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Highlands Today

Nichols: Storm Was Not Likely A Tornado

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By Bill Rettew Jr. | Highlands Today

Published: July 5, 2008

SEBRING — At 4:22 p.m. on Tuesday, the National Weather Service issued a severe weather statement for the county and an official response to notify residents and deal with the aftermath of a severe storm was already well under way.

A NWS watch warning advisory summary issued a minute earlier read: "This storm has a history of producing damage. Act quickly. Go to a small interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building…away from windows. Cover your head with pillows or blankets."

After monitoring Doppler radar, with stations in Ruskin, Melbourne and Miami, a weather service meteorologist "pushed the button" a little past 4 p.m. and almost instantly; warnings were broadcast to television stations, the weather channel, radio stations and several Web sites.

Bill Nichols, director of Highlands County Emergency Management, dispatched someone to the scene of Tuesday's reported damage. The director said that although trees were down and carports ripped away, the storm was not likely a tornado.

According to the weather service, 39 tornado storms struck Highlands County since 1950, with the last reported twister in October of 2005.

Nichols said emergency management's response starts months in advance of when the wind first picks up. Education of responders and the public are key.

When he meets with residents, the director tells residents to prepare for severe weather by purchasing a weather radio since storms quickly form and dissipate.

Organizations like the Highlands County American Red Cross, local fire departments and EMS squads regularly monitor private radio broadcasts.

Within minutes on Tuesday of the NWS warnings, a state representative and emergency responders from both Hardee and Sarasota counties contacted Nichols and asked, "What do you need?"
State officials are kept up to date which leads to a quicker response.

In the aftermath of a storm producing damage, the county strives to provide residents with a way to "maintain a minimum quality of life."

"We track and respond as necessary for us to provide temporary housing and needs. Sometimes people can't even salvage clothing. They get out with just the clothing on their backs."

Meteorologists at Ruskin monitored the county's severe weather on Tuesday with Doppler radar.
Ryan Sharp, NWS meteorologist in Ruskin, said forecasters look for broad scale rotation and tight circulation by examining individual pixels' on a television like screen.

Meteorologists examine neighboring pixels' headed in separate directions, but still the best way to confirm a tornado is by an eyewitness account of a resident or by one of about 50 trained weather watchers in the county.

Inspectors at the scene of a possible tornado look for twisted, rather than linear downed and damage trees. Tornados often touch down and lift off. A funnel cloud leaves no trail and does not touch the ground.

Sharp described tornado damage as not just straight line wind damage. Trees are twisted and twirled following a tornado.

Bill Rettew Jr. may be contacted at 863-386-5857 or wrettew@highlandstoday.com

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