Tornadoes in SLO County? National Weather Service confirms
Tornadoes exhibited peak winds of 95 miles per hour, reports say
– The National Weather Service released its official report on Wednesday’s storm in San Luis Obispo County, confirming that two tornadoes touched down in the area.
The first tornado occurred at 3:41 p.m. in the Los Osos area. Its five-mile path approached Los Osos Valley Road, causing damage such as snapped and downed power poles. Additionally, it reportedly tore the roof off a greenhouse.
A tornado in Grover Beach started at 3:57 p.m. and had a path approximately a mile long.
Both tornadoes exhibited peak winds of 95 miles per hour.
Click here to read the full NWS report.
According to the National Weather Service, these tornadoes are the strongest to occur in San Luis Obispo County since before 1950, according to a report by the San Luis Obispo Tribune.
The occurrences include:
- May 5, 1998: A small tornado developed over San Luis Obispo, damaging four homes and causing power outages.
- Nov. 29, 2001: A weak tornado struck northeast Santa Maria, causing minor damage to three homes.
- Feb. 2, 2004: A waterspout offshore of Oceano Dunes came onshore as a weak tornado, hitting a California State Parks ranger in his truck without injury.
Wednesday’s tornado marks the first recorded tornado in the county in 20 years, according to the San Luis Obispo County Office of Emergency Services.
Waterspout off Buckley Road in San Luis Obispo just now!!!
Video taken by Jorge Mariano—thank you for a GREAT capture!! 🌪️ @NWS @weatherchannel @ReedTimmerAccu pic.twitter.com/rkzhYrCx2M— Trisha Butcher (@TrishaButcher1) February 6, 2024