NWS crews find damage consistent with EF-1 tornado in Marion County, Florida
Damage from severe storms stretched from Florida to North Carolina
Debris litters North Florida road following severe storm
Buildings in North Florida suffered damage after tornado-warned storms swept through the region on Saturday footage shows. Video taken by Travis Baldwin shows debris littering Highway 200 in Ocala.
OCALA, Fla. – Survey crews with the National Weather Service say they have found damage consistent with an EF-1 tornado in Marion County, Florida after lines of severe storms moved across the Southeast on Saturday.
The NWS said damage from the first report of the tornado was found near Dunnellon, where a large billboard was knocked over, and siding was peeled off a building.
(FOX Weather)
More damage was found on Ocala's southern and eastern sides, where several trees were uprooted, power lines were downed, and several residents, including apartment buildings, suffered damage.
The tornado touched down around 7:48 a.m., 1 mile to the west of Dunnellon and was on the ground for around 25 miles before lifting back into the air east of Ocala around 8:15 a.m.
Luckily, no injuries were reported.
The NWS says the tornado had winds around 110 mph and was about 200 yards wide.
Damage reports from severe storms stretched from Florida to North Carolina, with strong, damaging winds being the main culprit.
Damage reports from Friday and Saturday
(FOX Weather)
Ocala was one of the hardest-hit areas, which is where the EF-1 tornado went through Saturday morning.
Photos show snapped trees, roof damage to homes, and at least one 18-wheeler knocked over by a severe storm.
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Image 1 of 8Severe weather impacted Marion County, Florida around 8 a.m. Saturday. (Ocala Fire Rescue)
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Image 2 of 8Severe weather impacted Marion County, Florida around 8 a.m. Saturday. (Ocala Fire Rescue)
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Image 3 of 8A reported tornado damaged vehicles and property in north-central Florida. (Florida Division of Emergency Management)
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Image 4 of 8Severe weather impacted Marion County, Florida around 8 a.m. Saturday. (Ocala Fire Rescue)
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Image 5 of 8A reported tornado damaged vehicles and property in north-central Florida. (Florida Division of Emergency Management)
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Image 6 of 8A reported tornado damaged vehicles and property in north-central Florida. (Florida Division of Emergency Management)
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Image 7 of 8Multiple buildings and vehicles near the 3900 block of State Route 200 are damaged due to a tornado, the Ocala, Florida, Police Department said Saturday morning. No injuries reported at this time. (Ocala Police Department )
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Image 8 of 8Multiple buildings and vehicles near the 3900 block of State Route 200 are damaged due to a tornado, the Ocala, Florida, Police Department said Saturday morning. No injuries reported at this time. (@tmorrow143 / Twitter)
At the height of the storms, nearly 50,000 utility customers were without power across the Sunshine State.
The Florida Division of Emergency Management said they were supporting local authorities to clean up after the system, and the governor declared a state of emergency for several counties to facilitate clean-up.
The Red Cross opened a shelter for victims displaced by the storms in North Central Florida.
Waterspout moves onshore in Fort Myers Beach, Florida
Fort Myers beachgoers ran for safety on Saturday as a waterspout moved onshore in Florida.
Further down the state, beachgoers in Fort Myers were surprised by a waterspout that moved ashore on Saturday morning.
Despite the severe weather, there were no immediate reports of significant injuries.
The stormy weather moved off the East Coast, leaving windy and cool conditions.
Gusts of more than 50 mph were reported behind the front.
Winds died down overnight, allowing temperatures to drop into record low territory.