PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla — Aerial video of a neighborhood in Crystal River showed a shattered home with its roof completely blown off. We talked with one Clearwater woman in bed when she heard her roof being ripped away.
"I felt a little bit of rain, and when the wall collapsed, then I could feel rain and a little bit of glass, so I just got under the covers, pulled the covers up, and then I got a pillow and put it over my head," Ann Burchenal explained.
In Dunedin, a top-floor condo unit ripped apart. One man there told us he’s been through significant storms, but this one felt different.
"It only lasted about maybe 20 seconds. But, oh my god, I have never heard anything so scary in my whole entire life, and I'm 61 years old. I've been through hurricanes here. We have major damage here. It's one of the scariest things that I've ever experienced," George LeBlanc added.
According to FSU's Climate Center, Florida sees more tornadoes per 10,000 square miles than any other state, even Oklahoma. That includes waterspouts that touch the ground and turn into a tornado.
We wanted to go in-depth with Meteorologist Greg Dee about how common tornadoes are in Tampa Bay. He said Florida has already had more than 40 just this year.
"One thing to remember about Florida tornadoes, compared to tornadoes in the Midwest, is that, unlike the Midwest where they, on average, get 15 to 20 minutes of warning, we typically get tornadoes here with almost no warning because they last such a short period of time, and they form so quickly. We actually get tornadoes without any warnings at all," Dee explained.
Dee said the number of funnel clouds and tornadoes Thursday is concerning, but it indicates what an El Nino winter could bring.
"What we saw last night is what we really are going to be seeing more of as we go through this winter, unfortunately, so the big takeaway there is for people to really be prepared for what will happen if severe thunderstorms or chain of tornadoes come to your area," Brian LaMarre, with the NWS, said.
Dee and the NWS urge people to stay alert this winter because even weaker tornadoes can bring destruction within minutes.
“I had to crawl over my bed to get to the other side… Anyway, here I am, and I’m fortunate to be here, I think," Burchenal added.
