Tornadoes · United States · Florida · 2017
EF1 tornado, Saint Johns County, Florida, February 7, 2017
This EF1 tornado ran 0.5 miles across Saint Johns County on February 7, 2017, touching down at 10:37 PM EST and reaching 160 yards wide. It killed nobody.
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 7, 2017
- Touchdown
- 10:37 PM EST (03:37 UTC)
- Lifted
- 10:40 PM EST (03:40 UTC)
- On the ground
- 3 minutes
- Path length
- 0.5 miles (0.9 km)
- Path width
- 160 yards (146 m)
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- County
- Saint Johns County
- Touchdown point
- 29.956, -81.535
- Lift-off point
- 29.956, -81.526
- Record number
- 1702072137-01
The warnings
No tornado warning for this county appears in the archive as in force at the moment the tornado touched down.
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 Marginal Risk. The outlook in force was issued at 01:15 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 air that afternoon
The radiosonde launches on either side of the tornado, from the nearest station that was launching then, drawn and analyzed the way Storm Lab does: the same diagram, the same parcel and shear definitions SPC's mesoanalysis uses.
Jacksonville, FL (KJAX), 00:00Z
3.6 hours before the tornado, 63 km from the path. February 8, 2017.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 433 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -33 J/kg
- Surface CAPE
- 386 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 1356 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 41 kt
- 0-1 km bulk shear
- 20 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 135 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 280 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.2
- Supercell composite
- 0.9
- 0-3 km lapse rate
- 6.4 K/km
Jacksonville, FL (KJAX), 12:00Z
8.4 hours after it, 63 km from the path. February 8, 2017.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 0 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -75442 J/kg
- Surface CAPE
- 0 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 1077 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 53 kt
- 0-1 km bulk shear
- 31 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 274 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 303 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.0
- 0-3 km lapse rate
- 3.6 K/km
The radar
The Jacksonville radar (KJAX), 61 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the touchdown began at 03:37 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 02:45 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | Wnw Lawtey | Bradford, FL | LAWTEY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IS CLOSED TODAY DUE TO STORM DAMAGE FROM YESTERDAY. TIME OF DAMAGE WAS BASED ON RADAR. |
| 03:00 UTC | TORNADO | Lawtey | Bradford, FL | AN OFFICIAL NWS SURVEY FOUND THAT A TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN IN LAWTEY. AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CAFETERIA HAD ROOF DAMAGE. THERE WERE NUMEROUS TREES AND POWERLINES DOWN. |
| 03:08 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | 6 Se Kingsley | Clay, FL | *** 5 INJ *** MULTIPLE HOMES WITH TREES ON THEM. INJURIES REPORTED |
| 03:15 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | 2 Se Keystone Heights | Clay, FL | NUMEROUS REPORTS OF TREES AND POWELINES DOWN NEAR STATE ROAD 100 AND TWIN LAKES ROAD AROUND 2 MILES SOUTHEAST OF KEYSTONE HEIGHTS. THERE WAS A REPORT OF A ROOF OFF OF A HOME. THE TIME GIVEN WAS BASED ON RADAR. |
| 03:15 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | 6 Nne Middleburg | Clay, FL | STORM SPOTTER REPORTED LARGE LIVE OAK TREE DOWN WITH MULTIPLE TREE BRANCHES SCATTERED THROUGHOUT THE AREA. SMALL GAZEBO ALSO DESTROYED. SMALL HAIL OCCURRED ALONG WITH RAINFALL TOTAL OF 1.34 INCHES. |
| 03:15 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | Asbury Lake | Clay, FL | PUBLIC REPORT OF TOPS OF TREES DOWN WITH HAIL ON BLACK CREEK. TIME ESTIMATED BY RADAR. |
| 03:15 UTC | TSTM WND GST 50 | Keystone Heights | Clay, FL | KEYSTONE HEIGHTS AIRPORT MEASURED A 50 MPH GUST. |
| 03:20 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | 2 Ne Lakeside | Clay, FL | TREE PARTIALLY BLOCKING DOCTORS LAKE DRIVE IN ORANGE PARK. |
| 03:20 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | 3 Ene Middleburg | Clay, FL | A LARGE PINE TREE WAS BLOWN DOWN AND TOOK DOWN POWER LLINES ALONG CORNELL ROAD. |
| 03:20 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | 3 Ene Middleburg | Clay, FL | A TREE WAS BLOWN DOWN ON A HOME ALONG MAIN STREET. WATER WAS LEAKING INTO THE HOME. |
| 03:20 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | 3 Ne Lakeside | Clay, FL | TREE PARTIALLY BLOCKING DOCTORS LAKE DRIVE IN ORANGE PARK. |
| 03:20 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | 5 Se Lakeside | Clay, FL | LARGE TREE BLOCKING TOWN CENTER BOULEVARD NEAR THE WOODLANDS SUBDIVISION ON FLEMING ISLAND. |
| 03:25 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | 4 Ne Lakeside | Clay, FL | TREES WERE BLOWN DOWN, A PRIVACY FENCE WAS BLOWN DOWN AND PATIO FURNITURE WAS BLOWN AS DEBRIS NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF KINGSLEY AND DOCTORS LAKE DRIVE IN ORANGE PARK. |
| 03:25 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | 4 Ne Lakeside | Clay, FL | A TREE WAS BLOWN DOWN AND PARTIALLY BLOCKED A SECTION OF DOCTORS LAKE DRIVE IN ORANGE PARK. THE TIME OF DAMAGE WAS BASED ON RADAR. |
| 03:25 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | 6 Sw Lakeside | Clay, FL | PUBLIC REPORTED TOPS OF TREES BLOWN DOWN AND HAIL OF UNKNOWN SIZE. |
| 03:25 UTC | TSTM WND GST 65 | 6 Wnw Fruit Cove | Clay, FL | NWS EMPLOYEE ON WAY INTO WORK ESTIMATED WIND GUSTS OF 60-70 MPH ALONG U.S. HIGHWAY 17 BETWEEN PACE ISLAND AND DOCTORS LAKE BRIDGE. |
| 03:27 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | 5 Ene Lakeside | Clay, FL | TREE LIMBS WERE BLOWN DOWN ALONG U.S. HIGHWAY 17 BETWEEN STOWE AVENUE AND MILWAUKEE AVENUE. |
| 03:30 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | Switzerland | St. Johns, FL | LARGE TREE, ABOUT TWO FEET IN DIAMETER, FELL ONTO A SUV. TIME ESTIMATED VIA RADAR. |
| 03:30 UTC | TSTM WND GST 0 | 2 Sse Middleburg | Clay, FL | |
| 03:30 UTC | TSTM WND GST 60 | 2 Sse Middleburg | Clay, FL | |
| 03:33 UTC | TSTM WND GST 44 | 6 Nnw Mandarin | Duval, FL | JACKSONVILLE NAVAL AIR STATION REPORTED A 44 MPH WIND GUST IN A THUNDERSTORM. |
| 03:35 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | Sw Bayard | Duval, FL | AT LEAST 1 MOBILE HOME UNINHABITABLE AFTER TREE FELL ON IT NEAR BAYARD BLVD AND TARGONSKI STREET. NUMEROUS BRANCHES AND TREES DOWN IN THE AREA. TIME ESTIMATED FROM RADAR IMAGERY. INFORMATION RELAYED FROM BROADCAST MEDIA. |
| 03:37 UTC | TORNADO | 5 Ne Picolata | St. Johns, FL | NWS STORM SURVEY CONFIRMED AN EF1 TORNADO WITH 100 MPH PEAK WINDS WITH TRACK LENGTH OF 0.6 MILES THAT WAS 0.1 MILES WIDE. |
| 03:42 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | 5 Nnw Starke | Bradford, FL | SEVERAL POWER LINES DOWN |
| 03:42 UTC | TSTM WND GST 49 | 5 E Arlington | Duval, FL | CRAIG AIRPORT REPORTED A 49 MPH THUNDERSTORM WIND GUST. |
| 03:45 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | 4 Ssw Jacksonville Beac | Amz452, FL | PUBLIC REPORTED SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO METAL FRAME POOL ENCLOSURE. TIME ESTIMATED FROM RADAR. |
| 03:45 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | 4 Ssw Jacksonville Beac | St. Johns, FL | PUBLIC REPORTED SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO METAL FRAME POOL ENCLOSURE. TIME ESTIMATED FROM RADAR. |
| 03:45 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | Lakeside | Clay, FL | STORM SPOTTER REPORTED 3 FENCE PANELS AND A 30 FT FLAG POLE BLOWN DOWN ALONG WITH SMALL TREE LIMBS DOWN. WINDS ESTIMATED AT 70 MPH. |
| 03:48 UTC | TSTM WND GST 49 | 4 W Mayport | Duval, FL | THE WEATHERFLOW ANEMOMETER AT BUCK ISLAND MEASURED A PEAK WIND GUST OF 49 MPH. |
| 03:50 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | 3 Nw St. Augustine | St. Johns, FL | SOME STRUCTURAL DAMAGE OCCURRED TO A HOME ALONG HEFFERON DRIVE. |
| 03:50 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | 5 Ne Picolata | St. Johns, FL | ST. JOHNS COUNTY FIRE/RESCUE REPORTS ROOF DAMAGE TO TWO RESIDENCES IN THE HERITAGE PARK SUBDIVISION. TIME OF DAMAGE BASED ON RADAR DATA. |
| 03:51 UTC | TSTM WND GST 45 | 5 Nnw St. Augustine | St. Johns, FL | SAINT AUGUSTINE AIRPORT RECORDED A 45 MPH WIND GUST IN A THUNDERSTORM. |
| 03:53 UTC | TSTM WND GST 52 | 2 N Mayport | Amz452, FL | THE WEATHERFLOW ANEMOMETER AT HUGUENOT PARK MEASURED A PEAK WIND GUST OF 52 MPH. |
| 03:54 UTC | TSTM WND GST 41 | 2 Nw St. Augustine | St. Johns, FL | THE WEATHERFLOW ANEMOMETER AT LEWIS NEAR VILANO BEACH MEASURED A PEAK WIND GUST OF 41 MPH. |
| 04:00 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | 5 Wnw Lakeside | Clay, FL | PUBLIC REPORTED A LINE OF LARGE TREES WITH SOME UP TO A FOOT OR MORE IN DIAMETER SNAPPED OR UPROOTED. |
| 04:15 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | 4 Ne Bunnell | Flagler, FL | POWER LINES REPORTED DOWN ON PINE GROVE DRIVE IN PALM COAST. TIME ESTIMATED BY RADAR. |
| 04:20 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | 2 Ne Lakeside | Clay, FL | TREE PARTIALLY BLOCKING DOCTORS LAKE DRIVE IN ORANGE PARK. |
From the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service local storm reports.
This ground now
The live radar over the trackEvery 2017 tornado in FloridaEvery tornado in Florida since 1950Warnings in force in Florida nowThe forecast where you are
The other tornadoes of February 7, 2017
15 more were confirmed in the United States that day.
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| February 7 | 9:16 AM CST | EF0 | Houston, TN | 0.5 | 50 | $15,000 | ||
| February 7 | 10:20 AM CST | EF2 | Livingston Parish, LA | 23.1 | 750 | 3 | ||
| February 7 | 10:51 AM CST | EF0 | Jefferson Parish, LA | 0.9 | 25 | |||
| February 7 | 11:04 AM CST | EF1 | Ascension Parish, LA | 6.1 | 150 | 1 | ||
| February 7 | 11:12 AM CST | EF3 | Orleans Parish, LA | 10.1 | 600 | 33 | ||
| February 7 | 11:46 AM CST | EF2 | Livingston Parish, LA | 19.0 | 250 | 3 | ||
| February 7 | 12:36 PM CST | EF0 | Saint Bernard Parish, LA | 2.6 | 25 | |||
| February 7 | 1:04 PM CST | Unrated | Saint Bernard Parish, LA | 7.7 | 200 | |||
| February 7 | 1:42 PM CST | EF0 | Montgomery, AL | 0.2 | 85 | |||
| February 7 | 3:23 PM CST | EF0 | Covington, AL | 0.5 | 150 | 1 | $100,000 | |
| February 7 | 4:36 PM EST | EF1 | Harris, GA | 2.3 | 250 | $150,000 | ||
| February 7 | 4:07 PM CST | EF2 | Scott, MS | 4.8 | 880 | $350,000 | ||
| February 7 | 5:23 PM CST | EF1 | Jasper, MS | 3.1 | 50 | $100,000 | ||
| February 7 | 7:40 PM CST | EF0 | Trigg, KY | 1.8 | 50 | $25,000 | ||
| February 7 | 10:00 PM EST | EF1 | Bradford, FL | 1.1 | 75 |
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.