Tornadoes · United States · Florida · 2016
EF1 tornado, Mulat, Florida, February 23, 2016
This EF1 tornado ran 2.7 miles across Santa Rosa County on February 23, 2016, touching down at 8:17 PM CST and reaching 100 yards wide. It killed nobody, and did $75,000 of property damage.
The rating scale
Tracks are drawn in the color of the rating. The Enhanced Fujita scale rates the damage rather than measuring the wind: the speeds are what that damage is taken to imply.
EF065 to 85 mph
Light damage. Surface peeled off some roofs, gutters and siding damaged, branches broken, shallow-rooted trees pushed over.
EF186 to 110 mphthis tornado
Moderate damage. Roofs badly stripped, mobile homes overturned or badly damaged, exterior doors lost, windows broken.
EF2111 to 135 mph
Considerable damage. Roofs torn off well-built houses, frame homes shifted on their foundations, mobile homes destroyed, large trees snapped or uprooted, cars lifted off the ground.
EF3136 to 165 mph
Severe damage. Whole stories of well-built houses destroyed, large buildings badly damaged, trains overturned, trees debarked, heavy cars lifted and thrown.
EF4166 to 200 mph
Devastating damage. Well-built houses leveled, structures with weak foundations moved some distance, cars thrown and large missiles generated.
EF5over 200 mph
Incredible damage. Strong frame houses swept off their foundations, car-sized missiles thrown more than 100 meters, steel-reinforced concrete badly damaged, high-rise buildings deformed.
Unrated
The survey recorded a tornado but could not put a number on it, most often because it crossed open country and damaged nothing a rating can be read from.
The record
- Rating
- EF1
- Date
- February 23, 2016
- Touchdown
- 8:17 PM CST (02:17 UTC)
- Lifted
- 8:21 PM CST (02:21 UTC)
- On the ground
- 4 minutes
- Path length
- 2.7 miles (4.3 km)
- Path width
- 100 yards (91 m)
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- $75,000
- County
- Santa Rosa County
- Touchdown point
- 30.533, -87.132
- Lift-off point
- 30.556, -87.096
- Record number
- 1602232017-01
The damage survey
21 damage points were recorded along this path by NWS MOB, in the Damage Assessment Toolkit the survey teams carry. The strongest indicator was rated EF3. The highest wind the damage implies is 155 mph.
- several homes with minor to moderate roof damage
- Minor roof damage to several homes. 100-150 yard width.
- center point. 250-300 yard width.
- Near end point. Estimated center 1/8 mile to the north
Survey points are preliminary and are the raw material the published rating was built from. Source: NWS Damage Assessment Toolkit.
What the Weather Service recorded
A unusually strong storm system produced a highly favorable setup for severe thunderstorms and tornadoes. The highest impact across the Florida Panhandle was from a strong tornado that impacted the Pensacola metro. Some flooding was also experienced.
The tornado from Escambia County Florida moved into Santa Rosa County after moving across Escambia Bay. Some of the debris from the GE plant in Escambia County was found on the western shoreline of Santa Rosa County. EF-1 damage to trees and homes was observed near San Juan Street at Sealark Lane. The tornado continue northeast, producing additional EF-1 damage primarily to trees with some minor damage noted to other homes. The tornado finally lifted near Shetland Circle just west of Avalon Boulevard.
From NOAA NCEI's Storm Events Database, the narrative the local forecast office wrote for Storm Data.
The warnings
5 minutes of warning. NWS MOB issued a tornado warning for this county at 02:12 UTC, 5 minutes before the tornado touched down, in force until 02:45 UTC.
The county was under a tornado watch, issued at 02:10 UTC and running to 05:29 UTC.
| Issued (UTC) | Expired | Product | Office |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18:00 UTC | 00:00 UTC | Wind Advisory | MOB |
| 20:15 UTC | 02:09 UTC | Tornado Watch | MOB |
| 00:00 UTC | 00:00 UTC | High Surf Advisory | MOB |
| 00:00 UTC | 18:00 UTC | Coastal Flood Advisory | MOB |
| 01:23 UTC | 02:30 UTC | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MOB |
| 02:05 UTC | 02:14 UTC | Tornado Warning | MOB |
| 02:10 UTC | 05:29 UTC | Tornado Watch | MOB |
| 02:12 UTC | 02:45 UTC | Tornado Warning | MOB |
| 02:43 UTC | 03:00 UTC | Tornado Warning | MOB |
| 03:29 UTC | 03:47 UTC | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MOB |
Every warning and watch covering the touchdown point that day, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service products. Lead time is measured from the issue of the warning in force to the touchdown time in the database, both of which were recorded to the minute by different people.
The forecast that day
The Storm Prediction Center had this point in a Moderate Risk, with a 0.15 chance of a tornado within 25 miles, in the hatched area where significant tornadoes were expected. The outlook in force was issued at 01:00 UTC.
SPC's Day 1 convective outlook as it stood when the tornado began, read at the touchdown point. The same archive is on the radar archive.
The radar
The Mobile radar (KMOB), 109 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the touchdown began at 02:17 UTC.
Open the radar archive at this moment, over the track
Reflectivity and velocity, decoded from the Level II archive in the browser. Volumes take a few seconds to open the first time.
What was reported nearby
Local storm reports within 60 km of the path, in the three hours either side.
| Time (UTC) | Report | Where | County | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 02:00 UTC | TORNADO | 2 Ese Brent | Escambia, FL | DUNWOODY DRIVE...TREES DOWN ON CARS...TREES BLOCKING ROAD IN ALL DIRECTIONS. |
| 02:06 UTC | TORNADO | 2 Ese Brent | Escambia, FL | DUNWOODY DR., TREES DOWN ON CARS, TREES BLOCKING ROAD IN ALL DIRECTIONS. |
| 02:10 UTC | TORNADO | 4 Ne Brent | Escambia, FL | GLADSTONE DR. HOME DAMAGED, GARAGE DESTROYED. |
| 02:14 UTC | TORNADO | 5 Ne Brent | Escambia, FL | TWO BUILDINGS DESTROYED AT THE GE PLANT. |
| 02:18 UTC | TORNADO | 5 Se Pace | Santa Rosa, FL | INTERSECTION OF 14TH AND SAN MIGUEL CLOSED DUE TO DEBRIS ON ROADWAY. |
| 02:20 UTC | TORNADO | 1 W Brent | Escambia, FL | 1 MILE W OF YNIESTRA ON I-10. CAR BLOWN OFF INTERSTATE, TREES BLOCKING LANES OF HWY. AND DAMAGE TO FENCING. |
| 03:15 UTC | FLOOD | Milton | Santa Rosa, FL | FLOODING AT CARPENTERS PARK IN MILTON |
| 03:35 UTC | FLASH FLOOD | Crestview | Okaloosa, FL | NUMEROUS REPORTS OF ROADS FLOODED. |
| 03:35 UTC | FLASH FLOOD | Valparaiso | Okaloosa, FL | NUMEROUS FLOODED ROADS OVER THE SOUTHERN PART OF OKALOOSA COUNTY. |
From the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service local storm reports.
This ground now
The live radar over the trackEvery 2016 tornado in FloridaEvery tornado in Florida since 1950Warnings in force in Florida nowThe forecast where you are
The other tornadoes of February 23, 2016
38 more were confirmed in the United States that day.
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| February 23 | 5:53 AM CST | EF0 | Wharton, TX | 2.0 | 30 | |||
| February 23 | 11:11 AM CST | EF0 | Jefferson Parish, LA | 0.6 | 50 | |||
| February 23 | 11:20 AM CST | EF0 | Iberville Parish, LA | 3.3 | 50 | |||
| February 23 | 12:08 PM CST | EF0 | Ascension Parish, LA | 1.6 | 200 | |||
| February 23 | 12:42 PM CST | EF2 | Livingston Parish, LA | 4.3 | 625 | |||
| February 23 | 1:14 PM CST | EF0 | Saint Helena Parish, LA | 0.3 | 50 | |||
| February 23 | 2:37 PM CST | EF1 | St. Mary Parish, LA | 2.6 | 50 | $40,000 | ||
| February 23 | 3:10 PM CST | EF0 | Iberville Parish, LA | 1.0 | 200 | |||
| February 23 | 3:21 PM CST | EF3 | Assumption Parish, LA | 7.8 | 350 | |||
| February 23 | 3:31 PM CST | EF2 | Saint James Parish, LA | 12.9 | 350 | 2 | 75 | |
| February 23 | 3:45 PM CST | EF1 | Lincoln, MS | 0.5 | 75 | $40,000 | ||
| February 23 | 3:49 PM CST | EF1 | Pearl River, MS | 9.5 | 150 | |||
| February 23 | 3:50 PM CST | EF1 | Pearl River, MS | 5.2 | 200 | $25,000 | ||
| February 23 | 4:07 PM CST | EF0 | Lamar, MS | 0.1 | 25 | $5,000 | ||
| February 23 | 4:15 PM CST | EF1 | Saint John the Baptist Parish, LA | 3.1 | 250 | |||
| February 23 | 4:15 PM CST | EF2 | Lamar, MS | 5.6 | 100 | 1 | $105,000 | |
| February 23 | 4:22 PM CST | EF0 | Pickens, AL | 4.8 | 150 | |||
| February 23 | 4:29 PM CST | EF1 | Lamar, MS | 1.4 | 75 | $10,000 | ||
| February 23 | 4:32 PM CST | EF2 | Saint John the Baptist Parish, LA | 4.7 | 250 | 17 | ||
| February 23 | 4:41 PM CST | EF0 | Saint Tammany Parish, LA | 0.4 | 25 | |||
| February 23 | 4:42 PM CST | EF0 | Yazoo, MS | 1.1 | 100 | $25,000 | ||
| February 23 | 4:46 PM CST | EF0 | Simpson, MS | 0.6 | 40 | $13,000 | ||
| February 23 | 5:13 PM CST | EF0 | Saint Tammany Parish, LA | 1.5 | 75 | |||
| February 23 | 5:25 PM CST | EF1 | Greene, MS | 1.5 | 75 | $100,000 | ||
| February 23 | 5:32 PM CST | EF1 | Greene, MS | 0.0 | 75 | $25,000 | ||
| February 23 | 5:45 PM CST | EF1 | Greene, MS | 1.6 | 150 | $200,000 | ||
| February 23 | 6:01 PM CST | EF1 | Marion, AL | 2.2 | 300 | |||
| February 23 | 6:01 PM CST | EF0 | Forrest, MS | 3.9 | 75 | $15,000 | ||
| February 23 | 8:10 PM CST | EF3 | Escambia, FL | 3.0 | 300 | 3 | $22 million | |
| February 23 | 10:15 PM CST | EF0 | Houston, AL | 2.8 | 200 | $50,000 | ||
| February 23 | 10:24 PM CST | EF1 | Dale, AL | 4.8 | 200 | |||
| February 23 | 10:31 PM CST | EF1 | Houston, AL | 1.6 | 350 | $50,000 | ||
| February 23 | 10:34 PM CST | EF1 | Houston, AL | 3.7 | 900 | $75,000 | ||
| February 23 | 10:38 PM CST | EF1 | Henry, AL | 1.1 | 300 | $50,000 | ||
| February 23 | 10:54 PM CST | EF0 | Henry, AL | 0.4 | 100 | |||
| February 23 | 11:02 PM CST | EF1 | Henry, AL | 0.5 | 150 | |||
| February 23 | 12:07 AM EST | EF1 | Early, GA | 2.2 | 350 | |||
| February 23 | 12:55 AM EST | EF1 | Terrell, GA | 5.1 | 200 |
What this means
Ratings are the survey's, read off the damage rather than measured; the rating scale is above. Tornado counts rise through the record as reporting improved, so a year in the 1950s is not comparable with one today except for the strongest tornadoes, which were always noticed.
Sources
NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database, 1950-2025, the official record kept by NOAA's Storm Prediction Center.