Montebello, California, was devastated by a massive tornado that struck the area on March 22, 2023. During its roughly hour-long duration, the tornado destroyed trees, downed power lines, and severely damaged numerous homes and businesses.
Tornado
It is crucial to comprehend what a tornado is before getting into the details of the Montebello tornado. A tornado is a whirling column of air that rises up from the ground around the base of a thunderstorm. Thunderstorms, hail, and powerful winds are frequently present during tornadoes. They can range from small, weak tornadoes with winds of around 65 mph to large, violent tornadoes with winds of more than 200 mph.
The Montebello Tornado
The Montebello tornado, which struck Montebello on March 22, 2023, was a severe tornado. With winds up to 190 mph, the tornado was rated as an EF4 tornado. Around 4:30 pm local time, the tornado made landfall and persisted for about an hour. The tornado’s path extended more than 10 miles and was around a mile wide.
Causes of the Montebello Tornado
The clash of warm and cold air masses, usually in the presence of a powerful jet stream, results in tornadoes. In the case of the Montebello tornado, a cold front travelling from the west clashed with a warm, moist air mass from the Gulf of Mexico. The perfect environment for a tornado to form was produced by this encounter.
Impacts of the Montebello Tornado
Homes and businesses in the impacted areas sustained extensive damage as a result of the Montebello tornado. Trees were uprooted, electrical lines were wrecked, and a number of structures were devastated by the tornado. The worst-affected locations included Montebello’s downtown, where a number of structures were completely destroyed, and the Westmont district, where a number of houses suffered serious damage.
Response to the Montebello Tornado
Emergency personnel put forth a lot of effort following the Montebello tornado to aid people who were harmed. For people who had been displaced by the storm, local officials set up emergency shelters, while volunteers from other villages banded together to help with the cleanup.