On the morning of May 10,2024,two significant tornadoes moved through Leon County,Florida,both of which converged over downtown Tallahassee. While damage was primarily to trees,numerous homes suffered damage and the tornadoes also damaged the campuses of numerous educational institutions across Tallahassee. Severe damage occurred to Railroad Square and total damage caused by the storm was estimated at over $184 million (2024 USD).
At 2:12a.m. EDT,the Storm Prediction Center issued a mesoscale discussion over parts of the Southeast,which discussed the formation of a well-developed mesoscale convective system from south-central Alabama to southwestern Mississippi,which existed on the northern edge of an unstable airmass over the central Gulf Coast region. MLCAPE values of 2,500–3,500j/kg,as estimated by the RAP forecast model,in addition to observed 0–6km shear near 50 knots and 0–3km storm-relative helicity values of 200–250 m2/s2 would be favorable for the development of supercells and bowing line segments. These conditions would allow for an isolated tornado threat to develop along or ahead of the line,in addition to the threat of isolated severe wind gusts.[2]
At 405a.m.,a severe thunderstorm watch was issued over the Florida panhandle and southern Georgia. Multiple squall lines with bowing segments had developed and were expected to continue tracking south-southeastward,with the primary threat being damaging wind gusts up to 80mph (130km/h),with risks for isolated large hail and tornadoes also outlined.[3]
Tornado summaries
Radar mosaic of storms moving across the Southeastern United States on the morning of May 10,2024
First tornado
The first tornado that would impact Tallahassee touched down in Gadsden County,Florida at 6:36a.m. and tracked southeastward over forested areas,damaging a barn and causing tree damage,[4] before entering Leon County. Here,a mobile home park suffered extensive tree damage and several home sustained damage from falling trees at Emily Loop,before the tornado crossed U.S. 90,where it caused damage to a shopping center and a hotel at the intersection of Capital Circle Northwest and U.S. 90. After crossing Capital Circle,the tornado approached Blountstown Highway while intensifying to EF2 strength. An automotive repair building on the highway suffered EF2 damage,while 75ft (23m) above the ground,a swath of tree damage with nearly all pine trees snapped at a similar height was surveyed,an area of damage that would extend across Pat Thomas Boulevard.[5]
Educational institutions and Railroad Square
The tornado then approached the campuses of Lively Technical College and Tallahassee Community College.[5] Impact at the latter included 400 trees downed on campus,numerous campus buildings sustaining damage,two Tallahassee Community College-owned trucks being declared a complete loss,and an electrical substation that provided energy to the site being destroyed.[6] The next area to be impacted was a high-density residential area,where widespread EF1 damage occurred.[5]
Over Gaines street,the tornado damaged multiple businesses,and a construction crane collapsed. At Railroad Square,multiple warehouses suffered severe damage.[5] Damage was compared to that of Hurricane Andrew in Miami,with one art gallery being entirely destroyed. Multiple buildings in the vicinity of the art district lost their roofs.[8] In addition,the roof of a railway depot suffered severe damage.[5]
Downtown Tallahassee and dissipation
South of the Florida State Capitol in downtown Tallahassee near the Florida Department of Education building,the tornado continued to damage trees,while also turning southward as it began to interact with the second tornado to the south of it. Further damage occurred to Myers and Cascades park before the tornado passed through Country Club Estates and the Capital City Country Club before its damage path converged with the southern tornado.[5]
Second tornado
This tornado touched down at 6:50a.m. at William's Landing in Lake Talquin State Park,initially travelling east-southeast while doing EF1 damage to trees before crossing the intersection of Blountstown highway and Ft. Braden Trail Road,where it assumed a bearing of due east. Further damage occurred at Lake Talquin State Recreational Area,where further tree damage occurred. The tornado then entered Tallahassee proper and struck the neighborhoods of Seminole Manor and Mabry Manor,before approaching Florida A&M University where more tree damage occurred and roof damage to at least two of the institution's buildings occurred.[9] At Bragg Memorial Stadium at Florida A&M,a light tower was folded in half.[10] Widespread EF0 shingle damage occurred to homes and businesses along this part of the track.
Over the Capital City Country Club,the northern tornado's damage path converged with the southern one's,with the southern of the two becoming the apparent dominant circulation. The now-dominant tornado would produce EF2 damage to trees between the country club and the Indian Head Acres subdivision,where numerous trees were snapped at a height of about 75ft (23m) by winds estimated at 115mph (185km/h). Following this,EF1 damage to trees would occur as the tornado tracked through the Paradise Village East subdivision of Tallahassee,before crossing U.S. Route 27 where more tree damage occurred,and dissipating upon reaching the border of Leon and Jefferson counties. The southern tornado had a path length of 24.81mi (39.93km) and reached a peak width of 1,400yd (1,300m) over downtown Tallahassee. Two fatalities occurred;one occurred when a tree fell on a mobile home,and a second was killed when another tree fell on someone who was outdoors at the time.[9]
Aftermath
EF1 damage to a warehouse at Railroad Square
Governor of FloridaRon DeSantis declared a state of emergency for several counties in Florida,including Leon,on May 10. Over 66,000 power outages were recorded at one point,[11] including half of Tallahassee itself. 100 power poles were downed during the event,[12] a figure higher than the amount broken during hurricanes Hermine,Michael,and Idalia combined.[13]
The cost to the city of Tallahassee was $50 million as of May 31,2024;however,the toll was rising and the possibility of the final cost reaching $100 million eventually was noted.[14] From Leon County,the final cost was $8.3 million,$7.3 million of which would go towards debris cleanup,with an additional $1 million was set aside to assist property owners in affected areas.[15] Based on the median price of property in Tallahassee,the National Centers for Environmental Information estimated that combined damage from both tornadoes would total $184.1 million (2024 USD). Individual damage costs for both tornadoes were determined by splitting the total in half,as both merged over Tallahassee.[5]
Railroad Square was reopened relatively quickly following the tornado. Various businesses suffered severe damage,with one closing permanently. The owners of Railroad Square stated that the building will never be able to be completely rebuilt due to the site's historic warehouse housing conflicting with modern building codes.[16]
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