PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. – The National Weather Service released a survey Friday reporting that a Hurricane Milton-related tornado injured seven people and caused “considerable” structural damage in 30 minutes on Wednesday in Palm Beach County.
According to the survey, the tornado started its track at 4:51 p.m., in Wellington where it destroyed a double-wide mobile home on Deer Path Lane in Wellington’s Rustic Ranches section. It moved across the Lakefield West, Meadowwood, and Binks Forest communities damaging homes and trees.
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“The scariest thing I have ever been through,” Kristen Boyd, of Wellington, told Local 10 News.
The tornado crossed Southern Boulevard, Loxahatchee Groves, and The Acreage causing more damage to homes, trees, and outbuildings before intensifying as it approached Northlake Boulevard on the north end of The Acreage.
According to the survey, the tornado’s “most considerable damage” was at the Avenir community of Palm Beach Gardens where it shattered impact-resistant windows, caused a large portion of Publix supermarket’s roof to collapse, and lifted and moved vehicles at least 100 yards.
“All of the roof tiles were flying like bullets,” Bobby Jagoo, who lives near Palm Beach Gardens, told Local 10 News.
The tornado then moved very close to North Palm Beach County General Aviation Airport, crossed Bee Line Highway, and entered Jupiter Farms damaging trees, outbuildings, and power poles. It “likely” continued into Martin County.
With peak winds estimated at 140 mph, the tornado’s path length was 21 miles and its width was 300 yards. NWS meteorologists ranked some of the tornado damage based on wind estimates as a strong EF-3 on a scale of five being violent.
The Palm Beach County Division of Emergency Management, the Palm Beach County Sheriff`s Office, and the Palm Beach Gardens Police Department assisted the NWS with the survey.
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