Powerful storms that moved through the greater Tampa Bay region on Thursday ahead of a cold front spawned a tornado in southern Pinellas County.
The National Weather Service office in Ruskin confirmed an EF-1 tornado touched down near Pasadena at about noon.
The storm had maximum winds of about 100 mph, and was on the ground for about a quarter mile.
In a news release St. Petersburg fire officials say they received multiple calls for trees down around 12:10 p.m. along 9th Ave. N., between 58th St. N. and 49th St. N.
Weather damage near 9th Ave N at 54th at and 57th St. Trees down and damaged a preschool. No injuries reported . St. Pete Fire Rescue is assessing the damage. pic.twitter.com/k23nUgboog
— St. Pete Police (@StPetePD) December 15, 2022
Photos and video supplied by St. Petersburg Fire Rescue show large trees uprooted — including one that fell onto a preschool building attached to St. Vincent's Episcopal Church.
No injuries were reported.
Officials also reported road closures in Tampa due to flooding, and damage to a convenience store in Spring Hill.
The storms are giving way to much cooler temperatures on Friday and into the weekend, forecasters said, with highs on Friday only in the mid-60s to mid-70s.
The next chance for rain comes late Saturday as another cold front pushes across the state, with clearing by Sunday afternoon and highs 10-15 degrees below normal.
Highs on Sunday are only expected to top out in the 50s and 60s, with overnight lows Sunday dipping into the upper 30s in northern parts of the region and the lower 50s to the south.
