CoreLogic estimates tornadic winds or tornadic damage at 26,617 homes in the southeastern U.S.
When Winter Storm Finn swept across the U.S., it brought severe weather to the Florida panhandle from Jan. 8 through Jan. 9. As a result of the storm, multiple tornadoes formed along the Florida panhandle causing significant damage and disruption to homes and businesses in the Florida counties of Bay, Calhoun, Jackson, and Washington. One tornado crossed Houston County in southeastern Alabama and moved into Early County, Georgia.
Thousands of Residential Properties Potentially Located in Tornado Paths
CoreLogic Hazard HQ Command Central™ estimated that 26,617 single- and multifamily homes were potentially impacted by tornadic winds in Florida, southeastern Alabama, and southwestern Georgia (Table 1).
The probabilities in Table 1 indicate the likelihood that tornadic winds or tornadic damage occurred at a property; the figures do not indicate damage percentages (e.g., there is a 90% probability that tornadic winds or tornadic damage occurred at 98 homes in Bay County, Florida, not that 98 homes were 90% damaged).
| County | State | Probability of Tornadic Winds or Tornadic Damage | ||||
| 10% – 30% | 30% – 50% | 50% – 70% | 70% – 90% | > 90% | ||
| Bay | FL | 6,896 | 3,401 | 2,234 | 1,257 | 98 |
| Jackson | FL | 958 | 438 | 317 | 188 | 7 |
| Houston | AL | 648 | 247 | 193 | 47 | 0 |
| Calhoun | FL | 17 | 11 | 7 | 8 | 0 |
| Early | GA | 21 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| Holmes | FL | 18 | 6 | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| Calhoun | GA | 37 | 8 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Walton | FL | 1,276 | 464 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Duval | FL | 4,473 | 1,146 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Saint Johns | FL | 1,527 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Santa Rosa | FL | 561 | 76 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tattnall | GA | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 16,439 | 5,800 | 2,772 | 1,501 | 105 | |
CoreLogic Weather Verification Technology captured the tornado paths across the Florida panhandle and southeastern Alabama (Figure 1).
Panama City in Bay County, Florida, which is home to approximately 34,000 people, lies within one of the tornado paths. There was at least a 70% probability of tornadic winds or damage at more than 1,300 homes in Bay County, with an additional 2,200 homes having at least a 50% chance of exposure to tornadic winds.
On-site damage assessments are still underway, but early reports indicate heavy damage to structures ranging from mobile homes to wood-frame construction, including homes blown entirely off their foundation.
In addition to property destruction, tornadoes damaged or destroyed vehicles and power lines, leaving thousands of residents without electricity. The storms also disrupted travel, education, and health care services in the affected areas. Several roads and bridges closed due to debris or flooding, forcing many drivers to take detours or postpone trips.
The National Weather Service reported that the storm was part of a larger system affecting several states in the Southeast and Midwest, bringing heavy rain, snow, hail, and strong winds. The storm continued eastward and weakened by Jan. 10.
This will be the final CoreLogic Hazard HQ Command Central™ update on the Florida tornadoes unless new data becomes available.
CONTACT: Please email [email protected] with questions about the Florida tornadoes, CoreLogic Weather Verification Services, the Reactor Platform or any CoreLogic event response notifications. Visit www.hazardhq.com for updates and information on catastrophes across the globe.
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