Rare tornado strikes south of Bay Area with estimated peak winds of 90 mph
Partner Content
A tornado touched down in Scotts Valley, California, on Saturday afternoon, causing damage and flipping over some cars. No injuries were reported.
Dec. 15 (UPI) -- A rare tornado struck Scotts Valley, just south of the Bay Area, overturning cars, damaging trees and knocking out power with an estimated peak winds of 90 mph.
San Francisco city and county received the first warning Saturday since the inception of reliable weather records in 1950, Nicole Sarment, a weather service meteorologist in the Bay Area, told NBC News. It was issued shortly before 6 a.m., but it was canceled after no tornado was organized in the area.
A wind gust of 83 mph was reported at San Francisco International Airport.
(Photo Credit: Scott's Valley Police Dept.)
(Photo Credit: Scott's Valley Police Dept.)
(Photo Credit: Scott's Valley Police Dept.)
A National Weather Service damage survey determined an EF1 tornado touched down in Scotts Valley at 1:39 p.m. and traveled about 30 yards, with the most severe damage on the city's main street and retail district, the survey found. An EF1 ranges from 86-110 mph.
NWS Bay Area posted that tornadoes are "actually not that uncommon" in California.
Scotts Valley Police Department posted photos that showed cars strewn on and around the road. There were bent utility poles and extensive property damage, Police Capt. Scott Garner said.
He said five people, most in vehicles, suffered injuries, but none were major. Three were hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries and two refused treatment at the scene, he said.
The weather service office in Monterey described "a rather potent frontal passage" for the unsettled weather associated with the tail end of the atmospheric river. It included hail, ripping winds and nearly 2 inches of rain in places, along with snow inland.
In the small city of Mill Valley, about 14 miles north of San Francisco, floodwaters stranded several vehicles, police said. In Novato, about 28 miles north of San Francisco, residents were urged to stay home amid a citywide power outage in a post on X.
On Saturday afternoon, customers without power rose to roughly 225,000 across California, according to PowerOutage.US. That number has come down to just over 60,000 customers Sunday morning.
"Residents across the region still cleaning up from any wind damage or those starting to restore power to their homes and businesses can face another round of active weather as the weekend comes to a close," Accuweather.com meteorologist Alyssa Glenny said.
Report a Typo
