Expires:No;;642355 NOUS42 KKEY 201712 CCA PNSKEY FLZ076>078-180500- Public Information Statement...Corrected National Weather Service Key West FL 1139 AM EST Tue Feb 20 2024 Corrected typo in first survey segment ...NWS DAMAGE SURVEY FOR 02/18/24 TORNADO EVENT... .OVERVIEW...A low topped supercell embedded within a squall line moved across the Lower Florida Keys during the early afternoon of Sunday, February 18th, 2024. The NWS Florida Keys were able to survey as well as collect resident video and consultation with Monroe County Fire Rescue services on a landfalling waterspout from Cudjoe Bay, and observed damage on Cudjoe and Big Torch Keys. While not conclusive via video and due to much of the path over water, it is possible the two separate areas of damage over land was either due a continuous waterspout/tornado path. Note that the path length for each segment details the path length of the tornado including all land points for each Key and not the total length of the entire waterspout and tornado. .CUDJOE-BIG TORCH TORNADO CUDJOE KEY SEGMENT... Rating: EF0 Estimated Peak Wind: 85 mph Path Length /statute/: 0.8 miles Path Width /maximum/: 150 yards Fatalities: 0 Injuries: 0 Start Date: 02/18/2024 Start Time: 0102 PM EST Start Location: 2 ESE Cudjoe Key / Monroe County / FL Start Lat/Lon: 24.655 / -81.476 End Date: 02/18/2024 End Time: 0104 PM EST End Location: 2 E Cudjoe Key / Monroe County / FL End Lat/Lon: 24.663 / -81.467 Survey Summary: A waterspout was observed by resident video of a mature waterspout passing just to the north of the southern end of Cudjoe Key, entering Cudjoe Bay on a northeast path. The waterspout made landfall in a residential section along Cudjoe Bay near Spanish Main Drive and moved through a resort community of mixed single family and manufactured residences. The rating is based on tree damage including snapped hardwood branches and a healthy palm trunk roughly 15 feet above the ground. The top portion of the tree fell onto a manufactured residence with major wall damage and release of numerous roofing panels deposited as far as 300 yards to the northeast. Siding was removed from several residences. The tornado exited the northeast portion of the community and traveled over the western portion of Kemp Channel, before crossing U.S. Highway One just west of the Kemp Channel Bridge. A small hardwood tree and several large hardwood limbs were downed to the north just west of the western bridge abutment. .CUDJOE-BIG TORCH TORNADO BIG TORCH KEY SEGMENT... Rating: EF0 Estimated Peak Wind: 75 mph Path Length /statute/: 0.4 miles Path Width /maximum/: 80 yards Fatalities: 0 Injuries: 0 Start Date: 02/18/2024 Start Time: 0110 PM EST Start Location: 2 NNE Summerland Key / Monroe County / FL Start Lat/Lon: 24.700 / -81.430 End Date: 02/18/2024 End Time: 0111 PM EST End Location: 2 NNE Summerland Key / Monroe County / FL End Lat/Lon: 24.704 / -81.426 Survey Summary: A waterspout, possibly an extension of the path of the Cudjoe Key tornado segment, was observed by resident video of a mature waterspout approaching the western shore of Big Torch Key from Niles Channel approximately 2.5 miles north of the Niles Channel Bridge. The waterspout made landfall as a tornado north of Osprey Lane and moved northeast, crossing Dorn Road about three miles north of U.S. Highway One. Numerous large hardwood branches were broken off from area trees with a lightweight residential amenities depositied along a narrow path about 125 yards to the northeast. No assessment could be made further northeast due to dense mangrove marshland as the tornado moved toward the northern portion of Pine Channel. && EF Scale: The Enhanced Fujita Scale classifies tornadoes into the following categories: EF0...Weak......65 to 85 mph EF1...Weak......86 to 110 mph EF2...Strong....111 to 135 mph EF3...Strong....136 to 165 mph EF4...Violent...166 to 200 mph EF5...Violent...>200 mph NOTE: The information in this statement is preliminary and subject to change pending final review of the events and publication in NWS Storm Data. $$