Hurricane Milton’s outer rain bands bring tornado outbreak to Florida

Storm surge, 100 mph winds and flooding usually dominate hurricane forecasts, but tornadoes are another common destructive element. The outer rain bands of Hurricane Milton have brought over 10 tornadoes across Florida today, which classifies it as a tornado outbreak. Check out the photo below that shows the 53 tornado warnings issued by 3 PM ET today in Southern Florida.

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Did you know a tornado outbreak associated with a hurricane is actually very common? Hurricane Beryl spawned 68 tornadoes as it moved across the United States. Hurricane Ida in 2020 spawned 36 tornadoes. Tropical Storm Alberto this past June made landfall in Mexico, but an outer rain band actually spawned a tornado in Bellville. Hurricane rain bands have inherent rotation, which can help produce tropical tornadoes. Typically we see tropical tornadoes far from the center of the storm, but tornadoes have been reported closer to the eyewall as well.

These tornadoes do not last as long as tornadoes you’d see in the plains but they can still do a lot of damage. When it comes to tornadoes, we typically see them in the dirty side of the hurricane (front right quadrant). These tornadoes typically are weaker than the tornadoes you’d see in the plains, but they can still be strong.

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Continue thinking of our friends in Florida, it’s going to be a long night.

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