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F3 tornado in Volusia County, Florida

Tornado November 2, 1997 · Volusia County, Florida

F3
Rating
3.0 mi
Path length
400 yd
Path width
32
Injuries
$14.0M
Damage as recorded
EF0EF1EF2EF3EF4EF5Unrated

NOAA recorded where this tornado touched down but not where it lifted, so it appears as a point. Other tornadoes recorded nearby that day are shown faint.

What F3 means. This tornado was rated on Fujita’s original scale, used until 2007. F3 meant severe damage: whole stories of well-built houses destroyed, large buildings badly damaged, trains overturned; the scale paired it with winds of 158–206 mph, figures later judged too high, especially toward the top of the scale, and revised downward in the Enhanced Fujita scale. Ratings then, as now, came from the damage.

The wider storm

A rapidly intensifying tornado initially touched down in New Smyrna Beach about 1 mile west of U.S. Highway 1 between Enterprise and Wayne Avenues. The tornado moved east northeast at about 50 mph damaging several homes and downing trees and power lines. It lifted just west of Highway 1 after passing Chisholm Elementary School. The tornado then struck New Smyrna Beach High School producing Fujita Scale F1 damage. As the tornado intensified to a strong F3 category, it passed thorough the Venetian VIllas subdivision and the Diamond Head Condominiums. A number of large well built homes were destroyed. Many of the units in the 10 story Diamond Head Condominiums received major damage as high winds blew out exterior glass walls and blew furniture into the adjoining Indian River Lagoon. The tornado then crossed the Intracoastal Waterway and passed over the barrier island between Robinson Road and East Street where a number of large well built homes were almost completely destroyed. The tornado then moved over the Atlantic Ocean. In all 32 people were injured, six requiring hospitalisation. Thirty one homes were destroyed and 290 were damaged. Damage estimates were near 14 million dollars.

Began near New Smyrna Beach (29.0200, -80.9300).

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event 5616892. Narratives are written by the National Weather Service forecast office that issued the report.

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