Power Outage in Wauchula, FL

In Hardee County, maximum winds were estimated between 30 and 40 mph in gusts. Rainfall estimates generally ranged from 1 to 3 inches. Approximately 100 customers experienced power outages.

Law enforcement relayed web cam capture of small, short-lived rope tornado. Power lines reported down in the area.

Several power poles were snapped from strong gradient winds near the intersection of FL-62 and FL-37. The poles were installed incorrectly.

Roof damage and downed power poles were found in Wauchula along US Highway 17. An NWS storm survey crew had difficulty differentiating tornado damage from the surrounding hurricane damage, but given that the initial damage report was received well before the tropical storm and hurricane force winds arrived, it was determined that a brief tornado more than likely touched down. Time was estimated from radar.

In Hardee County, the highest wind reported from Hurricane Irma was a gust to 69 knots at the Hardee County Emergency Operations Center in Wauchula. Rainfall was generally around 6 inches or greater, with the highest rain total being 10.58 inches at a mesonet station in Zolfo Springs. The wind resulted in damage to numerous homes, as well as knocking over trees and power lines. Hardee County Emergency Management reported that 10 homes or businesses were destroyed by Irma, 20 sustained major damage, 71 had minor damage, and an additional 59 were affected.||Additional damage occurred due to the high rain totals causing flooding on the Peace River. An EF-1 tornado was also found to have briefly touched down in Wauchula along US Highway 17 causing roof and power pole damage.||The total property damage from Hardee County was estimated at $3.32 million, of which, $1.64 million was estimated to be caused by wind damage. Additionally, crop damage to citrus plants in Hardee County was roughly estimated at $57.5 million.

Hardee County Emergency Management relayed numerous reports of trees and power lines knocked down across Wauchula and Bowling Green from wind damage. The 911 call center received a total of 163 calls within a 3 hour window as a result of the storm.

Tropical Storm Colin moved onshore in the Big Bend region of Florida with a minimum central pressure of 1000 mb.||In Hardee County, strong winds knocked a tree and power lines onto a house in Wachula, causing minor fire damage to the insulation in the home. Another tree fell on a house in Wauchula, causing minor damage to a tin roof.

A Hardee County 911 operator relayed a report of a downed powerline on Colin Road near Wauchula. A resident came in contact with a live wire and was injured.

A few small trees were blown down and a few power poles were damaged. No damage occurred to near-by mobile homes.

Several medium to large oak trees were uprooted and snapped, and power lines were down at the intersection of West Main Street and Terrell Road.

A local utility reported that thunderstorm winds snapped several wooden power poles eight miles east of Zolfo Springs along State Road 66.

The Peace River Electric Company reported that thunderstorm winds downed several power lines and large trees over rural southwest Hardee county.