Tornado in Palm Beach County, Florida

A SKYWARN spotter sighted a funnel cloud that touched down near North Lake Boulevard and North Military Trail. The tornado moved south through the Garden Walk Mobile Home Park then turned southeast and crossed I-95, overturning a semi-tractor trailer. The tornado proceeded east through Riviera Beach damaging the roofs of many houses and businesses. Twenty-eight persons suffered minor injuries, 58 homes were destroyed, 21 homes suffered major damage and 150 homes had minor damage. Several cars and trucks were overturned and damage was estimated at $70-80 million.

A tornado touched down just east of I-95 and north of Blue Heron Blvd. and travelled toward the east southeast for more than three miles before dissipating over the intracoastal waterway near the Port of Palm Beach. A total of 460 buildings suffered damage, including portable classrooms at JFK Middle School. A four block section around 5th Avenue North was hardest hit. In addition, cargo containers at the Port of Palm Beach were ripped open, a tractor trail was overturned, a concrete utility pole was snapped off and more than 13000 electrical customers lost power.

Tornado moved through a number of Equine Farms and Polo Grounds as well as two subdivisions in Wellington. Worst damage was to Palm Beach Equine Clinic, 13125 Southfield Road, where roofs were blown off of stables, power poles snapped, and many trees down in criss-crossing patterns. The Equine Veterinary roof was more than 95 percent detiled, a heavy trailer was tossed about 40 yards from its previous location northwest of the International Polo Club, and an apartment home roof near Folkstone Circle was about 70 percent detiled. Maximum estimated wind speed was around 115 MPH. Most of the track was around 70 to 80 yards wide, but at the widest point the tornado was around 100 yards in width.