STORM2K

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIAMI FL
530 PM EDT THU AUG 7 2003

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MIAMI HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
EXTREME NORTHEASTERN PALM BEACH COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST FLORIDA

* UNTIL 600 PM EDT

* AT 530 PM EDT... NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
TORNADO OVER PALM BEACH GARDENS MOVING SOUTH AT 10 MPH.

* THE TORNADO WILL NEAR...
LAKE PARK AND RIVIERA BEACH

THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS STORM...A TORNADO IS ON THE GROUND.

Obs? Info? No connection w/PB but curious as to an I-95 TOR during rush hour.

Scott

This could be a potentially dangerous situation especially with unwary rush-hour commuters.

SF

Tornado touches down in Palm Beach, leaving injuries
By Evan Benn
ebenn@herald.com

A tornado touched down in central Palm Beach County late this afternoon, tearing roofs off homes and injuring several people.

Others may be trapped in the wreckage, said Diane Carhart, a Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office spokeswoman. The most severe damage is in the Garden Walk Mobile Home Park on Four Seasons Road, she said.

Rescuers and police set up a command post on Military Trail just north of Blue Heron Boulevard.

Scattered thunderstorms are expected to continue tonight throughout South Florida, but the tornado conditions have moved southeast and offshore, past Riviera Beach, National Weather Service meteorologist Bob Ebaugh said.

Here is an article from the Miami Herald site, complete with a damage picture
http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/6482348.htm

Hi everybody,

whew......what a day here in West Palm Beach. Luckily, I was south
of this tornado. The local news has been constant since the 5 0'clock hour. The damages listed in the articles are pretty much
what I'm hearing here. the tornado passed about 1/4 mile north
of my in-laws house! They received heavy rain, crashing lightning and hail. Also, their electricity has gone out. The saddest part is that the tornado went straight over a trailer park and caused extensive
damage. Considering has precise tornado paths are, it's too bad
it had to pass right over the mobile home park. Anyway, right
now the hardest hit place, Riviera Beach, has declared a state of emergency. At one point they had all main roads blocked and did not allow anyone in or anyone out. They may have been concerned about looting. As far as I know, there was some pockets of looting,
but our police force jumped on this QUICK and therefore looting
should not become a problem. Can you believe people would
even do this? It's very sad.

Anyway, let's just forget about a hurricane around here for a while.
This is enough of mother nature here for awhile.

Goodnight and God Bless, marie

Tornado Destroys About 500 Florida Homes
24 minutes ago


RIVIERA BEACH, Fla. - About 500 homes were damaged or destroyed by a tornado that touched down Thursday in north Palm Beach County, flipping semitrailers, snapping power poles and tearing roofs off businesses. Only minor injuries were reported.





Most of the damage took place north of West Palm Beach. At the Garden Walk mobile home park, the tornado collapsed the roofs and walls of several homes and pushed others off their foundations. At least two tractor-trailers nearby were tossed upside down.


About 21,000 people were without electricity in Palm Beach County. Power was out in most of Riviera Beach, where reports of damage were extensive. The roof of a Pepsi-Cola plant was torn off, heavy rain caused street flooding and closed roads, and looting was reported in the storm's wake.


At Driftwood Plaza in nearby Jupiter, a metal roof covering 32 stores was damaged, said Tammy Goodwin, owner of the Coastal Massage Day Spa.


"We were right in it," she said. "Pieces of the roof were flying off. A pole came down. There was a lot of damage, a lot of debris. Things were flying."


Red Cross spokeswoman Laura Botting said two shelters had been opened in Palm Beach County as of 9 p.m., and that other shelters may open if needed.


The weather service said the tornado was spotted at 5:13 p.m. and cleared out by 5:40 p.m. Forecasters were surprised by the rapid development of the system.


"It caught us," forecaster Bob Ebaugh said.

They are reporting late tonight that it was an F1 maybe even a F2 tornado! More information to follow when they have a better chance to assess the damage. Stay tuned!

Wow.. Its rare to see an F-2 tornado in August in South Florida.
http://www.tornadoproject.com/alltorns/fltorn.htm#P
http://www.tornadoproject.com/alltorns/fltorn.htm

Photos http://www.palmbeachpost.com/weather/co ... owrap=true

NWS was at local TV station. Said they think it was a strong F-1. Said an F-2 would have scattered more debris around. I'm glad I don't live that far N.
I'm about 45 to 60 min. S. One woman told on TV that a power line fell on her car. She had her kids in the car with her. While she's on her cell with 911,
a man rides by on a bicycle grabs the power line with his hand and throws it off her car. The police said he was either very brave or very foolish. The man didn't even stop. He kept going.

Debbie

The damage I saw on tv appeared to be low F2 in some areas (115-125 mph)....but WSFO Miami is in better position to give a precise estimate than me.