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NOUS44 KMOB 180039
PNSMOB
ALZ051>060-261>266-FLZ201>206-MSZ067-075-076-078-079-181245-

Public Information Statement
National Weather Service Mobile AL
739 PM CDT Sat Jun 17 2023


...NWS Damage Survey for 06/15/2023 Pensacola Tornado Event...


.Pensacola Tornado...

Rating:                 EF2
Estimated Peak Wind:    120 mph
Path Length /statute/:  8.87 miles
Path Width /maximum/:   450 yards
Fatalities:             0
Injuries:               0

Start Date:             06/15/2023
Start Time:             08:35 PM CDT
Start Location:         1 SSE West Pensacola / Escambia County / FL
Start Lat/Lon:          30.4132 / -87.2725

End Date:               06/15/2023
End Time:               09:08 PM CDT
End Location:           1 SW Villa Sabine /  / FL
End Lat/Lon:            30.3241 / -87.1722

Survey Summary:
Damage survey found a very broad area roughly a mile and a half
wide of strong sporadic straight line winds beginning around
Fairfield drive and 52nd Ave in West Pensacola. No visual
convergence was noted until the area near N Old Corry Field Rd
and W Gregory St. Several large limbs were noted and few uproots
at this location in a loosely convergent pattern. This more
concentrated damage continued south-southeast across US 98 to
Barrancas Ave with a several mile wider swath of damaging winds.
The path at this point seems discontinuous with several weak areas
of convergence resulting in likely high end EF-0 damage embedded
within a broader damaging wind swath. A more concentrated area of
convergence appears around Fairway Drive on the north side of the
Pensacola County Club. Several hardwoods had large 2 foot in
diameter branches snapped and several softwood pines were snapped
as a more continuous path extended across the country club and
Bayshore Dr before moving out over Pensacola Bay. 

The tornado then likely continued as a waterspout traversing Pensacola Bay
dodging the western tip of Gulf Breeze before wrapping back
southeast towards Pensacola Beach. The tornado quickly
strengthened as it crossed Fort Pickens Rd near Galvez CT.
Significant damage to homes built to withstand significant
hurricanes was noted and thus damage estimates from this location leaned on
the higher side for given damage indicators. Several of the homes
across a quarter mile swath had damage to siding including
several sides beings completely removed. A few homes lost 20 to
60 percent of metal roofing material even with proper hurricane
code anchors. Several bottom floor garages were completely gutted
as garage doors were blown in and destroyed. Bottom exterior walls
blew out leading to complete exposure of the bottom floors.
Several palm trees across the area were snapped a few feet off the
ground. The most notable damage was right along Fort Pickens Rd
where a house under construction had the entire top floor and
roof removed. This damage was put on the lower end of estimates
as the house was under construction and an opening on the north
side may have helped the failure of the upper walls and floors.
However, a large dumpster likely weighing several hundred pounds
was thrown roughly 50-70 yards due east and was deposited between
two palm trees about 2 feet off the ground. The damage to the
home, dumpster combined with a garage door that failed being
wrapped around a concrete piling resulted in the peak wind
estimate of 120 mph. 

The tornado likely crossed over Fort Pickens Rd and into the 
Gulf of Mexico where it likely dissipated. One other interesting 
damage note was that at least two boats were tossed on the Pensacola 
Bay side. One boat was found about 20-30 yards from the boat lift 
upside down in the water. The other boat was thrown off the lift 
and was reportedly found near Deer Point about a mile north across 
the bay. This boat likely floated over there but still impressive. 
There is no damage indicator for boats; however, the sheer 
impressiveness helped support the higher rating given the surrounding 
damage indicators. 

&&

EF Scale: The Enhanced Fujita Scale classifies tornadoes into the
following categories:

EF0...Weak......65 to 85 mph
EF1...Weak......86 to 110 mph
EF2...Strong....111 to 135 mph
EF3...Strong....136 to 165 mph
EF4...Violent...166 to 200 mph
EF5...Violent...>200 mph

NOTE:
The information in this statement is preliminary and subject to
change pending final review of the event and publication in
NWS Storm Data.


$$