The Department of Emergency Management in San Francisco has released a statement addressing the recent tornado warning that caught residents off guard. The statement acknowledges the understandable anxiety felt by residents due to the rarity of tornadoes in the region. In light of this unprecedented event, residents are advised on the necessary safety precautions to take in the event of a future tornado warning. Specifically, individuals are urged to seek shelter in an interior room on the lowest floor of a building, away from windows. It is noted that the city of San Francisco lacks basements in most buildings, highlighting the challenges posed by tornado threats in urban settings.
Interestingly, San Francisco has experienced a confirmed tornado in the past, back in 2005. However, this particular tornado occurred without any prior warning, unlike the recent situation where a tornado warning was issued without a confirmed tornado. The recent storms brought about various impacts across the city and the wider region, including flooding in certain areas and strong winds that caused trees to topple and power outages in locations such as Seaside, Livermore, and Monterey, California.
In a rare occurrence, a tornado touched down in the city of Scotts Valley, located about an hour south of San Francisco. Preliminary assessments by the National Weather Service revealed that the EF1 tornado had peak winds of 90 mph and lasted for a mere 5 minutes. The tornado’s path spanned a third of a mile and was 30 yards wide, causing damage such as flipping vehicles and downing power lines. Reports indicated that at least five individuals sustained injuries, with most occurring inside overturned vehicles. Among the injured was a battalion chief from CAL FIRE, emphasizing the unexpected nature of the tornado’s impact.
The most severe damage in Scotts Valley was concentrated along Mount Hermon Road in the city’s retail district. As authorities worked to evaluate and address the extent of the damage, power restoration efforts were underway. By Sunday morning, a significant number of customers remained without power, underscoring the aftermath of the tornado’s swift passage through the area. Captain Jayson Rutherford from the Scotts Valley Fire Department expressed astonishment at the unprecedented event, emphasizing the fortunate outcome that no lives were lost despite the significant damage.
As the region grapples with the aftermath of the tornado, attention turns to future weather patterns. Another storm system is forecasted to impact the West Coast in the coming days, with the potential for heavy rain in coastal areas of Washington, Oregon, and northern California. While the system is expected to move inland by midweek, there is currently no imminent threat of severe weather or heavy rainfall in the regions most affected by the recent severe weather events. Residents in California, more accustomed to earthquakes than tornadoes, are reminded of the occasional tornado occurrences in the state, averaging around 11 tornadoes per year.
