAT WE SEE AND THE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE SURROUNDING THIS AREA AS WELL, THEY ALSO HAVE SOME PRETTY EXTENSIVE DAMAGE, MOSTLY THE DIFFERENT POOL CAGES AND FENCES THAT HAVE BEEN BLOWN OVER, THROWN AGAINST THINGS. A LOT OF TREE DAMAGE IN THIS AREA AS WELL. TAKE A LISTEN TO THE NEIGHBOR THAT WE SPOKE TO EARLIER, WHO GOT HERE AS SOON AS HE COULD WHEN HIS WIFE GAVE HIM A CALL. JUST TREES DOWN HOUSES. THERE’S A HOUSE JUST COMPLETELY GONE. I GOT ABOUT FOUR TREES ON MY HOUSE AND ROOFS DAMAGED. AND IT’S WHAT YOU WOULD EXPECT FROM A TORNADO. IT’S A MESS. HOW MUCH OF A SURPRISE DID THIS COME FOR YOU THIS MORNING? WELL, I WAS AT WORK. IT WAS MY WIFE THAT WAS UNDER THE STAIRS CALLING ME WHILE IT WAS GOING ON. SO IT WAS NOT A PRETTY SCENE. BUT AS SOON AS AS SOON AS I CHECKED THE RADAR, I CAME HERE AND WAS ABLE TO GET THROUGH. AND UNFORTUNATELY, WE DID NOT LIKE WHAT I SAW. SO. BUT WE’LL GET THROUGH IT. IS YOUR WIFE OKAY? YEAH. SHE’S FINE, THANK YOU. AND OBVIOUSLY YOUR NEIGHBORS. SOMEBODY RIGHT NEXT TO YOU HAD LOST THEIR HOUSE. YEAH. THEIR HOUSE. FORTUNATELY, THEY WERE UNDER THE STAIRS. AND GOD MUST HAVE SAVED THEM BECAUSE, I MEAN, LIKE I SAID, YOU’LL SEE IT EVENTUALLY WHEN THEY OPEN THE STREETS. BUT THEIR HOUSES, IT’S JUST GONE. HAVE YOU EVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS IN THIS AREA? NOT LIKE THIS. NO, NO, IT’S UNBELIEVABLE. OKAY. YEAH. WE’RE COMING TO ME IN TWO SECONDS. OKAY. AND NOW, GUYS, I’M JOINED ACTUALLY LIVE BY SOMEONE WHO LIVES IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD. KELLY. TELL ME, WHERE WERE YOU WHEN THE STORM HIT? I WAS IN A CLOSET, PROBABLY WATCHING YOU GUYS, ACTUALLY, BECAUSE I HAD THE NEWS ON. AND THEY SAID THAT IT HAD TOUCHED DOWN CLOSE AND I GOT THE ALERT ON MY PHONE. AND THEN I WENT INTO A CLOSET. WE HAVE ONE UNDERNEATH OUR STAIRS, AND WE WERE THERE AND THE I COULD HEAR IT. IT WAS REALLY SCARY. WHAT KIND OF DAMAGE DOES YOUR HOUSE SUFFER? THERE’S A TREE THAT CAME THROUGH THE FRONT WINDOW INTO MY KITCHEN, WHICH IS WHERE I WAS STANDING BEFORE I WENT IN THE CLOSET. GLASS EVERYWHERE. A TREE THAT CAME THROUGH MY BEDROOM WINDOW. AND THEN THERE’S TREES ON TOP OF THE HOUSE. THEY ALL KIND OF FELL INTO OUR HOUSE. WE TALKED TO SOMEONE. THEY SAID THERE’S ABOUT EIGHT HOUSES THAT SUFFERED THE WORST OF THE DAMAGE OUT THERE. HOW CLOSE ARE YOU TO THAT HOUSE? THAT PRETTY MUCH WAS DESTROYED TWO, TWO DOORS DOWN. SO WE WE’RE THE WHITE HOUSE ON THE CORNER, AND THERE WERE TWO DOORS DOWN FROM US THAT GOT COMPLETELY DESTROYED. WHEN YOU SEE SOME OF THE DAMAGE LIKE THIS AND YOU KNOW THAT NO ONE WAS INJURED, AT LEAST NOT SIGNIFICANTLY. YEAH. I CANNOT BELIEVE NO ONE WAS INJURED WHEN I CAME OUT OF MY HOUSE. AND I SAW THAT HOUSE THAT WAS DESTROYED, I THOUGHT THEY WERE DEAD. I MEAN, I CAN’T BELIEVE THEY’RE ALIVE. THE HOUSE IS DESTROYED. SO MANY TIMES, PEOPLE SEE THE ALERTS ON THEIR PHONE THAT SAY, YOU KNOW, THERE’S A WARNING. TAKE COVER. WHAT WAS DIFFERENT FOR THIS ONE? FOR YOU? I DON’T KNOW, I ALL I WOULD SAY IS THAT IF YOU EVER GET THAT ALERT BECAUSE THERE IS NO TIME, BY THE TIME YOU GET THAT ALERT, GET IN A CLOSET. BECAUSE IF I WAS LIKE, YOU KNOW, WE WE DON’T ALWAYS TAKE IT SERIOUSLY. AND I GOT IN THERE AND, I MEAN, IT WAS SECONDS BETWEEN THE TIME WHERE THEY SET IT ON THE NEWS. I GOT THE ALERT AND I GOT IN THE CLOSET. SO I WOULD REALLY SAY, DON’T MESS AROUND BECAUSE YOU DON’T HAVE ANY TIME. I DIDN’T HAVE TIME TO GET MY DOGS. I DIDN’T KNOW IF THEY WERE OKAY. THEY ARE OKAY. BUT I HAD NO IDEA. SO YEAH, VERY, VERY IMPORTANT TO LISTEN TO THOSE. I NEVER REALIZED THAT BEFORE. LAST THING, NOW THAT YOU OBVIOUSLY HAVE BEEN ABLE TO ASSESS THE DAMAGE, YOU GET OUT, YOU KIND OF CALM YOURSELF DOWN SOME. WHAT’S NEXT? WHERE DO YOU GO FROM HERE? I HAVE NO IDEA. OUR HOUSE IS A MESS. I MEAN, I, I, I DON’T KNOW, OUR BACKYARD IS COMPLETELY DESTROYED. OUR FRONT YARD IS DESTROYED. I DON’T EVEN KNOW. I THINK WE JUST START STEP BY STEP AND TRY TO HELP AND TRY TO HELP OUR NEIGHBORS. I’VE GOT FRIENDS HERE RIGHT NOW CLEANING GLASS OUT OF MY WALLS. SO I GUESS WE JUST DO IT STEP BY STEP. KELLY THANK YOU SO MUCH. BEST OF LUCK TO YOU. WE’LL BE SAYING PRAYERS FOR YOU AS WELL AND LET US KNOW IF WE CAN DO ANYTHING FOR YOU AS WELL. GUYS, WE’VE ALSO SEEN THE RED CROSS THAT HAS GOT ON SITE JUST A FEW HOURS AGO TO BE ABLE TO COME DOWN HERE AND HELP SOME PEOPLE OUT, I THINK THEY’RE GOING TO START LETTING SOME PEOPLE IN. THIS IS ONE OF OUR FRIENDS THAT WE’VE BEEN TALKING TO. HIS IN-LAWS ACTUALLY LIVE BACK THERE. HE’S GOT SOME SUPPLIES TO START HELPING THEM GET ALONG THEIR WAY AS WELL, BECAUSE IT’S GOING TO BE A BIG CLEANUP. AND HE NEEDS THAT AX. HE SHOWED ME SOME PICTURES THERE, BACK LANAI AREA NEXT TO THEIR POOL DESTROYED SEVERAL TREES DOWN ON TOP OF THEIR HOUSE AS WELL. HE’S A GOOD SON IN LAW THAT’S POPPED IN HERE TO GO AND HELP THEM AS WELL. THIS AREA IS STILL BLOCKED OFF, AT LEAST IN THE FRONT ENTRANCE. WE HAVE SEEN SOME PEOPLE THAT HAVE GONE AROUND THE SIDE SO THEY CAN GET IN FRONT OF THESE HOUSES TO START TO ASSESS THE SITUATION. ALSO, SOME PEOPLE CHECKING ON THEIR LOVED ONES TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE OKAY. BUT AGAIN, THE BIG TAKEAWAY NO ONE INJURED. YOU JUST HEARD FROM KELLY. SHE HAD SECONDS TO SPARE. SHE WAS WATCHING WESH TWO. SHE GOT THAT MESSAGE TO TAKE COVER. THEN SHE SAW IT ON HER PHONE TO TAKE COVER. SHE RAN INTO THE CLOSET AND SHE SAYS IT PROBABLY SAVED HER LIFE FROM SIGNIFICANT INJURY AS WELL. SO GUYS, WE’RE GOING TO SEND IT BACK INTO THE STUDIO TO YOU. CHOPPER TWO AGAIN, GIVING YOU THE BEST VANTAGE POINT OF ALL THE DAMAGE THAT WE’VE SEEN BACK IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD AS WELL. WE’VE ALSO SENT SOME DRONE FOOTAGE IN GUYS. WE HAD TO TURN THAT AROUND FAIRLY QUICKLY AND GET IT TO YOU ON WESH.COM. AND RIGHT HERE ON WESH TWO. BACK TO YOU IN THE STUDIO. ALL RIGHT, STU. AND WHAT REALLY STRUCK ME THE MOST OF EVERYTHING SHE SAID WAS JUST THE TONE OF HER VOICE, BECAUSE YOU CAN HEAR HER VOICE WAS SHAKY, LIKE SHE IS STILL SHAKEN BY THIS. NO DOUBT, PEOPLE IN THIS COMMUNITY, IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD ARE GOING TO BE TRAUMATIZED BY THIS FOR A LONG TIME. WHAT YOU JUST THINK ABOUT HOW QUICKLY THIS HAPPENED BECAUSE THE ALERTS WENT OUT. OUR METEOROLOGISTS WERE ON AIR. AND THEN TO TURN AROUND AND WALK OUTSIDE AND SEE ALL THIS EXTENSIVE DAMAGE, PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE PROCESSING THIS FOR A LONG TIME, EVEN IF THEIR HOMES WERE UNSCATHED AND IF THEIR HOMES HAVE TREMENDOUS DAMAGE, YOU CAN ONLY IMAGINE WHAT THEY’RE GOING THROUGH. AND OUR HEARTS GO OUT TO EVERYBODY. I MEAN, WE’RE SEEING PEOPLE’S PICTURES STILL HANGING UP IN SOME OF THESE HOMES, PERSONAL BELONGINGS. CAN YOU IMAGINE? JUST SCATTERED ALL OVER THE NEIGHBORHOOD. IT’S AWFUL. IT’S IT’S VERY JARRING. ALL RIGHT. OUR TEAM COVERAGE CONTINUES THIS AFTERNOON WITH SPENCER TRACY. SHE’S LIVE IN ONE OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT WAS ESPECIALLY HARD HIT. YEAH, I AM, SO I’M HERE AT BLUE IRIS PLACE, REALLY SHOWING YOU THE DAMAGE. CLOSE UP. THIS IS THE HOUSE THAT WAS COMPLETELY COLLAPSED. I MEAN, LIKE YOU GUYS SAID, THIS IS JUST ABSOLUTELY DEVASTATING TO SEE PEOPLE’S YARDS, FRONT YARDS, EVERYTHING COMPLETELY OUT OF THEIR HOMES. I MEAN, LET ME JUST TAKE WE’RE GOING TO WALK AROUND A LITTLE BIT. THE BIG THING THAT OFFICIALS TOLD ME WAS THAT MOST OF THE HOUSE COMPLETELY COLLAPSED. THERE WAS ONE ROOM WHERE THAT COUPLE ACTUALLY WAS, AND THAT WAS LIKE THEIR SAFE POINT. AND THAT’S WHY THEY WERE ABLE TO GET OUT. AND THEY STAYED IN THAT SPOT, AND THEY WERE ABLE TO GET OUT SAFELY. LET ME JUST SHOW YOU, LET’S WALK AROUND A LITTLE BIT. I MEAN, THERE’S PEOPLE’S THERE’S NEWSPAPERS, THERE’S A LAUNDRY BASKET. THERE’S DRYWALL, THERE’S POTS. THERE’S JUST WINDOWS BROKEN. I MEAN, LOOK AT THAT ROOF OVER THERE. I MEAN, THIS IS JUST ABSOLUTELY I MEAN, NEIGHBORS THAT WE TALKED TO JUST SAY THAT IT HAPPENED SO FAST. AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN NEVER PREPARE FOR. I MEAN, JUST REALLY WE’VE SEEN PEOPLE KIND OF HELPING PEOPLE PICK UP THINGS. AND IT’S JUST REALLY SOMETHING TO LOOK AT. CHECK OUT OVER THERE. THAT LOOKS LIKE PIECES OF A DOOR OVER THERE. MAYBE SOME SHELVING. WE HAVE SOME DRYWALL. I MEAN, EVEN OVER HERE WE HAVE TRASH CANS, NEWSPAPERS. I THINK THIS LOOKS LIKE A BOOK. I MEAN, THIS IS JUST PEOPLE’S THIS IS FROM 19TH JANUARY 1979. I MEAN, THESE ARE PEOPLE’S BELONGINGS THAT WE’RE JUST SEEING SCATTERED ALL OVER. YOU JUST CAN’T IMAGINE YOUR HEART GOES OUT TO ALL OF THESE FAMILIES THAT ARE DEALING WITH THIS INCREDIBLE LOSS, AND THEY ONLY HAVE TO PICK UP THE PIECES WE’VE SEEN. LUCKILY NO INJURIES. IT’S ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE THAT EVERYONE GOT OUT SAFE, BUT JUST THE REALLY BIG THING IS THE CLEANUP PROCESS. A LOT OF NEIGHBORS SAY THEY’RE GOING TO BE OUT HERE. WE’VE SEEN ROOFING COMPANIES SCATTERED THROUGHOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY CAN DO WHATEVER THEY CAN. I KNOW PEOPLE HAVE ALSO BEEN GETTING TARPS. SEMINOLE COUNTY IS ALSO OFFERING TARPS, BUT JUST KIND OF SHOW YOU, GIVE YOU KIND OF A PANORAMIC VIEW. I MEAN, ALL THE WAY FROM OVER THERE, WE SEE A RESIDENT OUT THERE. IT’S JUST ABSOLUTELY DEVASTATING. I’LL TOSS IT BACK TO YOU GUYS. WE’LL STAY OUT HERE. KIND OF GIVE YOU THE LATEST, BUT THIS IS WHAT WE’RE SEEING. A CLOSE UP VIEW. JUST ONE MORE TIME. THIS WAS THE HOUSE THAT COLLAPSED THAT THAT COUPLE WAS IN. THEY SAFELY GOT OUT. BUT YOU CAN ACTUALLY SEE A COUCH ON THE TOP THERE. IT LOOKS LIKE EVEN A BED FRAME. JUST ABSOLUTELY TERRIFYING. ALL RIGHT, I’LL TOSS IT BACK TO YOU GUYS COVERING SEMINOLE COUNTY IN LAKE MARY. SPENCER. TRACY, WESH TWO NEWS. ALL RIGHT, SPENCER, AN IMPORTANT REMINDER THERE FROM HER. IF YOU’RE JUST TUNING IN, SEMINOLE COUNTY IS OFFERING TARPS FOR FREE FOR ANYONE WHO MAY NEED IT. JUST BEYOND THAT NEIGHBORHOOD, THERE MAY BE PEOPLE WHO HAVE SOME DAMAGE TO THEIR ROOF. IT MIGHT NOT BE THAT THAT MUCH, BUT YOU KNOW, ANYTHING IS SIGNIFICANT. SO JUST KNOW THAT THAT SEMINOLE COUNTY IS OFFERING THOSE FOR FREE. ALL RIGHT. OUR COVERAGE IN LAKE MARY CONTINUES RIGHT NOW WITH CHRISTINA WATKINS. SHE IS NOT TOO FAR AWAY FROM THE SPOT WHERE A SEMI FLIPPED OVER IN THAT STORM THIS MORNING. AND WE KNOW THAT SOME OF THE BUSINESSES NEAR WHERE THAT TRUCK FLIPPED OVER WERE ALSO IMPACTED. CHRISTINA. ABSOLUTELY. GOOD AFTERNOON, SHELDON AND NANCY. WE’RE ABOUT HALF A MILE AWAY FROM WHERE WE WERE WHEN THAT SEMI TRUCK FLIPPED OVER. WE ARE NOW ON SKYLINE DRIVE, AND THE BIGGEST CONCERN WE ARE SEEING HERE IS THIS DEBRIS. YOU CAN KIND OF TAKE A LOOK AND SEE WHAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT. THERE ARE DOWNED TREE LIMBS PRETTY MUCH ALL UP AND DOWN THIS ROAD. NOT REALLY CAUSING ANY ISSUES FOR DRIVERS. DRIVERS ARE ABLE TO GET BY EASILY, BUT THIS IS THE MAIN CONCERN RIGHT HERE ON SKYLINE DRIVE. IF YOU TAKE A LOOK DOWN THE ROAD HERE, YOU CAN SEE AN EVEN BIGGER TREE AND METAL PIECES OF DEBRIS THAT CAME DOWN AT THE PEAK OF THIS STORM AND THIS BUILDING RIGHT NEXT TO IT HAPPENS TO BE A DIALYSIS BUILDING. WE GOT AN EMAIL THIS MORNING FROM A GENTLEMAN WHO WAS THERE AT THE HEIGHT OF THE SEVERE WEATHER. HE JUST FINISHED HIS DIALYSIS. HE SAYS HE WAS WAITING FOR THE TECH TO PUT ON BANDAGES WHEN THE LIGHTS WENT OUT. THEY HEARD HUGE ROARING NOISES AND THEN THEY SAID THE STORM ROLLED RIGHT OVER THEM. HE SAID THE ONLY THING BETWEEN HIM AND THAT STORM WAS A CONCRETE BLOCK WALL. THE GENERATOR CAME ON AT THE DIALYSIS BUILDING, BUT HE SAID THE STAFF GUYS WAS EXCELLENT. THEY GOT INTO MOTION, TAKING CARE OF THE PEOPLE WHO WERE STILL CONNECTED TO THOSE MACHINES, AND THEY WORKED HARD GETTING EVERYTHING DISCONNECTED AND MAKING SURE PEOPLE STAYED SAFE. THAT IS INCREDIBLE. YOU KNOW THE MESSAGE WE’VE HEARD THROUGHOUT TODAY IS IT’S A MIRACLE NO ONE WAS HURT. AND THAT APPLIES TO THE GENTLEMAN WE SAW EARLIER TODAY, JUST ABOUT HALF A MILE AWAY FROM SKYLINE, WHERE WE WERE WHEN WE SAW YOU GUYS A FEW HOURS AGO ON LAKE EMMA AND COMMERCE. WE CAN SHOW YOU THAT VIDEO. THAT IS WHERE A SEMI TRUCK BLEW OVER AT THE HEIGHT OF THIS STORM. LOOK AT THIS. A GENTLEMAN AND HIS DOG WERE INSIDE OF THAT TRUCK AT THE TIME, AND THEY MANAGED TO GET OUT SAFELY. IT’S RIGHT NEXT TO THE SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION BUILDING. AND COME TO FIND OUT, WE TALKED TO SOME EMPLOYEES WHO WERE PICKING UP THE DEBRIS, METAL PIECES, SOME TREES. AFTER THE SCENE CLEARED, AND THEY TOLD US THAT GENTLEMAN WANTS HIS TRUCK FLIPPED OVER, GOT OUT, CAME INSIDE THE SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION BUILDING AND HID IN THE STAIRWELL WITH ABOUT 30 EMPLOYEES WHO WERE INSIDE WHEN THAT STORM CAME THROUGH. EVERYBODY IS OKAY. NO ONE WAS HURT. JUST A LOT OF SHOCK, AS YOU CAN IMAGINE. BUT THEY ARE SO GRATEFUL TO HAVE THOSE ALERTS THAT WENT STRAIGHT TO THEIR PHONES. SO THEY WITHIN A MATTER OF SECONDS, FOUND THEIR SAFE SPACE AND WERE ABLE TO RIDE OUT THIS STORM. IT IS INCREDIBLE GUYS. THAT’S THE LA

EF-2 tornado slammed Seminole County on Monday morning | Photos, videos

Updated: 2:12 PM EDT Mar 10, 2025

Storms dumped rain on Central Florida on Monday morning bringing a slew of tornado warnings to the Orlando area. A radar-confirmed tornado touched down along Interstate 4 in the Longwood/Lake Mary around 9:30 a.m. Officials said about 3,500 people are without power. The National Weather Serviced confirmed is was an EF-2 tornado with peak winds of 115 mph.Just west, trees were down and damage was reported at Sweetwater Clubhouse tennis courts north of Wekiva Springs Road.Seminole County Fire Rescue confirmed it was helping with damage along the 2100 block of Blue Iris Place.Related: Driver, dog in semi-truck when it flipped during Lake Mary tornadoImpact Weather: Heavy rain, strong winds slam Central FloridaPhotos, video:Chopper 2 video shows extensive tornado damage in Seminole County Debris covers ground after tornado moves through Orlando area>> This is a breaking news story and will be updated

LAKE MARY, Fla. —

Storms dumped rain on Central Florida on Monday morning bringing a slew of tornado warnings to the Orlando area.

A radar-confirmed tornado touched down along Interstate 4 in the Longwood/Lake Mary around 9:30 a.m. Officials said about 3,500 people are without power.

The National Weather Serviced confirmed is was an EF-2 tornado with peak winds of 115 mph.

Just west, trees were down and damage was reported at Sweetwater Clubhouse tennis courts north of Wekiva Springs Road.

Seminole County Fire Rescue confirmed it was helping with damage along the 2100 block of Blue Iris Place.

Related: Driver, dog in semi-truck when it flipped during Lake Mary tornado

Impact Weather: Heavy rain, strong winds slam Central Florida

Photos, video:

Chopper 2 video shows extensive tornado damage in Seminole County

Debris covers ground after tornado moves through Orlando area

Seminole County Fire Department

Seminole County Fire Department

WESH 2 News

>> This is a breaking news story and will be updated