“Unacceptable” Two Florida NWS Radar Systems Failed To Warn Of Tornado That Did $15 Million In Damage

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis recently announced that almost $30 million was available to help the Ocala area recover from a tornado.

The twister did an estimated $15 million in damages as it ripped through the community on March 12. The damage assessment is continuing. No one was killed in the storm.

But U.S. Rep. Kat Cammack, a Gainesville Republican who represents Ocala, is concerned about a related issue: What happened to the early warning system?

The National Weather Service indicated recently that Ocala was caught in a climate lurch.

On one hand, the NWS weather-radar system in Jacksonville, which would have issued an alert as the storm approached, was down for maintenance. On the other, a secondary radar unit in Tampa was unable to detect a storm that was below 9,500 feet.

“While they did send out a tornado watch at 3 a.m.,” Spectrum News noted of the NWS Jacksonville office, “their backup radar was unable to track rotation of the storm and failed to issue a warning.”

Ben Nelson, an NWS meteorologist, told Spectrum, “This is the time of year where folks have multiple ways to receive warnings, whether it’s the local news app, with a broadcast meteorologist giving them alerts, folks signing up for the county emergency alerts.”

Spectrum noted its own weather staff tacked the storm that morning.

Meteorologist Bryan Karrick said on the air at the time that the storm’s rotation was plainly visible before it hit. “I’m surprised we don’t have a warning in place, even a severe thunderstorm warning, but Ocala, be in your safe place,” he added.

The storm was graded an EF-1, and generated winds that reached 110 mph.

In response on Friday, Congresswoman Cammak called it “unacceptable” that the NWS left the community in such a vulnerable situation.

“It was absolutely unacceptable that there was no notice, no warning,” Cammack told WCJB. “We have been working through the week to get answers – but more importantly, action when it comes to getting this issue resolved.”

“We’re looking to make sure that it never happens again by making sure that one regional office is in charge instead of two.”

Cammack indicated she was pressing for a weather station for North Central Florida, which must be approved and funded by Congress.

“[We’re] looking at the future appropriations of how this will all layout in the needed coverage areas,” she added.

“So those meetings have been happening this week and we’re going to continue to have these conversations as we move into appropriations.”

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