Florida-Deadly Tornado Outbreak Sumter,The Villages,N.Smyrna

[isobar]

Daytona News Journal reporting that 11 of the fatalities occurred in Paisley about 17 miles W of DeLand.

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/S/SOU_SEVERE_WEATHER_FLORIDA_FLOL-?SITE=FLDAY&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2007-02-02-08-27-11

[isobar]

Livestream news: http://www.wftv.com/video/10910186/detail.html

[artist]

also -

http://media.myfoxorlando.com/live/index_a.html

[AnnularCane]

I have an aunt and uncle who live in the Villages. They're OK though, we heard from them this morning. The worst of the weather apparently missed them, although my aunt did get woken up by an awful thunderstorm.

[tbstorm]

Chad Myers (CNN)..his mom just was on the phone with him live on tv...and she lives in The Villages... and just amazingly..THERE ARE NO TORNADO SIRENS in this area.

Just absolutely incredible that in this day and age..they are no tornado sirens for an area where so many people live.

Luckily she made it alive... but you have to wonder .

We dont have tornado sirens in Florida.

[ncupsscweather]

How many acutally Tornado's touched down last night i have only seen reports of four.

[rlltex]

would this line of storms be considered a derecho?

[Extremeweatherguy]

this is eerily similar to what happened there 9 years ago (Feb. '98).

[Extremeweatherguy]

Here are some pictures of the horrific tornado damage I found on wftv.com:





















Based on these pictures, I would venture to say this was likely an F4 tornado at it's peak.

[ncupsscweather]

I have a uncle that lives in Ocala, Marion County and he told us this morning that there was damage all over the place down there.

[harshrealm]

Is President Bush going to deny Jeb again on these storms like he did with the Xmas tornadoes? Guess having a brother in the White House no longer helps.

For FEMA to grant disaster money, the president must declare a federal disaster area. Despite being asked by his brother former Gov. Jeb Bush to do that after the storms, President George W. Bush declined.

http://www.wesh.com/news/10878155/detail.html

[CrazyC83]

WOW!!! I come home from work (couldn't get any coverage this morning) and find out about this??? Pray for everyone affected!!!

[CrazyC83]

Here are some pictures of the horrific tornado damage I found on wftv.com:





















Based on these pictures, I would venture to say this was likely an F4 tornado at it's peak.

You mean EF4? Remember the Enhanced Fujita scale is now used...

[Extremeweatherguy]

Crazy..

Yes, I realized just after that post that the new, enhanced, fujita scale was now in effect. Based on the new scale, I think an F4 rating would still be right for this situation. However, I think the final label may end up being anywhere from an F3 to possibly an F5 (since the new scale has somewhat lower standards for an F5).

This was probably central Florida's strongest tornado since Feb. '98.

[Cyclenall]

The damage is indeed that of higher then a F3 most likely in the hardest hit areas. Quite a storm for Feb. in Florida and a deadly start to the 2007 Tornado year. Isn't the new tornado scale into effect? The new scale comes into effect starting February 1, 2007 and is known as the "Enhanced Fujita Scale". What are the odds of the scale being tested this early!

[CajunMama]

Is President Bush going to deny Jeb again on these storms like he did with the Xmas tornadoes? Guess having a brother in the White House no longer helps.

For FEMA to grant disaster money, the president must declare a federal disaster area. Despite being asked by his brother former Gov. Jeb Bush to do that after the storms, President George W. Bush declined.

http://www.wesh.com/news/10878155/detail.html

Jeb is no longer the governor. Charlie Crist is.

[CrazyC83]

The damage is indeed that of higher then a F3 most likely in the hardest hit areas. Quite a storm for Feb. in Florida and a deadly start to the 2007 Tornado year. Isn't the new tornado scale into effect? The new scale comes into effect starting February 1, 2007 and is known as the "Enhanced Fujita Scale". What are the odds of the scale being tested this early!

Quite ironic isn't it?

I am currently catching up with it and it looks like EF5.

[Brent]

Death toll up to 19 according to Reuters.

[CrazyC83]

Death toll up to 19 according to Reuters.

Likely to rise even more. Could be the deadliest single US tornado since the Oklahoma City tornado in 1999 (one of them killed 36).

[artist]

according to the met from Fox 35 Orlando (he is originally from tornado alley as well) he thinks it was an f2 with spots of f3-4