Lea este articulo en español aquí.
Residents of San Benito County experienced a rare event on March 2 when they received a tornado warning on their cell phones.
National Weather Service Meteorologist Brayden Murdock told BenitoLink the tornado that passed through the region was a very rare phenomenon for the Central Coast.
Murdock said the tornado, which prompted the emergency mobile alert by the National Weather Service around 6:15 p.m., began in the Pacific Ocean and traveled inland west of San Juan Bautista.
The alert said to “take shelter now in a basement or an interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building.” For those in weaker structures the weather service said, “If you are outdoors, in a mobile home, or in a vehicle, move to the closest substantial shelter and protect yourself from flying debris.”
Murdock said the tornado, which included strong thunderstorms, hail and heavy rain, dissipated by 7 p.m.
He said that while the tornado didn’t touch down in San Benito County, the National Weather Service San Francisco Bay Area/ Monterey reported on social media that multiple medium to large trees were uprooted north of Watsonville.
“The survey team is in agreement that the damage is consistent with straight-line thunderstorm winds of approximately 70-80 mph,” the weather service said.
According to the National Weather Service website, the main factors needed for a tornado to form are warm moist air near the ground, cooler dry air overhead and wind shear—a quick change in direction or speed.
“An unstable air mass promotes the development of strong updrafts, while wind shear will further increase the strength of the updraft, and promotes the rotation from which tornadoes are produced,” the website said.
According to WXResearch, tornadoes are rare in California because mountains encircle the state, trapping heat and preventing cold air development. Cold air combined with warm air is unusual in the area which is also why thunderstorms are relatively uncommon.
In a statement on social media, the weather service said meteorologists surveyed the affected areas in north Monterey County and found no “damage that would support a tornado touchdown.”
We need your help. Support local, nonprofit news! BenitoLink is a nonprofit news website that reports on San Benito County. Our team is committed to this community and providing essential, accurate information to our fellow residents. It is expensive to produce local news and community support is what keeps the news flowing. Please consider supporting BenitoLink, San Benito County’s public service, nonprofit news.
