On Monday morning, March 10, 2025, the Lake Mary and Longwood area of Seminole County, Florida was hit by a destructive tornado classified as an EF-2 with peak winds up to 115 mph. This event occurred amid a cold front that was helping to develop severe thunderstorms. Florida experiences about 46 tornadoes annually, making such events relatively common, but EF-2 level destruction remains significant.
@ukcityweatherFootage of the tornado that ripped through Longwood Florida morning #tornado #longwood #longwoodfl #centralfl #centralflorida #florida #hurricaneseason #racingflorida #meteorologist #badweather #carenthusiast #caughtoncamera♬ original sound cityweather
Tornado Timeline and Path
The tornado touched down at approximately 9:36 a.m. local time, beginning just east of Wekiwa Springs State Park, located in Apopka, west of Lake Mary. It moved through the Wingfield Reserve area with winds up to 95 mph, showing initial levels of destruction. Then, it intensified, peaking at 115 mph in the Whispering Winds area, where two homes were completely destroyed, including one on Blue Iris Place in Longwood.
It then crossed Markham Woods Road and I-4 in Lake Mary, where it was captured on video passing over the FOX 35 Orlando studios during a live broadcast. Video from a camera on the studio tower showed strong winds blowing down trees and rain covering the parking lot.
Preliminary data from the National Weather Service (NWS) indicates the tornado was on the ground for about 4 miles and lasted for about 5 minutes. Final data is still being finalized, and the NWS is conducting a detailed survey to determine the exact path, duration, and intensity.
Damage and Aftermath
Destruction included collapsed homes, overturned cars, downed trees, and downed power lines. In the Whispering Winds area, two homes were destroyed and roof damage was reported, including some where roofs were torn off. In Lake Mary, trucks were overturned and parking structures were damaged.
Despite the extent of the damage, there were no reports of injuries or fatalities, likely due to the quick response of local residents and timely warnings.
As of the evening of March 10, power outages were widespread, affecting hundreds of homes, and roads were closed due to debris and downed lines.
Classification EF-2 (NWS, FOX Weather) Peak winds 115 mph
Time of landfall Around 9:36 a.m. (FOX 35, WESH) Local time, Eastern time
Length of path Around 4 miles (Click Orlando)
Duration 5 minutes (Click Orlando)
Major damage Two homes destroyed, cars overturned, trees down
Damage in Whispering Winds and Lake Mary
In a surprising twist, the storm was captured on video during a live broadcast from the FOX 35 studios.
Gleb Perov is the founder and chief meteorologist of POGODNIK, a leading weather forecasting service in Eastern Europe. With over 15 years of hands-on experience in meteorology and climate analysis, he has worked private weather services. Gleb is the author of numerous scientific and analytical publications on climate, magnetic storms, and atmospheric processes. He regularly collaborates with major international agencies such as NOAA, ECMWF.
