One month after Hurricane Milton spawned tornadoes across South Florida and made landfall on the Gulf Coast, residents are continuing to make repairs and recover. An EF-3 tornado caused widespread damages in Wellington, Florida where FOX Weather’s Brandy Campbell reports on recovery efforts.
WELLINGTON, Fla. – Flying into South Florida, you can see blue and green tarps still cover the roofs of many homes one month after Hurricane Milton spawned a deadly tornado outbreak hundreds of miles away from where it made landfall.
In October, Milton’s outer bands tapped into atmospheric conditions that became conducive for severe weather, producing tornadoes across South Florida and claiming multiple lives.
In Palm Beach County, the village of Wellington experienced an EF-3 tornado that ripped through 29 miles of the community and damaged nearly 150 homes.
Tornado damage in Wellington, Florida on Nov. 13, 2024, a month after Hurricane Milton spawned tornadoes across South Florida.
(Brandy Campell/FOX Weather / FOX Weather)
Jim Barnes, Wellington‘s village manager, said it’s been a busy month trying to help begin the recovery efforts. He said they are moving into the final phase of debris collection.
Of the impacted homes, one was destroyed and 16 sustained major damage.
Barnes said the longest part of the recovery effort can begin after the debris cleanup is finished.
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Tornado damage in Wellington, Florida on Nov. 13, 2024, a month after Hurricane Milton spawned tornadoes across South Florida. (Brandy Campbell/FOX Weather)
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Tornado damage in Wellington, Florida on Nov. 13, 2024, a month after Hurricane Milton spawned tornadoes across South Florida. (Brandy Campbell/FOX Weather)
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Tornado damage in Wellington, Florida on Nov. 13, 2024, a month after Hurricane Milton spawned tornadoes across South Florida. (Brandy Campbell/FOX Weather)
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Tornado damage in Wellington, Florida on Nov. 13, 2024, a month after Hurricane Milton spawned tornadoes across South Florida. (Brandy Campbell/FOX Weather)
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Tornado damage in Wellington, Florida on Nov. 13, 2024, a month after Hurricane Milton spawned tornadoes across South Florida. (Brandy Campell/FOX Weather)
“Our residents are really trying to rebuild and try and get back to some sense of normalcy as they try and restore their homes to be able to move back into them or, in some cases, decide maybe they needed another alternative due to the extent of the damage to their homes,” Barnes said. “I think that’s really the longest part of the process and will take the entire community to come behind those residents to provide that support.”
Thursday marks the last day to apply for the Operation Blue Roof Program in Florida. Residents can apply for free temporary roof taping while they wait for permanent repairs.
Tornado- and Milton-recovery efforts continue across the state as Florida is once again on alert as another tropical system, likely to become Sara this week, could bring impacts to the Sunshine State sometime next week.