Small tornado hits downtown Tampa

Published: February 26, 2013 

A waterspout came onshore from Tampa Bay, became a small tornado and damaged the roof of at least one building on Harbour Island late this morning, as a line of showers and storms passed through west-central Florida.

The National Weather Service confirmed that the damage on Harborough Island was caused by an EF0. Wind gusts of up to 60 mph were reported on Harbour Island, where pieces of the roof of the Westin Tampa Harbour Island Hotel were ripped up.

The cell that spawned the tornado passed through Tampa at just after 11 a.m., prompting a severe thunderstorm warning that expired at 11:45 a.m. High winds also ripped through the Channel District, where a street sign was blown down and other minor damage was evident.

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