The National Weather Service confirmed Monday that at about 9:36 a.m. a tornado touched down along Interstate 4 near Lake Mary and Longwood.
The EF2 tornado knocked down a two-story home on Blue Iris Place in Longwood. Both residents in the home were unharmed; the pair took shelter in a corner of the home as soon as they received a tornado warning.
Seminole County Assistant Fire Department Chief Tod Zellers said the house was completely destroyed – except for the corner the pair were in. Further damage in the area includes downed power lines, trees and debris. Sheriff Dennis Lemma urged residents to stay put if they could.
“The message is always the same after this thing: we want to discourage people from sightseeing,” Lemma said at a 12 p.m. press conference.
William Ulrich, a Warning Coordination Meteorologist with NWS, said about 90% of tornadoes that touch down in Florida are categorized as an EF0 or EF1 tornado. This EF2 tornado’s winds peaked at about 115 mph, which is similar to winds seen in a Category 3 hurricane.
EF2 tornadoes see wind speeds from 111-135 mph, according to NWS. It touched down as an EF1 category tornado, intensifying after ground fall.
Emergency Manager Alan Harris said the situation reminded him of a tornado that made its way through Casselbury about 15 years ago. That storm destroyed every part of a home except for the single room in which the family had gathered.
“That’s the importance of quick alerts, having a weather radio, some type of device where you can get a tornado warning,” he said.
Other property casualties include a flipped semi-truck and destroyed brick walls. The system passed over FOX 35 News studios while the news station was on the air.
The tornado formed over Wekiwa Springs State Park, crossed Markham Woods Road and continued east.
Ulrich said the bulk of the damage happened in the Whispering Winds community, but NWS still needs more time to assess if the tornado was grounded after it crossed I-4 near Skyline Drive. NWS preliminary reports said it lasted only a few minutes.
“This is the time of year – February and March – to be prepared for these violent tornadoes,” he said shortly before 2 p.m. at an update.
No injuries have been reported thus far, and Ulrich said he was grateful for this stroke of luck.
Emergency Manager Harris said around 3,500 customers had lost power, and as of 4:45 p.m. Monday, that number is down to 222.
This is a developing story. Central Florida Public Media will monitor the situation and provide any necessary updates.
Copyright 2025 Central Florida Public Media
