000
NOUS42 KTBW 022209 CCA
PNSTBW
FLZ039-042-043-048>052-055>057-060>062-065-031200-

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY RUSKIN FL
505 PM EST FRI FEB 2 2007

...TORNADO WITH 140 TO 150 MPH WINDS CONFIRMED IN NORTHEASTERN 
SUMTER COUNTY...

A PRELIMINARY STORM SURVEY CONDUCTED BY STAFF FROM THE NWS OFFICE IN 
RUSKIN HAS DETERMINED THAT A TORNADO...CONTAINING WINDS UP TO 150 
MPH...CAUSED SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO STRUCTURES FROM NEAR WILDWOOD TO 
THE VILLAGES IN NORTHEAST SUMTER COUNTY.  THE TRACK BEGAN IN THE 
NORTHEAST PORTION OF WILDWOOD AT THE INTERSECTION OF HIGHWAY 301 AND 
COUNTY ROAD 462...THEN RACED NORTHEAST FOR 5 MILES BEFORE CONTINUING 
INTO THE LAKE COUNTY PORTION OF THE VILLAGES...ONE AND ONE HALF 
MILES SOUTH OF COUNTY ROAD 466. THOUGH THE FINAL COUNT OF DAMAGED OR 
DESTROYED HOMES...AS WELL AS INSURED DAMAGE...WILL NOT BE KNOWN FOR 
SEVERAL DAYS...THE FOLLOWING DETAILS HAVE BEEN OBTAINED FROM THE 
TEAM THUS FAR:

INTENSITY...LOW END EF-3 (SCALE 139-167 MPH). TRADITIONAL F-SCALE:  
STRONG F-2 (F-2 SCALE RANGES FROM 113 TO 157 MPH). ACTUAL TORNADO 
WINDS ESTIMATED AROUND 140-150 MPH. THIS IS ALSO 

EVENT TIME...PRELIMINARY ESTIMATION 315 AM EST FRIDAY FEBRUARY 2 AT 
THE VILLAGES. FINAL EVENT TIME WILL BE PROVIDED AS MORE DATA BECOME 
AVAILABLE.  

PATH LENGTH...5 MILES THROUGH SUMTER COUNTY.  HOWEVER...THE TORNADO 
CONTINUED INTO NORTHERN LAKE COUNTY AND SURVEYS ON THAT AREA WILL BE 
CONDUCTED OVER THE WEEKEND. 

FATALITIES...NO FATALITIES REPORTED.

INJURIES...NO INJURIES REPORTED THUS FAR.

DAMAGES...HUNDREDS OF HOUSES EITHER SEVERELY DAMAGED OR DESTROYED. 
FINAL COUNT LIKELY TO BE OVER 500 AFTER COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT 
PERSONNEL COMPLETE THEIR DAMAGE SURVEYS. DOLLAR DAMAGE ESTIMATES 
WILL BE PROVIDED AFTER LOCAL...STATE...AND FEDERAL EMERGENCY 
MANAGEMENT STAFF COMPLETE THEIR ASSESSMENTS.

THIS STATEMENT WILL BE UPDATED AS SOON AS ADDITIONAL INFORMATION IS 
AVAILABLE.    

THE NEW EF-SCALE WAS DEVELOPED TO BETTER ASSESS WIND SPEEDS 
ASSOCIATED WITH A WIDE VARIETY OF STRUCTURAL DAMAGE...FROM 
SINGLE-WIDE MOBILE HOMES TO INDUSTRIAL BUILDINGS TO FRAMED ONE OR 
TWO FAMILY HOMES...AND MANY MORE.  THIS SCALE IS CONSIDERED A DAMAGE 
SCALE...WHEREAS THE TRADITIONAL FUJITA SCALE (F-SCALE) WAS MORE OF A 
WIND SPEED SCALE.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE NEW EF SCALE...PLEASE SEE THE FOLLOWING 
WEBSITE:

HTTP://WWW.SPC.NOAA.GOV/EFSCALE

$$

REYNES/GOLDSMITH
NWS TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL