2022 San Diego-Carlsbad-Vista Tornado

Tornado Summary
The tornado first touched down in the Miramar Community of San Diego, near the edge of the runway at the Miramar Executive Airport, at around 11:40am PDT. Initially, the storm remained very small and weak as it tracked over an open field for nearly a mile. It then entered an industrial complex in Sorrento Valley, causing minor roof damage to several large storage facilities, warehouses, and office buildings. Remaining less than 30 yards wide, the tornado strengthened significantly, causing significant roof damage to numerous multi-story concrete buildings. A putting building at the Sorrento Valley Golf Center was completely destroyed by the tornado. Briefly reaching EF3 intensity, the storm ripped off the entire roof of the Singature Analytics San Diego office building, with several large air conditiong units being ripped off of the roof and carried for 150 yards. The tornado then weakend, dealing EF2 damage to 3 more large buildings before moving into a wooded area. A small neighborhood of well-built, two-story in the wooded area sustained a direct hit from the now 50 yard wide tornado, with nearly 30 homes being damaged. Most homes that were hit had minor roof and siding damage, with several homes having large portions of their roof removed. Two homes had most of the second floor completely destroyedm with only interior walls left. A car was thrown into the first floor of one home, killing the driver. The tornado crossed Peñasquitos Creek, uprooting several small bushes and trees. The tornado then moved into the community of Caramel Mountain, now a violently rotating but thin tornado. The tornado hit one home, completely demolishing the top floor with only the bathroom walls left standing, and several other homes suffered similar damage. Striking the Higlands Village Condominiums, 21 buildings had their roofs completely removed at EF2 intensity, and 12 had all outside walls of the top floor collapse - imdicative of EF3 damage. The tornado then became violent, the first in California's history, as 3 buildings lost the entire top floor, and one even lost 2 exterior walls on lower floors. 2 people were killed here, and 25 others were injured. The tornado continued north-northeast, impacting several two-story homes across the street from the condominiums. 5 homes in this area were leveled by the tornado, with winds in the storm being estimated near 185 mph at this time. The tornado then widened as it mvoed over a hill, reaching 360 yards wide. On the other side of the hill, the tornado directly impacted the Fairmont Gran Del Mar - a luxury hotel with several wings. Most of the roof along the central part of the building was torn off, adn exterior walls in the seperate wings were blown in. The Villas at Del Mar Golf Course was completely destroyed, and the clubhouse on site recieved EF1 damage. Crossing another hill, the tornado came down the hill and rapidly excelerated, causing EF3 damage to pet resort. The Del Mar Orchid World was completely destroyed at EF3 intensity. The tornado crossed the Ted Williams Freeway, throwing 4 cars off the road, killing 2. The tornado then moved into an open strip of land between two nieghborhoods, damaging homes on both sides. Several homes had moderate roof damage, with some having back walls facing the strip of land being blown in. Minor roof damage occurred at the Sycamore Ridge High School. The tornado then turned northwest, moving through a neighborhood of homes directly north of the high school. 31 homes sustained EF2 damage, 19 recieved EF3 damage, and 4 homes in the northeast corner of the neighborhood collapsed, having been impacted by winds estimated in the lew-end EF4 range. 2 people were killed in this area. As the tornado crossed into another open field, it became large multi-vrotex stovepipe tornado. Homes along Blazing Star Lane sustained significant damage, including two well-built, 2-story homes that were completely destroyed except for 2 interior walls on the first floor. The tornado then moved into the Pacific Highlands House development area, where construction for a new housing project was about to begin. Large construction equipment, including a 15-ton bullzdozer, were blown around. Several cars were mangled. The tornado then moved into the Del Mar Country Club area, where 45 multi-million dollar, 3-story brick home homes were damaged. 6 homes near Dalia Drive collapsed, and 1 of those homes was completely destroyed with no first floor walls remaining. Winds here were estimated in the upper bounds of EF4, near 195 mph. Dozens of trees were uprooted or debarked, and a pond on the golf course was completely drained. More homes were impacted, with several more sustaining high-end EF4 damage. Most of these homes were inhabited by retired couples, leading to 12 deaths occurring in this region. The tornado then moved into a field, completely destroying the barn where the Kailmar Farms Equestrian School was located, killing 5 horses. The parent supercell then began to cycle, causing the tornado to rapidly weaken and constrict. By the time it reached homes at the other end of the field, it was just 180 yards wide, compared to the previous 550 yards that it had been. A large wooden storage unit was flattened, and trees and telephone poles were snapped. Weakening below EF3 intensity, two small homes lost their whole roofs. The tornado then began to rope out, losing the condensation that formed its funnel. The tornado continued speeding north, causing roof damage to several homes and downing numerous trees. Strengthening a bit as moved into another field, a small and poorly built house was pushed several yards off its foundation. A larger home up the road lost its whole roof. Moving into Rancho Santa Fe, the tornado weakened singificantly again. Remaining less than 60 yards wide, the tornado snapped off tree limbs and blew shingles off of homes. Some homes lost small portions of the roof framing. The tornado then trekked through the Rancho Santa Fe communtiy plaza, causing consdierable roof damage to the North County Dispatch Joint Powers Authority building, Rancho Santa Fe Fire Portection offices, and the R. Roger Rowe School. Nets at the Rancho Santa Fe tennis club were ripped up, and 3 dozen trees at the location were blown down. The tornado continued to produce minor damage. However, as it reached Vista de Fortuna street in northern Rancho Santa Fe, the tornado once again widened and strengthened. A large home had most of its roof removed, and two sheds at the site where swept away. A large palm tree was snapped at the base. 8 more homes sustained EF0 or EF1 damage, before the tornado rapidly intensified into an EF3 again. A small, poorly built wooden home was completely destroyed, and the car at the location was tossed 50 yards. Several more homes had their roofs blown off, and a well-built brick home lost 2 of its exterior walls. By the time the tornado reached a small row of homes near the Escondido Creek, the had once again become a 300 yard wide stovepipe. Several homes here sustained high-end EF3 damage, and water from the creek was sucked into the funnel. Hundreds of trees and bushes around the creek were uprooted. The tornado damaged another 30 homes, 6 of which lost their whole roof and at least 2 outside walls. Continuing to widen, the tornado moved through an open space, coming out the other end as a violent EF4. One home was completely destroyed, and 2 dozen others were damaged to some degree. Numerous homes sustained EF4 damage as the tornado moved up Calle Acervo, and many other homes sustained at least EF1 damage.