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The Bardsdale area of Fillmore experienced a rare tornado last week that was tracked by the National Weather Service Oxnard/Los Angeles and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. No one was injured but there was damage reported at Bardsdale Cemetery. |
It almost felt like Kansas last week when a tornado almost 200-feet at its widest point swept through a half-mile area of rural Fillmore during the height of wild weather brought by El Nino.
The National Weather Service Oxnard/Los Angeles confirmed a small tornado touched down during Wednesday’s powerful storm.
Forecasters had projected that Tuesday would have the fiercest weather and although rain pounded the area including the Santa Clara River Valley, on Wednesday morning, January 6 the storm really let loose.
Hail, thunder, lightening, winds and pounding rain — measured at one point for a brief time of falling at a rate of 8 inches per hour — were experienced.
At about 10:25 a.m., during the height of the storm the tornado hit bringing winds between 65 mph and 85 mph.
The tornado, which touched down 2.8 miles southwest of Fillmore, slammed into Bardsdale Cemetery — located in the 1600 block of South Sespe Street — and snapped tree limbs.
The tornado occurred in a rural area dotted with ranches and there were no injuries or major damage reported.
Last week’s event was the 10th tornado to strike Fillmore since 1952; the largest occurred in 1982 and was reported as a Category 1 event, a moderate tornado that can bring winds up to 112 mph.
Be sure to visit the National Weather Service website as a source to keep up with El Nino: http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/lox/
