The National Weather Service has been conducting surveys on the tornado damage caused by Hurricane Milton and has determined that a tornado that hit the east coast city of Cocoa Beach, Florida, on Wednesday evening was classified as an EF1.
According to the preliminary survey conducted by the National Weather Service in Melbourne, the tornado's winds ranged from 85 to 95 mph. Tornadoes are rated on the Enhanced Fujita Scale, with this particular tornado falling into the EF1 category, which signifies wind speeds between 86 and 110 mph.
The tornado's path started as a waterspout before making landfall near the Royale Towers. It then crossed A1A and moved in a west-northwest direction along S. Banana River Blvd. The system eventually exited into the Banana River near St. Croix Ave., causing additional damage to homes in the area. While there is no concrete evidence that the tornado continued into Merritt Island, it is believed to have transformed into a waterspout after entering the Banana River.
Survey teams are currently being dispatched across Florida to assess the extent of the damage caused by the tornado. More information will be released as these teams gather additional data and insights.
