In just seconds, a tornado can obliterate landscapes, buildings, vehicles, and life as we know it. The residents of Palm Beach County, who faced the 21-milelong tornado spawned by Hurricane
Milton, were in shock and awe at how swiftly it struck and how much damage it caused.
Unlike hurricanes, which often provide some time to prepare, tornadoes often appear without warning, giving little time to prepare or escape.
“I was just about to take my hurricane shutters down,” said Virginia Doebler of Wellington, who had just finished the year-long construction of a new barn and covered riding rink on Hollow Tree Lane in Wellington. Fortunately, she had not moved on to the property yet. In the blink of an eye, on October 9, a tornado ripped through, leaving her new rink in a pile of twisted metal and shredded wood. The barn walls held with the horses inside, but the tornado blasted the roof off.
One street over, on Deer Path Lane, a family of 15 was trapped in the debris after the twister touched down. All that was left intact was the stairway to their home. According to television reports, the family all survived and spent the next day sorting through the debris for their belongings.
A devastating EF3 tornado with peak winds of 140 mph, started in Wellington and continued north to Jupiter Farms, leaving a wide swath of destruction in its wake.
This tornado was truly an anomaly with its size and strength. “I have never seen a tornado like this,” said Leonardo Palezuela, a Palm Beach County resident and contractor who builds in Wellington and surrounding areas. “I saw the tornado pick up a carport at Coconut and 96th in The Acreage with three vehicles inside and throw it two blocks away.” Palezuela’s job now is to review the properties that need rebuilding.
The tornado, which initially touched down in Wellington, continued north to western Palm Beach Gardens and finally to Jupiter Farms, covering about 21 miles, according to the National Weather Service. Peak winds were at about 140 miles per hour.
In the Palm Beach Gardens community of Avenir, roofs blew, walls caved, and vehicles were smashed by flying debris. According to Jeff Lichtenstein, owner and broker of Echo Fine Properties, the three divisions primarily affected were Regency, Wingate, and Le Terre. The Regency clubhouse was destroyed.
“We were lucky in that we only had a roof tiles affected,” said Avenir resident Scott Workman, whose neighbors sustained severe damage to their homes. “But our cars were totaled.”
The force of projectiles created by the twister caused a large amount of damage in Avenir. According to Workman, the clubhouse was not only destroyed, but bits and pieces of flying debris were lodged into the walls and cement from the tornado’s force. “It was like shrapnel,” he said. “And the roaring was, like everyone said, it sounded like a freight train. I heard and saw it; then it was over in 20 seconds.”
After the tornado threat passed, the community quickly came together. Congressman Brian Mast, Palm Beach Gardens Mayor Chelsea Reed, and the head of emergency management were on site the following morning to view the damage and offer support.
In the Palm Beach Gardens community of Avenir, vehicles were smashed, roofs blew off homes and trees were toppled.
“The first thing we did was go from house to house to see that people were okay and that they had a place to stay,” said Mayor Reed, who has been on site every day since the incident. “We are now in a sorting phase and have police on site to prevent looting.” Mayor Reed says she also heard frightening stories from residents, including a young girl who hid in a crawl space and emerged post-tornado to see her bedroom gone. “There was a lot of trauma, and now I’m looking at how to address the mental health issues.”
Local businesses and neighbors are also stepping up. Neighbors have been providing shelter, Florida Power & Light has provided mobile charging stations, and Christ Fellowship Church has provided food to the first responders. Congressman Brian Mast hosted a meeting with Federal Emergency Management Agency representatives to explain the procedures for applying for assistance. A total of 318 homes in Avenir were damaged, with 12 destroyed. The nearby Publix, slated to open within the next month, must be completely demolished and rebuilt. “I plan to expedite the building code process to get this rebuilt as quickly as possible,” added Reed.
Further north, in Jupiter Farms, the tornado continued its path of destruction. Blue Ridge Farm, a compound that includes an event venue, horse boarding barns and a house sustained multiple damages.
“My business partner (Monique Richter) was at the house when she went outside and saw debris flying,” owner Tony Ballew recalled. “Two seconds later, she saw the tornado and ran to the bathroom. The tornado ripped through the property, downing fences and completely destroying the venue building. It is now down to the dirt.” Ballew said it will take 5- months to rebuild. “I have ten weddings booked that will not be happening.”
At the end of it all, while homes have been damaged, infrastructure disrupted, and communities disabled, everyone is on the road to recovery.
On Deer Path Lane in Wellington, a family of 15 was trapped in the debris after the twister touched down.
Hundreds of Palm Beach County homeowners are assessing the tornado damage.
