NWS confirms TWO tornadoes hit Lee County in Milton

The National Weather Service in Tampa has completed their tornado survey in Lee County.

EF-2 Fort Myers tornado

An EF-2 tornado with maximum winds of 116 miles per hour struck Fort Myers around 12:15 p.m. on October 9, 2024.

The tornado touched down a few blocks south of Colonial Blvd. with some scattered trees and minor roof damage. The strongest damage was then noticed to the northwest, across Colonial Blvd. along Orangewood Ave. where a large portion of a roof was torn off a house and the block wall in the garage collapsed. From this point onwards, roof damage was also noticed across the street, but was already being repaired. The track continued northwest over Fort Myers Country Club, noting broken and uprooted trees along the track, as well as other minor to moderate damage to homes, and then lifted near the Caloosahatchee River.

‘It was very scary’: Tornado returns home, leaving a path of destruction in Pine Lakes

EF-1 Matlacha tornado

Also in Milton’s outer rainbands, an EF-1 tornado struck Matlacha.

Fox 4 captured this tornado LIVE in ongoing coverage.

Hurricane Milton: Tornado rushes over the bridge during the meteorologist’s live report

A waterspout moved landward over the Matlacha area causing damage to the roof and siding of several homes along the tracks. The worst damage was to two homes: one had half its roof torn off, and the other was a mobile home with half its roof torn off and the walls beneath it collapsing. The tornado moved back over the water and disappeared.

The National Weather Service tells Fox 4 they will be surveying damage in Charlotte County tomorrow, Thursday, October 16, and will also be looking at damage caused by possible tornadoes in North Fort Myers.