The following list is a collection of calls the Polk County Sheriff’s Office received Friday night and early Saturday morning, giving an insight into the path the tornado may have taken. (KPRC) A woman in her 20s and a man in his 50s were among the three who were killed, according to … We can grow new trees. Learn More. Judd said that trees blocking driveways have already been cut and removed so affected families can get to school or work in the morning. A tornado ripped through three Florida communities Wednesday as snow buffeted the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern states in a flurry of wild weather, according to local reports.. Davis said the damage started in Pinellas County at about 3:50 p.m. as a cold front swept clouds through the area. Download our new app, 2 Hours, 50 Miles: Severe Storms Spawn Tornadoes Across Tampa Bay, EF-2 Tornado Confirmed in Pinellas County, Cleanup in Pinellas, Polk After Confirmed Tornadoes Blew Through Region, California Consumer Do Not Sell My Personal Information. This is the second tornado to hit North Lakeland in 14 months. Jason Sommers saw the tornado warning on the television at his job at an auto auction and called home. Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd personally toured the damage on Gibson Shores Drive on Wednesday night. POLK COUNTY, Texas (KTRK) -- Hours after originally designating a deadly tornado in Polk County as an EF-2, new damage found by a survey team … No injuries have been reported from the incident, but some families were taken to the Red Cross. POLK COUNTY, Texas — Polk County emergency management officials are continuing to assess the damage caused by Wednesday's deadly tornado that reached EF-1 and EF-2 wind speeds between 86-135 mph. Sommers said he is missing a shed and his pontoon boat is upside down in a canal behind his home. Dispatched deputies in the affected neighborhoods were ordered to stay overnight "to ensure safety and security while people are putting their lives back together," Judd said. Next door, Jason Sommers’ wife, Brittney, and three children, 4-year-old Jaxon, 16-year-old Alexis and 14-year-old C.J., were home. Tabor neighborhood also sustained damaged. Because if we find you prowling around on private property, you will go to jail. "I told my fiance to get inside and get the dog. “The roof behind me was lifted up and you could see the circles, you could see the tornado,” Leavitt said. Sheriff’s deputies politely kept even the most belligerent pedestrians from walking down Daughtery Road between Hilltop Lane on the east side and Crafton Drive on the west. Provided by the Anthony and Lynn Duncan, Lakeland, The Ledger, Last Polk dairy farm to become 170 homes in Northwest Lakeland, Is it safe, do we still wear masks? His neighbor’s boat is in pieces in his front yard. The tornado killed at least three people in Polk County and injured dozens more. The same storm threatened east Hillsborough County and Polk County. The tornado was first reported by the National Weather Service at 5:30 p.m. as it tracked from Walker County into Polk County, about 75 miles northeast of Houston. Officials: EF-2 Tornado Touched Down in Polk County By Spectrum News Staff Polk County UPDATED 8:43 PM ET Oct. 19, 2019 PUBLISHED 5:44 AM ET Oct. 19, 2019 PUBLISHED 5:44 AM EDT Oct. 19, 2019 They will be at the church every Monday afternoon, TORNADO AFTERMATH hear from people in the neighborhood tonight on @BN9 pic.twitter.com/PcBvgTRv9O. What had been a 50-foot-tall water oak in front of 5825 Gibson Shores Drive was snapped off about eight feet up the trunk, with the wreckage of branches, limbs, and leaves strewn across the home’s front lawn and driveway. According to Duke Energy, about 2,000 homes and businesses remain without power. Rick Davis, a meteorologist with The National Weather Service’s Ruskin office, confirmed that it was a tornado. He lamented the loss of 5,500 twinkling Christmas lights he had strung up in his palm tree and along his roof line. They also told people leaving the neighborhood that they would not be allowed back in until the powerline hazard was removed. Our new Spectrum News app is the most convenient way to get the stories that matter to you. And he had a stern warning for anyone who might want to see the damage for themselves. “It was a long track tornado — it started in Pinellas County, moved across Tampa Bay, and it looks like it touched down several times,” Davis said, explaining that tornados can touch the ground for up to 10 or 15 minutes at a time and recede back into a cloud. Just as he finished cooking, the power to his side of Daughtery Road was restored at about 7:15 p.m. Back on Gibson Shores Drive, Leavitt was hoping his cat, Ash, was hiding under a bed in one of the bedrooms that still has a roof over it. Ledger reporter Kimberly C. Moore can be reached at kmoore@theledger.com or 863-802-7514. 3 dead, dozens injured after tornado blows through Polk County Spectrum Bay News 9 spoke with a North Lakeland woman, who said she was happy to still have a roof. Get the best experience and stay connected to your community with our Spectrum News app. Follow her on Twitter at @KMooreTheLedger. However, the National Weather Service lifted tornado warnings for those areas at … Both Ames and her grandchildren told me they heard loud noises and then saw the trees right outside the window. Experts answer the questions, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Tabor have only recently returned to their homes. "Once again, it's a wonderful day whenever no one is injured," Judd said. Jeff Padgett, 34, who lives at the corner of Crafton Drive and Daughtery Road, was with his fiance, Elizabeth Berry, and their black and white pit bull, Walter, during the tornado. “I said, Hey, there’s a tornado coming! The tornado appeared to first touch down in northern Walker County and travel east through Polk and Tyler counties. Get notified on your phone in the morning with the latest forecast and news to start your day. "This one was really bad for a couple of houses and bad for a few other houses, but it was not total devastation like we've seen across this country before," Judd said. “There are some in Lakeland and others that were transitioned into the Orlando Red Cross,” said emergency management response. WATCH RADAR: Tornado Causes Extensive Damage In Polk County - Lakeland, FL - Polk County residents awoke Saturday to find that a tornado had touched down in Kathleen and other parts of the county. The store’s sign was toppled and several U-Haul trailers the store rents out were pushed across the road. We're OK. “If we would have left the house just five minutes before, we would have been caught [in the storm.”. Joe said he and his colleagues placed more than … Instead, please call the Polk County Emergency Operations Center to provide your information 936-327-6813.” Governor Greg Abbott issued a statement following reports of widespread damage from severe weather, including a tornado, in several Polk County communities. Davis added that NWS investigators will be out in the morning to determine the EF level of the twister. Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd says a tornado downed power lines and trees around Daughtery Road and Hilltop Lane causing damage to several homes and cutting electric to … Polk County subdivisions hit hardest by tornado (Polk County Emergency Management, Texas). A cluster of storms that progressed through Minnesota on Sunday afternoon produced a handful of possible tornadoes. After it was over, she called him back and said, “Oh my God, it hit our house!”. “Our house wasn’t hit, but we’re helping to clean up,” said one North Lakeland resident. POLK COUNTY, Texas (KTRE) - The National Weather Service in Houston/Galveston said EF-3 damage has been identified following a tornado that moved through Polk County Wednesday. National Weather Service storm spotter Ian Shelton told KPRC 2 he started chasing the storm in … Directly to jail," Judd said. “Throughout its life cycle, it can touch down several times.”. Tornado reportedly touched ground in Polk County Friday night, National Weather Service says Severe weather has battered the Tampa Bay area, knocking down … The tornado damaged buildings, downed trees and caused power outages, but there were no reports of injuries. Polk County Homeowners Cleaning up After A Tornado Touches Down By Ashonti Ford Polk County PUBLISHED 10:12 PM ET Dec. 17, 2020 PUBLISHED 10:12 PM EST Dec. 17, 2020 The National Weather Service says an EF-2 tornado touched down in Polk County after 11 p.m. The garage roof was gone, and material from his home’s roof and soffit, along with a wall were piled onto his truck, his Harley Davidson motorcycle and, saddest of all, his 1967 Mustang. The sheriff said his office has not received any reports of death or injury as a result of the tornado. The county's damage assessment teams will also be out to measure the damage, some of which could not be immediately assessed as it was nearly dark when the tornado touched ground. COVID vaccine: Is it safe, do we still wear masks? The tornado that skated through the Tampa Bay Area Wednesday evening left a lot of work for homeowners. See the path of a deadly tornado that ripped through Polk County on April 22, 2020. "I heard what sounded like a big truck. “They were scared and crying,” Ames said about her grandchildren. "I ask people if you don't live here in these neighborhoods off of Daughtery Road tonight, don't come down here. Polk County 'This isn't supposed to happen': Polk County neighbors work to clear a path toward healing after a tornado devastates homes ahead of the holidays “It was just ripping the roof off right behind me...the whole roof just disappeared. “I would’ve got squished if I had stayed out here,” he said. "We can repair houses. A late afternoon long-track large #Tornado caused massive damage in Onalaska, Polk County, TX. The tornado was first reported by the National Weather Service at 5:30 p.m. as it tracked from Walker County into Polk County, about 75 miles northeast of Houston. The tornado also touched down in North Tampa and then made its way to Kathleen and finally the Gibsonia area about 85 minutes after its first appearance in Pinellas Park. 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