LONGWOOD, FL -- The National Weather Service says the tornado that touched down north of Orlando and demolished a house in Seminole County Monday morning reached an EF-2 with winds as high as 115 miles per hour.
Meteorologist Will Ulrich says forecasters spotted the thunderstorm showing signs of circulation as soon as it moved out of the Gulf. They issued a severe thunderstorm warning when it gained strength near Wekiva Springs, followed by a tornado warning. The tornado touched down with 85-to-90 mph winds according to Ulrich, but reached EF-2 strength by the time it demolished a house on Blue Iris Place in Longwood. Another house suffered damage. Ulrich says a NWS team will continue surveying damage Tuesday to determine where the tornado dissipated.
Seminole County's sheriff and fire department say there were two people inside the collapsed house. The only part of the building was the corner in which they were hiding from the storm. Sheriff Dennis Lemma calls it a miracle.
In nearby Lake Mary, the storm flipped a tractor-trailer on its side. The driver and his dog were unhurt. The twister also rained debris onto the Fox 35 studio, as meteorologist Brooks Garner was on the air warning viewers and co-workers to take cover. Debris bounced off the roof and smashed into a car belong to another Fox forecaster.
Photos: Seminole County Fire Department, Seminole County Government
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