Powerful EF3 Tornado Strikes Palm Beach Gardens, Florida

Palm Beach Gardens, FL — A devastating tornado with wind speeds reaching up to 140 mph swept through Palm Beach Gardens on October 10, leaving behind significant destruction in its wake. The tornado, rated EF3 on the Enhanced Fujita Scale, was spawned by Tropical Cyclone Milton and is one of the strongest tornados recorded in Florida from a tropical system.

According to a storm damage survey conducted by the National Weather Service (NWS) in Miami, the tornado tore through the Avenir community, causing extensive damage to new, well-constructed homes. Some buildings lost large sections of their roofs, and concrete block walls were ripped away, showing the immense power of the storm.

This is a rare event in Florida’s weather history. Tornadoes generated by tropical systems are usually weak, typically falling into the EF0 or EF1 category. However, the preliminary assessment of this EF3 twister indicates that winds were as strong as 140 mph, an unprecedented force from a tropical cyclone in the state.

What makes this storm even more unusual is that it could be Florida’s first tornado from a tropical system to exceed the EF2 rating, a benchmark previously untouched since 1995 according to data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

The NWS stated that the survey is ongoing and may take multiple days to complete as they assess more areas hit by the tornado. It’s possible the damage rating could increase if more destruction is uncovered in the surrounding areas.

Milton has already triggered a record number of tornado warnings across Florida, prompting other NWS offices to conduct damage surveys in various counties. As of now, multiple locations are being examined for storm damage, and more reports of tornado activity may emerge in the coming days.

EF3 tornadoes are incredibly rare in landfalling tropical cyclones, but this year alone has seen several similar incidents, with Hurricanes Beryl, Debby, and Helene producing at least one EF3 tornado each across the U.S.

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