The core of Tropical Storm Nestor is well away from Central Florida, but we’re still getting the brunt of the storm. A likely tornado caused significant damage in the town of Kathleen and overturned a tractor trailer on I-4 southwest of the Attractions Friday night. Shortly afterwards, some brief rotation was indicated over Epcot but didn’t appear to have spawned any damage. The Storm Prediction Center upgraded our area to a slight risk of severe weather on Saturday. And now, a tornado watch is in effect through noon.
URGENT - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
Tornado Watch Number 675
NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
150 AM EDT Sat Oct 19 2019
The NWS Storm Prediction Center has issued a
* Tornado Watch for portions of
Central and northern Florida
Coastal Waters
* Effective this Saturday morning from 150 AM until NOON EDT.
* Primary threats include...
A few tornadoes possible
SUMMARY...Wind fields and instability favorable for tornadoes will
continue to spread across the central/northern peninsula through the
remainder of the morning and into midday. Tornado potential will be
most focused near a warm front moving slowly northward over
central/northern FL, as well as outer band(s) moving onshore the
west coast. Additional isolated supercells may develop in between
those two regimes as well.
The tornado watch area is approximately along and 60 statute miles
east and west of a line from 50 miles south southeast of Sarasota FL
to 35 miles northeast of Gainesville FL. For a complete depiction of
the watch see the associated watch outline update (WOUS64 KWNS
WOU5).
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
REMEMBER...A Tornado Watch means conditions are favorable for
tornadoes and severe thunderstorms in and close to the watch
area. Persons in these areas should be on the lookout for
threatening weather conditions and listen for later statements
and possible warnings.