A confirmed tornado touching down between St. Petersburg and Clearwater, Fla., on Wednesday afternoon has led to structural damage in the area.
According to media outlets, the twister was powerful enough to strip roofs and in some cases, completely collapse buildings. It also downed trees and utility lines, which contributed to nearly 14,000 power outages experienced in Pinellas County.
Pinellas Park (Pinellas County, 33780, 33781, 33782) appears to have been hardest hit, with officials reporting that roughly 20-25 industrial buildings have sustained varying degrees of damage. An unconfirmed number of area homes also have been directly impacted.
After moving across Pinellas County, the storm’s funnel cloud reportedly dissipated and reformed over Polk County for a short time.
Approximate locations sustaining structural damage:
- Lake Gibson/Lakeland (Polk County, 33809)
*Approximate impacted ZIP code only
*Structural damage reported on Gibson Shores Drive and around US Highway 98 and Daughtery Road - Largo (Pinellas County, 33771, 33773)
*Approximate impacted ZIP codes only
*Structural damage reported around 66th Street N and Bryan Dairy Road/Bayou Club area near S Belcher Road - Pinellas Park (Pinellas County, 33780, 33781, 33782)
*Concentrated structural damage reported on Endeavor Way and Elmhurst Drive
Media Coverage
Fox 13 Tampa Bay: Storms leave trail of damage from Pinellas Park to Polk County
Tampa Bay Times: Tornado damages Pinellas, spares Howard Frankland Bridge, then hits Polk
The Weather Channel: Possible Tornado Damages Buildings, Knocks Down Trees In Tampa Bay Area