Tornado Anniversary Feb. 2, 2007 3:15 AM

[DeborahL]

I was living in The Cove at Lady Lake when the EF 3 tornado came through; I was awaken by weird sounding thunder and odd lightning, I knew something was up and about 4 minutes before it got to Lady Lake, I turned on to The Weather Channel to find out we were under a warning. Some homes were damaged in The Villages and we lost 22 residents in the Lady Lake area that morning. Just wanted to remind residents of what occured that day and I think we were the first under the new Enhanced Fujita Scale system.
Anyone have photos of that day?

[Chazz]

I remember it like it was yesterday. Can't believe it was 6 years ago. We had severe damage to our home here in Sabal Chase, but were far better off than some unfortunate souls.

[mac9]

I also live in Sabal Chase and suffered some damage. Luckily, I wasn't here at the time so I didn't live through it, but many of my neighbors did. Came back to TV 2 days later and it looked like a war zone. Had to show id to get to my house as there were police on just about every major intersection.

[janmcn]

I remember it all too well. My CYV neighborhood in Poinciana was decimated...homes were ripped away right down to the slab. I heard it coming and had only enough time to grab my dog and run into the master bath. In restrospect, I was very lucky that my roof held and no windows were broken. My next door neighbors on both sides were not so lucky. One of the workers who repaired my house said "whoever put your roof on, did a really good job".

People were walking around the neighborhood in shock and just stunned. I remember seeing one woman walking down the street lugging a big suitcase, evidently it was everything she could salvage from her home. She never came back. The Villages ended up buying her home back and replacing it with a new one.

All in all, we were lucky that no one in the neighborhood was killed and there were only a few serious injuries. I'll never forget that night.

[DeborahL]

I remember just before I went to bed the night before; I had noticed how the clouds looked at the bottom; they had that row of biscuits look to them.

[Taltarzac725]

Only had my dog Sport about two weeks then. He was so terrified by the thunderstorms the night of the 2nd-3rd of February, 2007. Had no idea of what awaited us that morning after the sun came up. The former co-owner of the dog park I started going to that January of 2007 lost his young daughter (niece?) when a tree slammed into a trailer park around Lady Lake.
http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Central-Florida-hit-by-killer-tornadoes-19-dead-2652190.php

We had very little if any damage in Lynnhaven from that tornado.

[memason]

I was living in The Cove at Lady Lake when the EF 3 tornado came through; I was awaken by weird sounding thunder and odd lightning, I knew something was up and about 4 minutes before it got to Lady Lake, I turned on to The Weather Channel to find out we were under a warning. Some homes were damaged in The Villages and we lost 22 residents in the Lady Lake area that morning. Just wanted to remind residents of what occured that day and I think we were the first under the new Enhanced Fujita Scale system.
Anyone have photos of that day?

Here's a video.....

The Villages Tornado - YouTube

[Taltarzac725]

Here's a video.....

The Villages Tornado - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YmFOnQcIhsE)

Thanks.

[LittleDog]

We live on a cul del sac and at the end of the cul de sac houses were destroyed. Fortunately we live on the other end. My wife and I slept thru the tornado. However, our home alarm was set off a few times. In any case when I woke up I saw that the acrylic windows on my lanai were blown out. When I went out front I noticed that my queen palm was down. Fortunately it didn't hit anything on the way down. I also had a few shingles ripped off and some minor water damage in the guest bathroom. We certainly were surprised when we woke up. Compared to others our damage was fairly minor.

John

[Villager Dude]

I was living in The Cove at Lady Lake when the EF 3 tornado came through; I was awaken by weird sounding thunder and odd lightning, I knew something was up and about 4 minutes before it got to Lady Lake, I turned on to The Weather Channel to find out we were under a warning. Some homes were damaged in The Villages and we lost 22 residents in the Lady Lake area that morning. Just wanted to remind residents of what occured that day and I think we were the first under the new Enhanced Fujita Scale system.
Anyone have photos of that day?

In February 2007 we were TV observers and had been here several times with the hopes of moving here one day. I remember getting word about the tornado back in North Carolina and was happy to know there were no fatalities. I did hear that by sundown all damaged houses had tarps on them and I believe the builders came out along with neighbors and helped those in need. I have told this to many people since.

Subsequently we have become Full Time Villagers in Amelia as of November 2012. I am impressed by this place each and every day.

I know Mallory was damaged and there was a path towards the NE, I think.

Does anyone have a map of the path of distruction ? It would be good to see it.

Thanks

Thanks

[Taltarzac725]

In February 2007 we were TV observers and had been here several times with the hopes of moving here one day. I remember getting word about the tornado back in North Carolina and was happy to know there were no fatalities. I did hear that by sundown all damaged houses had tarps on them and I believe the builders came out along with neighbors and helped those in need. I have told this to many people since.

Subsequently we have become Full Time Villagers in Amelia as of November 2012. I am impressed by this place each and every day.

I know Mallory was damaged and there was a path towards the NE, I think.

Does anyone have a map of the path of distruction ? It would be good to see it.

Thanks

Thanks

The footnotes and downloads probably show something.

2007 Groundhog Day tornado outbreak - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2007_Groundhog_Day_tornado_outbreak)

[Bill-n-Brillo]

........

Does anyone have a map of the path of destruction ? It would be good to see it.

Thanks

Dude, check this pdf out. Quite detailed info with lots of satellite map pics noting the track of the storm.

http://www.depts.ttu.edu/weweb/Pubs/reports/D2007-02-02-Tor%20SAW%20Florida.pdf

It might take a little bit of time to download......

Bill :)

[janmcn]

The tornado touched down in Wildwood, came up the hill towards Poinciana just south of Cane Garden CC, traversed through Poinciana, skirted the east side of the premier homes in Sunset Pointe, headed east towards ODell Circle hitting the Carlton Villas and destroyed several brand new designer homes that back up to ODell, demolished Mallory Hill CC before crossing Stillwater Trail and annilihating the ranch neighborhood, and then exiting The Villages.

It countinued on a northeastern path through Lady Lake, crossing 441 and 27, where it killed over 20 people. As I recall, the tornado was on the ground for over 20 miles.

The Mallory Hill CC kitchen ended up in the parking lot. The Coconut Cove Recreation Center also sustained considerable damage.

[tucson]

The tornado was right in my back yard as it hit my street in Poinciana it was VERY frightful! We are very blessed to be alive today, We had about 3 more Tornado Watches after that in the few yrs. I pray we never have another strike in The Villages because of all the thousands of houses built so close together.

[golf2140]

I remember it well. I also saw how The Villages Owners (Family) stepped up and cleaned up the area and assisted those that suffered total damage.

[Villager Dude]

Dude, check this pdf out. Quite detailed info with lots of satellite map pics noting the track of the storm.

http://www.depts.ttu.edu/weweb/Pubs/reports/D2007-02-02-Tor%20SAW%20Florida.pdf

It might take a little bit of time to download......

Bill :)

Bill,

Thanks that was an interesting report/ I wonder if TV started using Traditional frame wall "T" s and building corners as mentioned on page 57 of the report.

Take Care !

[Villager Dude]

The footnotes and downloads probably show something.

2007 Groundhog Day tornado outbreak - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2007_Groundhog_Day_tornado_outbreak)

Thanks everyone for your input. I was able to re map the path of the storm. We had many lucky Villagers that night if you look at the pictures in the report Bill provided.

Take Care!

[DeborahL]

Wonderful, thank you for your help and the video too. My internet was offline last night; something big must have happened in our area up here in SE IL. That was some night we all had to deal with. I'm so glad it hasn't been forgotten by any of you wonderful Villagers. :) :)

[Mikeod]

I'll never forget that night. We went to a concert at the Savannah Center and left in the middle of a terrific thunderstorm. At about 3:15 AM, my wife awoke and put on the TV just in time to hear Tony Manolfi say, "If you live in The Villages, take cover NOW!". We hunkered down in the closet and waited a while.

The next day I went outside and looked south toward Mallory Hill Country Club and it was just about gone. My mom in Sable Chase had a swimming pool ladder in her yard along with a lot of pink insulation floating around in the wind.

It was reported a man had closed on his house across from Coconut Cove that day, and it was destroyed. What a welcome to TV! Someone in that same area rebuilt his frame and vinyl house with concrete block, but they made him finish it with vinyl siding again over the block.

[Taltarzac725]

Dude, check this pdf out. Quite detailed info with lots of satellite map pics noting the track of the storm.

http://www.depts.ttu.edu/weweb/Pubs/reports/D2007-02-02-Tor%20SAW%20Florida.pdf

It might take a little bit of time to download......

Bill :)

That's a great resource for the 2007 Groundhog Day tornado.