26th Jan - Massive storm rips across Florida spawning tornadoes

TAMPA – The National Weather Service has issued tornado warnings for Sarasota and Manatee counties. Several tornadoes were moving east at 30 mph in central Manatee County. A tornado also has been spotted moving near Siesta Key and one near Vamo road north of Venice, moving east, in Sarasota County. Severe thunderstorms with 60-mph wind gusts are tracking across the area and damaging winds are also moving through Manatee and Sarasota counties in the next hour. The National Weather Service has issued a severe storm warning and is urging people in the warning area to stay indoors and away from windows. The warning area includes Hillsborough County, Southern Pinellas County, and northwestern Sarasota and Manatee counties. A tornado warning has also been issued for the St. Peterburg area. National Weather Service forecasters spotted a tornado on the doppler radar near St. Petersburg, moving eastward toward MacDill Air Force Base and Tampa. The warning is in effect until 5:45 p.m. Earlier, North of Tampa Bay, near Port Richey and Chassahoitzka, National Weather Service forecasters spotted tornados on the radar. Those areas and areas just northwest of those locations were under a tornado warning. A large mass of thunderstorms is moving across Southwest Florida from the west. The storm system is expected to progress south along the coast today with the worst conditions arriving south of the Tampa area this evening. Warm air moving in from the south is colliding with a cold air mass moving in from the northwest, creating conditions for strong thunderstorms that could spin off tornadoes. –Herald Tribune