Orlando TV: Tornado Hits Fox 35 Studios During Live Broadcast

An EF-2 tornado struck the Fox 35 Orlando television station in Lake Mary, Florida, about 16 miles northeast of Orlando, while meteorologist Brooks Garner was live on air delivering a weather broadcast.

The tornado, with peak winds of 115 mph—equivalent to a Category 3 hurricane—hit the station’s studio, causing a dramatic scene as Garner warned viewers and staff alike. As the tornado approached, he instructed employees to take shelter, saying, “Everybody in the Fox 35 building, get to your safe space under your desk,” while debris could be heard hitting the roof and walls. The station’s weather camera captured the tornado crossing Interstate 4, with winds blasting trees and rain across the parking lot.

The event was a rare occurrence for Garner, who noted it was the first time in his 30-year career that a tornado had struck while he was broadcasting. The station’s building shook, lights flickered, and the roof sustained damage, including the destruction of a newly built weather deck. Outside, the storm broke car windows in the parking lot and caused visible damage to the surrounding area. Despite the intensity, no injuries were reported at the station.

Beyond the studio, the tornado carved a roughly 1.8-mile path through Seminole County, collapsing at least one home in Longwood, overturning a semi-truck, and damaging several other structures. Fortunately, no fatalities or serious injuries were reported in the affected areas. 

The National Weather Service confirmed the tornado’s EF-2 rating based on wind speeds and initial damage surveys, marking it as the first significant tornado in Orange and Seminole counties in over 25 years. Fox 35 Orlando, known locally as WOFL-TV, continued to provide updates as emergency responders assessed the broader impact across Central Florida.