A wild video from FOX Weather shows how a tornado struck the news station while it was live on air. This EF-2 tornado destroyed two homes just north of Orlando, Florida, on Monday morning. It was not too long after the violent spiral hit the FOX 35 Orlando television station.
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Tornado Hits FOX 35 News Station While Live On Air
FOX 35 Orlando Meteorologist Brooks Garner described it as a "very rare event" while on air that morning. "We were able to confirm the tornado as it hit our station," he said.
The news station's staff claimed they could feel the building shake as it passed by. They also heard debris hitting the station's roof when it touched down. The outlet believed this tornado cut across Interstate 4, north of Orlando, went across Lake Mary, and then moved to Sanford around 10 AM.
FOX Weather posted the footage online for the internet to see just how crazy this moment was. "We could be looking at a tornado on camera," Garner said while live. "Look at those trees...blowing around," he continued, pausing to see the trees thrashing in the wind.
Just 30 seconds into the video, the footage becomes so foggy from the dense wind that you can barely see what's going on. After taking notice of the debris hitting the roof, he instructed staff to take cover. "Take shelter, everybody in the FOX 35 building get to your safe space."
About 45 seconds in, you can see the tornado picking up numerous debris on camera. Garner took action quickly and authorized others to get under their desks. Although still on air and keeping his composure, you could tell the meteorologist was worried.
He said, "The studio, by the way, is fortified. So it's like one of our tornado shelters, ironically, being in the studio, but it's great because we can still when the worst weather's hitting."
He added, "But it became real. It became really real when you hear -- when you heard debris hitting the roof and hitting the walls, and you realize you're not just tracking a tornado. You're not chasing a tornado. The tornado has chased you. It's hit you — It's hitting your place of business. It's potentially threatening your own life."
Once it passed by, Garner got back on camera and alerted listeners that it was heading to Lake Mary and into Sanford. By the end of the video, he let out a relieved sigh. "I've been doing this for a very long time, that's the first time a tornado has hit me while I'm doing the weather," he revealed.
According to the outlet, NWS officials are continuing to survey the damage this afternoon in Lake Mary. Unfortunately, the tornado demolished two homes in Longwood, as confirmed by the Seminole County Sheriff's Office. The good news is that the two occupants were uninjured and are now safe.
