Power Outage in Orange Park, FL

Multiple trees were blown down in Orange Park. There were numerous power outages.

A spotter reported wind damage near Reed Street and Via Tisdalle where an oak tree was blown down. There was also tree and power line damage on Stowe Avenue between US 17 and Astor Street. The cost of damage was estimated.

An extensive wind damage event occurred across Clay county associated with several long tracked severe downbursts. One downburst was the rear-flank downdraft of a tornadic supercell that produced an EF1 tornado in Lawtey, just west of the western Clay county line. As the RFD descended, a severe downburst raced across the northern tier o Clay county from about 10:08 pm local time through 10:35 pm local time which caused widespread wind damage to structures in Middleburg, Doctor's Inlet, Doctor's Lake, Fleming Island, and Orange Park. Another storm within the squall line impacted Keystone Heights where a wind gust of 50 mph was measured at 10:15 pm by the AWOS at the Keystone Airport. Peak wind gusts were estimated between 70-80 mph per Storm Surveys. Below is a timeline of wind damage reports across Clay county as reported to the NWS for this wind event. ||At 10:08 pm, Emergency Management reported multiple homes with trees down on them near Keystone Heights. At 10:15 pm, the general public reported numerous trees and power lines were blown down along State Road 100 and Twin Lakes Road, about 2 miles SE of Keystone Heights. There was also a report of a roof blown off of a home. Also around 10:15 pm, a NWS storm spotter about 6 miles NNE of Middleburg reported a large live oak tree was blown down and a small gazebo was destroyed. There was also small hail observed, but size was not reported. At 10:15, the public reported tree tops were snapped and damage near Asbury Lake with small hail (unknown size). At 10:20 pm, a HAM radio operator located 3 miles NE of Lakeside reported a tree was blown down and partially blocked Doctor's Lake Drive in Orange Park. A storm survey of this area later revealed extensive large tree damage and structural damage to homes, some uninhabitable due to the extent of damage. Many trees were over 1 ft in diameter, which included large live oaks and water oaks. Around this time, a spotter later relayed fence damage, a flag pole blown down and tree limb damage in Lakeside with wind gusts estimated at 70 mph. At 10:20 pm, a HAM radio operator about 5 miles SE of Lakeside reported another large tree was blown down which partially blocked the Woodlands Subdivision on Fleming Island. Around the same time, a large pine tree was reported blown down by the media along Cornell Road in Middleburg. Around this time, a spotter in Middleburg estimated 60 mph wind gusts. This tree damaged power lines. Another report from the media around this time indicated a tree was blown down on a home along Main Street about 3 miles ENE of Middleburg. At 10:25 pm, the media reported extensive tree down, fence damage, and patio furniture debris at the intersection of Kingsley Avenue and Doctor's Lake Drive in Orange Park Florida. At this same time, a NWS employee was driving into work along Highway 17 between Pace Island on Fleming Island and the Doctor's Lake Bridge. The employee experienced very strong westerly wind gusts of 60-70 mph. At 10:25 pm, the public reported tops of trees blown down and hail of unknown size about 6 miles SW of Lakeside. At 10:27 pm, tree damage was reported in Orange Park along U.S. Highway 17 between Stowe and Milwaukee Avenues.||There was one injury reported in Clay county with this event. A shelter was opened for residents. Extensive damage to homes occurred in Keystone Heights, Clay Hill and Orange Park. There was damage to homes in Fleming Island Plantation, including shingle damage, and wind damage to Fleming Island High School and Thunderbolt Elementary had street signs damage and large posts blown over.

Power lines were blown down in Orange Park and around 4,000 customers were without power.

Power lines and large tree limbs were blown down in Orange Park. Power was lost.

Hurricane "Frances"Trained spotter reported a tornado in Orange Park. Widespread damage occurred to trees and the power went out.

Power lines down in northern portions of town.

Trees uprooted and felled across power lines. 21,000 people affected by power outages. Source Florida Times Union 6/7/03.

Large trees down onto power lines.

Large trees and power lines were blown down.

Large trees and power lines were blown down.

Large trees and power lines were blown down.