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United States Disaster

Tornado Touches Down In Brevard County, Damages Homes In Melbourne

A short-lived EF-0 tornado struck Melbourne, Brevard County, on Thursday, damaging several homes and causing power outages. The tornado, with winds up to 75 mph, was on the ground for three minutes and traveled 0.25 miles, as confirmed by the National Weather Service (NWS).

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A brief EF-0 tornado hit Melbourne, Florida, damaging homes and infrastructure.

A short-lived but impactful tornado touched down Thursday afternoon in Brevard County, causing significant damage in Melbourne. The National Weather Service (NWS) confirmed that a weak EF-0 tornado briefly touched down within the Ixora Park neighborhood shortly before 6 p.m. The tornado, with estimated maximum winds of 75 mph, was on the ground for about three minutes, covering a distance of 0.25 miles and reaching a maximum width of 75 yards.

Around the same time, the NWS issued a severe thunderstorm warning for Satellite Beach, Indian Harbour Beach, and Melbourne Beach as severe thunderstorms and showers moved through the area. The tornado primarily affected the Ixora Park neighborhood, causing extensive damage to homes and infrastructure.

Why This Matters: City of Melbourne Mayor Paul Alfrey shared several photos on his Facebook page, depicting damaged roofs, collapsed awnings, broken stop signs, street signs, and blown-down fences. According to the NWS's initial report, the tornado touched down near Adams Avenue and moved south-southeast toward Sarno Road. The storm damaged home carports, roofs, siding, and soffits, and there were reports of multiple uprooted or partially uprooted trees, scattered branches, and snapped power poles.

"Fortunately, no one was injured near the area of Sarno Road when a tornado impacted several streets and damaged numerous homes," Mayor Alfrey said in his Facebook post. He also noted that some power poles were knocked down during the storm, causing power outages in the affected areas.

Doppler radar showed rotation within the storm and a "debris signature," indicating swirling debris—key indicators of a suspected tornado. However, it is ultimately up to the NWS to survey the damage, confirm whether a tornado caused it, and assign a rating to determine the tornado's power.

The NWS confirmed the tornado's presence and assigned it an EF-0 rating, indicating it was a weak tornado. Despite its brief duration, the tornado's impact was significant, leaving residents to deal with the aftermath and repairs.

Key Takeaways:

  • EF-0 tornado hit Melbourne, Florida, damaging homes and infrastructure.
  • Tornado had winds up to 75 mph, was on the ground for three minutes.
  • Severe thunderstorm warning issued for nearby beaches as storm moved through.
  • Mayor shared photos of extensive damage, including broken signs and downed fences.
  • No injuries reported, but power outages occurred due to downed power poles.