While not typical for Tornado Alley, a part of California experienced a rare tornado on Saturday, resulting in five injuries and overturned vehicles as a storm passed through the state. The tornado struck Scotts Valley, a small city located about 6 miles north of Santa Cruz, causing multiple cars to be thrown off the road, as shared by the city police department on Facebook along with images of the overturned vehicles. Police Captain Scott Garner reported that five individuals, primarily in vehicles affected by the tornado, sustained injuries, none of which were serious. Three were taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, while two declined treatment at the scene. A damage survey conducted by the National Weather Service confirmed that an EF1 tornado touched down in Scotts Valley at 1:39 p.m. local time with estimated peak winds of 90 mph. The tornado traveled around 30 yards, causing the most significant damage along Mount Hermon Road, the city’s main street and retail area. The Scotts Valley Police Department shared photos showing cars scattered on and around the road. Responding officers initially anticipated a multi-vehicle collision but were surprised to find the aftermath of a tornado, including bent utility poles and extensive property damage, according to Captain Garner. California typically sees an average of only about 11 tornadoes per year, with the northern Central Valley being the region most prone to such occurrences, according to the weather service. Earlier on Saturday, a tornado warning was issued for San Francisco, but it was later canceled due to no organized tornado activity in the area. In Scotts Valley, the affected area of Mount Hermon Road was anticipated to remain closed at least until Sunday morning as authorities assessed the damage and Pacific Gas & Electric worked on repairs and restoring electricity. By Saturday evening, over 8,800 utility customers in Santa Cruz County were without power. The tornado formed during a powerful Pacific storm that ushered an atmospheric river over the northern part of the state, with forecasters from the Center for Western Weather and Water Extremes noting a “cold frontal rain band” trailing on Saturday. A significant atmospheric river event, rated moderate to strong (AR2 to AR3 on a scale of 1 to 5), brought hail, strong winds, nearly 2 inches of rain in certain areas, and snow further inland. The National Weather Service office in Reno, Nevada, anticipated up to 20 inches of snow in the Lake Tahoe and Mammoth Lakes regions of California between Friday and Saturday.
On the eve of the event, the weather forecast indicated a night characterized by freezing temperatures, expected to drop to approximately 30 degrees. The meteorological service conveyed in its forecast discussion on Saturday that following the chilly night, the weather on Sunday was projected to feature clear “sunny skies.”
