Did tornado hit Tuolumne County? Weather Service, Stanislaus Emergency Services post twister talk
Tornado talk is in the air.
Shortly after 2:30 p.m. Saturday, the National Weather Service’s Twitter account NWS Tornado tweeted a tornado warning for communities including Sonora, Phoenix Lake and Jamestown, lasting until 3:15 p.m.
Did one hit? Here’s what we know: A forecaster in the Weather Service’s Sacramento office told The Bee on Saturday evening that there has been no confirmation. He said the Weather Service won’t know until at least until Sunday, when staffers set foot in — and eyes on — Tuolumne County.
In the late afternoon, a post on the NWS Sacramento page on Facebook said this: “Regarding the earlier tornado warning near Jamestown and Sonora — we are currently coordinating with Tuolumne County OES. The main focus remains on ongoing flooding from the same storm — keeping people off the roadways and letting crews assess the situation. There was also copious amounts of lightning that may have caused powerline and structure damage. If any additional damage reports roll in, we will post information as it becomes available. Final assessments may not be made until Sunday.”
The Tuolumne County Office of Emergency Services’ Facebook page had no mention of a tornado, as of 6:30 p.m. Nor did the page of the county Sheriff’s Office.
But there are comments online that suggest it’s possible. One commenter on the Facebook public group Tuolumne County Incident Feed said she believes it hit in Sonora’s Woods Creek Rotary Park: “trees down one after another power lines down a house is damaged and multiple carports torn down so many trees it looks crazy.”
Another Facebook user commented Saturday evening, “Now that we are not trapped in our house without power in the snow, we get to end our week with tornadoes and flooding. ... We had a tornado in Jamestown today causing damage to downtown.”
What about Stanislaus County?
Late Saturday afternoon, the Stanislaus County Office of Emergency Services posted on its Facebook page that isolated thunderstorms are possible through Sunday here and in the adjacent foothills.
“If these thunderstorms develop, they can (be) very strong and produce gusty winds, heavy rain, hail and funnel clouds.”
A funnel cloud is a rotating column of air that extends from the base of a storm cloud but does not make contact with the ground, the Weather Service says. If it hits the ground, it’s a tornado.
StanEmergency’s post included safety tips should a tornado warning be issued in your area:
▪ Take shelter IMMEDIATELY in safe space, such as a windowless interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building.
▪ Cover yourself with a mattress, sleeping bag, or another protective blanket. Wear a bike helmet for additional protection.
▪ If you are not at home or cannot get to a safe space, protect yourself from flying debris under heavy furniture, such as a sturdy table, and stay clear of windows and doors, including garage doors.
▪ DO NOT open or crack the windows in your home.
This story was originally published March 11, 2023 at 6:52 PM.
