SANFORD, Fla. – Seminole County officials say the National Weather Service will be in Sanford Tuesday to survey the damage after the agency confirmed Sanford is where one of three tornadoes touched down in Central Florida on Monday morning.
According to the NWS, they reports of a tornado touching down near the Lake Jessup area began around 11:45 a.m. Monday.
Several residents recorded the funnel cloud looming near the Orlando-Sanford International Airport. Paul Tweed heard the alert on his weather radio and watched from his second floor bedroom window while his children, in the middle of their virtual school day, sought shelter downstairs.
“It was kind of like an adrenaline rush. I had never seen a tornado in real life,” Tweed said. “It sounded more like a roar. So you could hear it before you could see it and you can see the funnel cloud start coming down.”
Seminole County has been in contact with @NWSMelbourne to determine what type of weather system was spotted south of Boombah Sports Complex. pic.twitter.com/Kkywi14j2r
— Seminole County, FL (@seminolecounty) April 20, 2020
He said the tornado was a few hundred yards away but then went in the opposite direction toward the Boombah Sports Complex in Sanford. There, Shane Harlowe watched the tornado come closer while his friend recorded as long as he could before they both sought shelter inside.
“By the time that hit, it was protect ourselves at that point,” Harlowe said. “It was too close to home.”
According to Alan Harris, the chief administrator for Seminole County Emergency Management, the NWS will be in Sanford to survey any damage to the area. As of early Monday afternoon, Harris said there were no reports of significant damage or injuries.
“It looks like at this point, Seminole County was spared what could have been a very devastating and dangerous tornado,” Harris said.