ORLANDO, Fla. — Severe Weather Awareness Week in Florida is officially underway.
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The week is observed each year by the National Weather Service and Florida Division of Emergency Management to increase awareness and preparedness for severe weather and related hazards.
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Each day focuses on a different weather event Florida experiences. Wednesday is thunderstorms and tornadoes. Read 9 things to know below:
- Florida has a higher frequency of tornadoes per 10,000 square miles than any other state, including Texas and Oklahoma. The highest frequency is along the gulf coast from Tampa south to Fort Myers.
- Tornado intensity is measured by the Enhanced Fujita scale (EF) which was introduced in 2007 (replacing the original F scale). In fact, the first EF tornado was the deadly February 2nd, Groundhog Day tornado (EF-3) that killed 21. Winds were estimated at 165mph.
- A vast majority of Florida tornadoes are weaker EF-0 and EF-1 with winds from 65mph to 110mph.
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- Tornado wind strength can be roughly estimated by radar velocity returns, but are measured in practice by doing storm surveys. The type of structures that are damaged (wood frame, block, etc.) and the damage extent help to determine the intensity, or EF #.
- We can get a lot of tornadoes from nearby or landfalling tropical systems. Notably, Irma in 2017 spawned 21 tornadoes in Florida, while Frances in 2004 hit the state with 23.
- In the winter ‘dry season’, we can get tornadoes along strong cold fronts.
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- Since roofs and exterior parts of the home are most at risk during a tornado, you should go to the lowest level of your home, and stay in an interior part of the house. Bathrooms and interior closets are normally the best bets. Mobile homes should be abandoned for a sturdier structure if at all possible.
- Most Florida tornadoes are relatively small and brief in duration. In fact, most of our smaller tornadoes would easily fit inside a baseball field. Only rarely do larger/long-track tornadoes occur. Most notably in 2007 and 1998 where 63 people died, tornadoes were larger and stayed on the ground for many miles.
- Because of the rarity of large tornado events here, you won’t find many tornado sirens around. Oviedo is a notable exception; they installed them for their area after the deadly 2007 tornado outbreak.
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