Rare Scotts Valley tornado injures 5, overturns vehicles in shopping district, California
A rare tornado touched down in Santa Cruz County’s Scotts Valley, Northern California on Saturday, December 14, 2024, causing 5 injuries and significant damage, including flipped cars, downed power lines, and uprooted trees. This event was part of a larger weather system that also led to San Francisco’s first-ever Tornado Warning.
A rare EF-1 tornado touched down near Scotts Valley in Santa Cruz County, California on Saturday, December 14.
According to a damage survey by the National Weather Service (NWS), damage from the tornado began near the intersection of Mount Hermon Road and Lockwood Lane, continuing southeast along Mount Hermon Road and ending just short of Kings Village Road.
The tornado touched down at approximately 13:39 local time (LT) on Saturday, west of Scotts Valley, and ended at around 13:44 LT, west-southwest of Scotts Valley. Estimated peak winds reached 145 km/h (90 mph), with a path length of 500 m (0.31 miles).
“The tornado has caused extensive damage in several areas, including overturning several vehicles in and around the shopping district,” police stated in a news release.
Reports indicate that at least five people were injured. Four of them have been released from the hospital, while one remains hospitalized with a punctured lung. The individual’s condition is described as non-life-threatening.
Although the tornado was classified as weak, it caused widespread damage, including downed poles and trees, overturned vehicles, and damaged street signs along its path.
The road between Lockwood Lane and Scotts Valley remained closed through Saturday night following a multi-vehicle accident attributed to the tornado’s touchdown.
In addition, the car of a battalion chief from the fire department was thrown by the tornado, resulting in his hospitalization. Reports suggest that at least six vehicles were flipped by the tornado.
The event came just several hours after the NWS Bay Area issued its first-ever Tornado Warning for northern San Mateo County, including portions of downtown San Francisco, urging residents to take shelter immediately. This is about 110 km (70 miles) north of Scotts Valley.
Tornadoes in this part of the United States are relatively rare, with less than 500 reported cases since 1950 or about 11 per year — mainly occurring in spring and fall, according to NOAA. They caused damage and injuries, but no reported fatalities.
References:
1 Public information statement – NWS – December 14, 2024
I am an Assistant Editor and Severe Weather & Science Journalist at The Watchers, specializing in real-time severe weather coverage, geophysical event reporting, and research-driven scientific analysis. You can reach me at rishav(at)watchers(.)news.
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