2012-10-22 MISC: CA

[R R Smith]

Another post frontal tornado outbreak occurred today in California's Sacramento Valley. All the ingredients were there for a California tornado: 70 knot SW 500 flow, 300 CAPE, high 40's to 50 dews, orographically backed winds on the east side of the valley (Yuba City was SSE 17 gusting 26 during one tornado warned storm). SPC storm reports list 5 - though we'll have to wait for the NWS survey crews to get out and confirm. I was strapped to my desk about 4 hours drive from the closest warned storm. Lame.

 

[R R Smith]

Here are a few photos from some of the online media outlets. There were 7 tornado warnings issued, though only minor damage was reported. The Yuba City tornado has been rated as an EF-1 according to the media though I still haven't seen any official damage survey reports.

 

[R R Smith]

Damage survey for the Yuba City tornado:

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SACRAMENTO CA
1050 AM PDT TUE OCT 23 2012

...INFORMATION FROM DAMAGE SURVEY FOR THE YUBA CITY TORNADO...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CONDUCTED A DAMAGE SURVEY IN THE SOUTH
YUBA CITY AREA IN THE EARLY EVENING ON OCTOBER 22 2012. EYE
WITNESSES...VIDEO EVIDENCE...AND RESULTS FROM THE DAMAGE SURVEY
CONFIRMED AN EF 1 TORNADO. THE GREATEST DAMAGE INDICATED A LOWER
BOUND WIND SPEED OF 88 MPH AND AN UPPER BOUND OF 128 MPH...WITH THE
MOST LIKELY VALUE BEING ABOUT 100 MPH.

THE TORNADO INITIALLY TOUCHED DOWN IN THE MALLARD LAKE GOLF CENTER
GOLF COURSE JUST OFF HIGHWAY 99...AND PROCEEDED IN A NORTHEAST
DIRECTION FOR ABOUT 2 MILES TOWARDS OSWALD AND BARRY ROADS AND NORTH
OF BARRY ROAD ALONG RAILROAD AVE TOWARDS TUSCAN ROAD...
INTERMITTENTLY TOUCHING DOWN ALONG THE WAY.

THE TORNADO DAMAGED SEVERAL TREES OF VARIOUS SIZES ON THE MALLARD
LAKE GOLF CENTER GOLF COURSE. THE MOST EXTENSIVE DAMAGE WAS TO A 2
TO 2 1/2 FOOT DIAMETER SOFTWOOD TREE WHICH SNAPPED NEAR THE GROUND.

THE TORNADO NEXT TOUCHED DOWN LESS THAN A HALF MILE NORTHEAST OF THE
MALLARD LAKE GOLF CENTER...CAUSING TREE...ROOF...AND PROPERTY DAMAGE
TO ABOUT 3 TO 4 HOMES IN THE AREA. SEVERAL TREE BRANCHES WERE
SNAPPED...2 SECTIONS OF AN IRON FENCE WERE BROKEN OFF...A SMALL
OPEN-BOW BOAT WAS LIFTED AND BLOWN ABOUT 100 FEET...AND A 10 FOOT BY
10 FOOT STRUCTURE WAS PULLED OUT OF THE GROUND AND TURNED UPSIDE
DOWN.

ANOTHER QUARTER TO HALF MILE NORTHEAST...THE TORNADO DAMAGED SEVERAL
METAL DOORS AT THE BONANZA SEED PLANT...DAMAGED A 12 FOOT BY 18 FOOT
GREENHOUSE...AND BROKE NUMEROUS BRANCHES OR FULLY SNAPPED ABOUT
30 TO 40 SMALL WALNUT AND PEACH TREES IN A NEARBY ORCHARD.
LASTLY...AFTER DRIFTING ANOTHER QUARTER MILE NORTHEASTWARD...THE
TORNADO DAMAGED A CAR PORT...KNOCKED DOWN A SECTION OF WOODEN
FENCE...AND REMOVED A FEW ASPHALT SHINGLES FROM A RESIDENCE.


$$

JHM/DVC