EF1 Tornado — Hendry, Florida

2024-10-09 · near Clewiston Airglades, Hendry, Florida

Event narrative

A tornado was produced as a storm took on super-cellular characteristics as it exited Collier County and moved into Hendry County. Although there were no eyewitness reports, a National Weather Service survey team was able to find scattered areas of utility pole damage. Coincident with one area of pole damage was a tornadic debris signature (TDS) as the tornado crossed State Route 80 at the Hendry/Glades County line around 10:55 AM EST. The TDS dissipated and the last damage was identified just south of Palmdale in Glades County.

The tornado was rated as an EF-1, after traveling a total 29.89 miles, with an estimated maximum winds around 110 mph.

Wider weather episode

Hurricane Milton became a Category 5 hurricane in the southwestern Gulf of Mexico on Monday, October 7th about 735 miles SW of Tampa while moving east-southeast, then turned east and northeast on Tuesday, October 8th while maintaining Category 4 and 5 strength. Milton's maximum winds decreased as it approached the Florida peninsula on Wednesday, October 9th, and made landfall near Siesta Key as a Category 3 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 120 mph and a minimum central pressure of 954 mb. The outer circulation of Milton began affecting South Florida late on October 8th, with sustained tropical storm force winds spreading across much of the region through the early morning hours of Thursday, October 10th.

A total of 15 tornadoes were recorded across South Florida on Wednesday, October 9th, two of these reaching EF-3 on the Enhanced Fujita Scale.

Moderate to major coastal flooding occurred most of the Collier County coast, mainly on October 9th from late morning through the overnight. Inundation above ground was in the 2-4 foot range across much of the beach and bayfront locations across the county, with a maximum estimated inundation of near 5 feet in Chokoloskee. The tide level at the NOS gauge in Naples Bay near the city dock reached 5.08 ft above Mean Higher High Water (MHHW).

A total of 2,900 people evacuated to refuge centers in Collier County, and about 1,000 in Palm Beach County.

All of the associated effects of Milton in South Florida resulted in 10 injuries and at least $361 million in property damage. The 15 tornadoes associated with Milton resulted in 10 injuries and at least $81 million in damage, mainly in Palm Beach and Glades counties.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (26.4952, -81.1237)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1219889. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.