Did a tornado actually hit SLO County? Here’s what the National Weather Service says so far
Update, 1:20 p.m.:
The National Weather Service has confirmed a tornado did touch down in Grover Beach. Read more in our latest story here: Tornado did hit SLO County, National Weather Service confirms
Original story:
Did a tornado actually touch down in San Luis Obispo County?
That’s the question of the day as the National Weather Service investigates the sudden storm that furiously slammed through part of South County on Wednesday afternoon.
The rare weather event toppled trees and power lines, mangled awnings and pulverized concrete in its wake, even shutting off power to thousands, as debris littered much of Grover Beach.
On Thursday morning, the National Weather Service was expected to survey Grover Beach “to determine if damages were caused by a tornado or straight-line winds.”
“Although not as well known, straight-line winds can reach over 100 mph and are caused by air being dragged down by precipitation and can be highly destructive,” the San Luis Obispo County Office of Emergency Services said in a post on X.
What led up to potential tornado in Grover Beach?
In its incident report, the Weather Service said a fast-moving low-pressure system brought a broken line of convective showers over San Luis Obispo County coastal waters Wednesday afternoon.
The showers continued to move onshore around 4 p.m. “bringing moderate to briefly heavy showers, gusty winds and hail.”
The agency said radar data indicated isolated wind gusts as high as 60 mph, bringing with them the potential for waterspouts and “brief tornadoes.”
The National Weather Service issued a tornado warning, a special weather statement and a special marine warning for the coastal waters.
Soon after, multiple reports of wind damage including lines of downed trees, knocked-down power poles and power lines, and damaged buildings were reported in the Grover Beach and Pismo Beach area, the Weather Service said.
The storm damage included a collapsed wall on Grand Avenue that briefly trapped two people in a building, a shelter-in-place order for an Arroyo Grande neighborhood with downed lines, and power outages across San Luis Obispo County.
This story was originally published February 8, 2024 at 11:18 AM.
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