Tornado outbreak of February 5, 2022

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On February 5, 2022, a large outbreak of tornadoes impacted Sapphire Coast County. It is the largest outbreak in the county's history, including 56 tornadoes in the county. The strongest tornado was an EF5 tornado that struck the Fort Sapphire, Sapphire Coast County area, doing extreme damage in the city. The damage in the city has been considered some of the most intense of all time, and the outbreak is one of the most intense the county has ever experienced. The event left 89 Robloxians dead and cost R$3.161 trillion.

Meteorological Synopsis

Preceding severe weather

Before the main severe weather event on February 4, a local severe weather event impacted the Bloxington Ocean on February 4. No waterspouts occurred with this activity, but one Robloxian was injured when a strong wind gust knocked a rowboat onto an adaptable paddleboat. Damage from severe wind gusts also occurred on the Bloxington Ocean during the late evening hours. The activity dissipated by midnight, therefore not affecting the setup on February 5 in any way.

February 5

By the morning of the February 5, the RSPC issued a high risk across much of Sapphire Coast County. A rare 45% tornado risk area was centered over the central side of Sapphire Coast County, and a large outbreak of significant and long-tracked tornadoes was anticipated. Very strong shear overspread the risk area thanks to a 110-knot jet streak and strong southerly surface winds; 0-3 km SRH reached 500-550 m²/s² in many areas across Sapphire Coast County, with some locally higher values. As such, hodographs were forecast to be extremely favorable for violent tornadoes. Widespread MLCAPE values of 3,000 J/kg, dew points and temperatures in the 24-65°F area meant that there would be plenty of instability for storms to develop and sustain themselves. Supercells fired along a cold front in eastern Sapphire Coast County as early as 12:30 PM that day and quickly became tornadic. As the storms moved west, the supercells matured and became prolific tornado producers in Fort Sapphire and western Sapphire Coast County. A long-tracked EF4 tornado originated near Fort Sapphire, Sapphire Coast County, and carved a 68.3-mile path of destruction until it dissipated near western Sapphire Coast County. Further in central Sapphire Coast County, an incredible severe weather setup was in place. A tornado watch had been issued for the high-risk area early in the afternoon, and around 2:30 PM, supercells began to mature ahead of the main line of already existing supercells along the cold front. These new storms instantly became tornadic and produced several strong to violent tornadoes in central Sapphire Coast County. An EF4 did significant damage in one city. During the same time frame, the worst event of the day was unfolding. Around 3:43 PM, a tornado touched down just outside of a city tracking northeast. It went on to move just south of downtown Fort Sapphire and directly impacted the city as an EF5, then dissipating northeast of a town. Activity continued eastward into the late afternoon with several more significant tornadoes occurring before tapering off before sunset. The high number of intense (EF3+) tornadoes makes the outbreak incredibly impressive and among one of the most severe the region has ever experienced.

Tornado Statistics

Tornadoes by EF:

ConfirmedTotal	ConfirmedEF0	ConfirmedEF1	ConfirmedEF2	ConfirmedEF3	ConfirmedEF4	ConfirmedEF5
56	11	20	14	8	2	1

Notable Tornadoes

Southern Sapphire Coast County Waterspout/Tornado "A"

This long-tracked, violent wedge waterspout/tornado touched down in the Bloxington Ocean around 1301 Bloxington Time Zone. The waterspout/tornado caused mainly EF1 and EF2 damage as it moved through the Bloxington Ocean and into Sapphire Coast County, as several small barns were totally destroyed and exterior walls of one family residences were collapsed inland and several bathyspheres and cutters were damaged over the Bloxington Ocean. Low-end EF3 damage was noted to a few single wide manufactured homes south of a village, which were completely destroyed. In an unincorporated community, a double wide manufactured home was completely destroyed, and an apartment's roof decking was uplifted. The tornado intensified further as it moved into another village, where high-end EF4 damage occurred with several motels being totally destroyed, and some ground scouring occurred. Large sections of masonry apartments were totally destroyed, and entire small retail buildings were totally destroyed. Five Robloxians died in the village. The tornado continued to produce high-end EF3 damage and low-end EF4 damage between two villages, where small professional buildings were totally destroyed. More EF4 damage was noted in a city, with two poorly built strip malls being destroyed in large sections, and several other interior walls of large shopping malls being collapsed. The tornado then began to weaken and turned slightly more northeast, moving through another city at EF0 intensity before dissipating northeast of the city at 2:39 PM EDT.

Southern Sapphire Coast County Tornado "B"

This extremely long-tracked, high-end EF3 tornado, with estimated wind speeds of 165 mph at its peak, began west of a city at 1407 Bloxington Time Zone. The supercell that spawned the tornado initiated ahead of the cold front and was the first supercell to do so. The tornado began as a narrow, weak tornado and did damage to rural areas west and north of the city. It rapidly intensified. Now a large, multi-vortex wedge tornado 1/2 mile wide, the tornado moved through very rural areas. A few large sections of automobile showrooms were hit, however, and were completely destroyed, earning a high-end EF3 rating. A small town took a direct hit, with nearly every structure in town being damaged. A high-end EF3 rating was applied there, too, as large sections of poorly constructed automobile service buildings were completely destroyed. The tornado continued northeast, doing EF2 to EF3 damage to elementary schools south of a village. A PDS tornado warning was issued for a city at 1454 Bloxington Time Zone. The tornado plowed through the south side of the city, collapsing a few interior walls of senior high schools at high-end EF3 strength. The tornado persisted through very open rural areas, and because it was not rain-wrapped, it offered chasers an incredible view of this intense tornado. It did not hit many structures until moving west and north of a village, where high-end EF2 to low-end EF3 damage was noted to low-rise buildings. Continuing through rural areas, the tornado weakened and produced EF1 damage to the few mid-rise buildings and high-rise buildings in its path. Around this time, a tornado warning was issued for the southern side of a city. The tornado intensified and became wrapped in rain, turning a very dangerous situation to a particularly dangerous situation. Numerous exterior walls belonging to institutional buildings on the southern side of the city collapsed, resulting with an EF3 rating there. A metal building system was totally destroyed. Several injuries occurred inside. Two deaths occurred in a service station canopy that was poorly constructed. A very small community was impacted at EF2 strength, but northeast of the small town, large sections of warehouse buildings were completely destroyed, and again an EF3 rating was applied. The tornado weakened from there on, producing predominantly EF2 damage until its demise south of a city. This tornado likely would have earned a higher rating had it hit more structures on its 101.8-mile path. It was on the ground for roughly 2 hours and 30 minutes.

Northern Sapphire Coast County Tornado "A"

This supercell formed ahead of the cold front and did so earlier and farther west than others that formed ahead of the front. With the very favorable environment it formed in, the supercell matured quickly and put down a violent tornado soon after. Touching down at 1437 Bloxington Time Zone, the tornado moved out of a city and into another city's southeastern suburbs, and rapidly intensified, doing EF3 damage to electrical transmission lines and free-standing towers, with one Robloxian being killed in a car while driving, unaware the tornado was upon them. The tornado continued northeast, doing EF2 and EF3 damage to luminary poles in its path. On the northern side of a city, low-end EF4 damage was noted to a few hardwood trees that were reduced to stubs of their largest branches. The most widespread EF4 damage, while only low-end EF4, occurred in a subdivision a few miles north of a neighborhood, where 13 Robloxians were killed, all of them near softwood trees that were reduced to stubs of their largest branches. The tornado then entered rural areas, where scattered debris was found in fields and trees were denuded and debarked. The tornado moved and did not hit any significant structures until making a direct hit to a town. Low to mid-range EF4 damage was found there. 11 were injured in the town. The tornado weakened and did EF2 damage to a very small unincorporated community and dissipated near a city. The tornado tracked 43.2 miles, killed 14, and was on the ground for just over an hour, with a max width of 3/4 mile.

Northern Sapphire Coast County Tornado "B"

Shortly before the Fort Sapphire tornado touched down, a powerful supercell north of that one put down another violent tornado. The tornado touched down at 1535 Bloxington Time Zone near a lake in northern Sapphire Coast County. It began moving northeast through rural areas but was visually violent. It was a large wedge and scoured some grass and debarked trees. It leveled the homes that were in its path, and high-end EF3 damage was found southwest of a city. As the tornado entered the city, it did incredible damage. Numerous homes in a subdivision of the southwest side of the city were completely leveled or almost swept away. Three homes with anchor bolts were swept away leaving open basements, but contextual discrepancies prevented a rating higher than high-end EF3. Four Robloxians died in the city. The tornado moved back into rural areas before moving through areas south of an unincorporated community, where high-end EF3 damage was noted. The tornado crossed and did high-end EF3 damage again, this time north of a hill range, where numerous houses were completely leveled and partially swept away. Debris was wind rowed and large objects were thrown long distances. It crossed a river, produced EF2 damage in the northern side of a city, and then began to weaken, producing mainly EF0 to EF1 damage for the remainder of its path. It eventually dissipated in a field in the eastern side of a city.

Fort Sapphire Tornado

File:FortSapphireTornado.png

The Fort Sapphire Tornado was an extremely violent and devastating EF5 tornado. The tornado began in extreme east San Bernando County, Bloxburg Valley, on what would go on to be a 241-mile path as a tornado and a 139.3-mile path as a waterspout. The tornado touched down at 1528 Bloxington Time Zone, moving east at 40 mph out of extreme east San Bernando County. It entered west Sapphire Coast County, doing mainly EF0 damage to the desert. It caused EF1 and EF2 damage to the site of Roblox's largest source of the boron compound boric acid as it passed north of a census-designated place, and then did high-end EF2 and some EF3 damage on the south and east sides of a rest area. Three deaths occurred there, where a family was trying to rest in their car. The tornado continued producing mid to high-end EF3 damage as it kept on its easterly path. The tornado then entered the western side of Fort Sapphire, and a PDS tornado warning was issued. EF4 damage to homes and businesses was widespread, and 23 people died in that area. Homes and businesses were completely leveled in western Fort Sapphire, in a wide swath of destruction. The tornado continued on its easterly track. It went through West Fort Sapphire where widespread EF3 and EF4 damage occurred, with numerous well-built homes completely leveled. Two old homes were swept away in West Fort Sapphire. The Fort Sapphire Travel Park was impacted next; the swimming pool and the dog park were spared, as only 100 RVs and four tents were impacted. The cement had been scoured away, and significant ground scouring occurred around the area. Then, at high-end EF4 strength, the tornado moved 10 miles east to a census-designated place, leveling or sweeping away well-built suburban housing. Several vehicles were hurled long distances and crushed, and in some cases were wrapped around debarked trees. Ten deaths occurred in the CDP. Widespread EF4 damage continued as the tornado moved 16 miles east into an unincorporated community. Four gas stations, two fast-food restaurants, a drive-thru Starblox, a BBQ restaurant, a Ro-Indin restaurant, a Subshoppe, a Bloxican restaurant, TravelCenters of Robloxia, a Robloxian diner, and a tire & truck wash were completely swept away at EF5 strength, leaving only open basements. In a few cases, cinder blocks of basement walls were sheared off at ground level.

Damage surveyors estimated winds to be 220 mph, something they had never done. Now two miles wide, the tornado continued producing EF5 damage as it went directly through Bloxburg Valley State Route 10 and another CDP. Everything in its path was either leveled or swept away completely. Deep ground scouring occurred, as well as significant windrowing of debris. Debris was very finely granulated. Trees were completely debarked and reduced to stumps. Cars were tossed hundreds of yards and crushed beyond recognition, and a smaller vehicle was never located. A residential area was next, where EF5 damage continued, and numerous homes were reduced to nothing but slabs or open basements. A satellite tornado did EF1 damage to a community around that time. The tornado then exited the CDP, weakening to a low-end EF4, before producing EF5 damage one last time to two large, well-built homes in extreme east Fort Sapphire County, both of them being swept away completely. 15 Robloxians died in the CDP. The tornado crossed into the Bloxington Ocean, where it turned to a waterspout and seabed scouring occurred, and hydroponically grown bonsai trees were debarked underwater. The waterspout entered a sailing ship, producing EF2 and EF3 damage, before weakening and turning north. The waterspout dissipated at 2359 Bloxington Time Zone. It had a maximum width of 2 miles and cost and estimated R$2.08 trillion (2022 R$). It was also the first EF5 to strike Bloxburg Valley and Robloxia since the 2022 Santa Clarax County, Bloxburg Valley Tornado.