Power Outage in Fort Pierce, FL

Based on pictures and videos received from Saint Lucie County Emergency management, trained spotters, local broadcast media, and the public, an EF-0 tornado impacted parts of north-central Saint Lucie County. Peak winds are estimated between 65-70 mph. The discontinuous tornado track began approximately 7 miles northwest of Lakewood Park, in a field north of Florida's Turnpike and west of Interstate 95 at approximately 1706LST. The tornado drifted slowly to the south and east, eventually moving across the Turnpike near mile marker 161 at approximately 1714LST. The tornado then tracked southeast where it damaged the roof of a barn, knocked down power lines, and tipped over a trailer at the 14500th block of West Angle Road at 1717LST. The tornado dissipated over a field shortly thereafter.

A Weatherflow site at the Saint Lucie Nuclear Power Plant (XSTL) measured a peak wind gust of 60 mph. A second gust of 58 mph was measured at 1348LST.

In Saint Lucie County, sustained tropical storm force winds affected the barrier islands, with gusts to tropical storm force in squalls through much of the remainder of the county from early evening on November 8 through sunrise on November 9. The highest sustained wind was measured at the Saint Lucie Nuclear Power Plant (48 mph from the east-northeast at 1842LST on November 8) and the peak gust was also at the Saint Lucie Nuclear Power Plant (60 mph from the east-northeast at 1842LST on November 8).

In Saint Lucie County, sustained tropical storm force winds affected the barrier islands, with gusts to tropical storm force in squalls through much of the remainder of the county from early morning through late afternoon August 2. The highest sustained wind was measured at the Saint Lucie Nuclear Power Plant (41 mph from the northeast at 0705LST on August 2), and the peak gust was also at the Saint Lucie Nuclear Power Plant (46 mph from the northeast at 0705LST on August 2).

Weatherflow site XSTL near the Saint Lucie Nuclear Power Plant measured a peak wind gust of 62 mph from the southeast.

Category 3 Hurricane Irma made landfall near Naples during the late afternoon of September 10. Irma then moved northward across west-central Florida during the evening while weakening to a Category 2 hurricane approximately 95 miles west of Ft. Pierce. A long duration of damaging winds occurred across St. Lucie County, with a period of frequent gusts to hurricane force. The highest sustained wind was measured at the Treasure Coast International Airport in Ft. Pierce (71 mph from the southeast at 1806LST on September 10) and the peak gust was 100 mph from the southeast at 1804LST at the St. Lucie Power Plant on Hutchinson Island. Total estimated damage to residential and business structures as well as beach erosion and mosquito impoundments was $62 million. Damage generally involved roof shingles/tiles, soffits, awnings, and pool enclosures. A few houses, condos and businesses lost portions of their roofs, primarily along the coast, with additional damage due to water intrusion. Numerous trees were uprooted or snapped. A total of 150,000 homes and businesses lost power. A total of 2,365 residents evacuated to shelters within the county. There was one indirect hurricane-related fatality when a 52-year old man driving north on Interstate 95 during heavy rain and tropical storm force gusts veered into a street lamp. The car overturned in standing water and the man drowned.

Florida Power and Light reported a power pole snapped in a rural area of St. Lucie County between Interstate 95 and the Florida Turnpike. The damage occurred as a severe thunderstorm traveled southwest from the Vero Beach area and acquired strong low-level rotation, resulting in a brief tornado touchdown. Photos of the damage suggest EF-1 damage (90-100 mph).

Florida Power and Light reported that a wooden power pole was snapped due to high winds as a severe thunderstorm crossed into a rural area of St. Lucie County to the southwest of the Florida Turnpike, near Highway 68. Straight-line winds were estimated at 90-100 mph.

A mesonet site near the St. Lucie Nuclear Power Plant (XSTL) recorded sustained northeast winds of 45 mph. These winds impacted much of the St. Lucie County barrier islands. Gusts of 50-60 mph occurred, especially during passing squalls.

Thunderstorm winds blew down power lines in Ft. Pierce.

A power plant worker was injured by lightning while in a working basket on top of a crane on a utility truck.

Thunderstorm winds blew down a few trees and power lines in Fort Pierce.

Thunderstorm winds blew down trees and power lines and broke windows in Port Saint Lucie.

Thunderstorm winds blew down a few trees and power lines in Port Saint Lucie. A small travel trailer and a porch screen was damaged.

A cluster of thunderstorms moved onshore from the Atlantic and organized into a long-lived severe storm as it moved southwest at 30 mph. The storm produced large hail in Vero Beach, then snapped four wooden power poles west of Vero Beach. As the storm continued farther southwest into rural Indian River and St. Lucie Counties, the cell acquired rotation and a brief tornado developed and damaged a power pole between Interstate 95 and the Florida Turnpike. Additional sporadic wind damage occurred to powerlines and a power pole near and southwest of the Florida Turnpike.