Montebello

Pictures: Tornadoes Leave Trails of Damage in Carpinteria, Montebello

The first tornado struck the Santa Barbara County community of Carpinteria Tuesday night, while the second hit Montebello in Los Angeles County Wednesday morning

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Two Southern California communities sustained damage as a result of rare tornadoes touching down in the region.

The first tornado struck the Santa Barbara County community of Carpinteria Tuesday night, while the second hit Montebello in Los Angeles County Wednesday morning.

“At any place, in particular California, a tornado is very highly unusual. However, if we look over a broader area of Southern California or California in general, we do tend to see a number of tornadoes occur, really, each year, especially in the winter and early springtime, when strong Pacific storm systems move onshore and create favorable conditions,” said Ariel Cohen, meteorologist in charge at NWS Los Angeles/Oxnard.

In Carpinteria, the twister reached estimated peak wind speeds of 75 mph and damaged around 25 mobile homes. The Montebello tornado damaged 17 buildings and left one person with minor injuries; it packed winds of 86 mph to 110 mph, considered an EF1 on the Enhanced Fujita Scale, when it touched down at at about 11:20 a.m. in an industrial area with several warehouses.

Below are images of the damage.

Tornado damage at a mobile home park in Carpinteria.
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Tornado damage at a mobile home park in Carpinteria.
A waterspout forms in Carpinteria.
A waterspout forms in Carpinteria.
Tornado Touches Down Near Los Angeles In Montebello, California
An aerial view of roof damage after a rare confirmed tornado touched down and ripped up building roofs in a Los Angeles suburb on March 22, 2023 in Montebello, California. Another Pacific storm has been pounding California with heavy rain, high winds, and snow in higher elevations. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)
The interior of a Niky's Sports store in Montebello after damage from a tornado.
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The interior of a Niky's Sports store in Montebello after damage from a tornado.
A teacher is knocked to the ground during a tornado in Montebello.
A teacher is knocked to the ground during a tornado in Montebello.
Debris floats in the air during a tornado in Montebello.
Debris floats in the air during a tornado in Montebello.
Tornado Touches Down Near Los Angeles In Montebello, California
: An aerial view shows roof damage after a rare tornado touched down in a Los Angeles suburb on March 22, 2023 in Montebello, California. Another Pacific storm has been pounding California with heavy rain, high winds, and snow. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)
A strong microburst -- which some witnesses dubbed a possible tornado -- heavily damaged several buildings in Montebello
Workers remove broken glass from a window at NASA Services building that was broken by flying debris during a tornado in Montebello on Wednesday March 22, 2023.
A strong microburst -- which some witnesses dubbed a possible tornado -- heavily damaged several buildings in Montebello
An employee who was inside the the Royal Paper Box Company when the roof was torn off during a tornado in Montebello on Wednesday March 22, 2023.
Crews start to clean up debris after a tornado in Montebello Tuesday March 23, 2023.
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Crews start to clean up debris after a tornado in Montebello Wednesday March 22, 2023.
Montebello, CA - March 22: Clean up crews remove debris lodged underneath a van that had its windows blown-out from flying debris and other damage following a strong microburst -- which some witnesses dubbed a possible tornado -- at the scene where one person injured nearby and heavily damaged several cars and roofs of several buildings Wednesday, March 22, 2023. Five buildings have been damaged and one has been red-tagged. Video from the scene showing portions of rooftops being ripped off industrial structures and debris swirling in the air. The National Weather Service on Tuesday night issued a brief tornado warning in southwestern Los Angeles County, but it was allowed to expire after about 15 minutes when weather conditions eased. There was no such warning in place late Wednesday morning when the powerful winds hit Montebello, near the area of Washington Boulevard and Vail Avenue.  (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
Cleanup crews remove debris lodged underneath a van that had its windows blown-out from flying debris and other damage following a tornado Wednesday, March 22, 2023 in Montebello.
Montebello, CA - March 22:  Montebello, CA - March 22:  A large portion of the roof the Royal Paper Box Company is gone after a confirmed tornado tore if off, injured one person and heavily damaged several cars and buildings  in Montebello Wednesday, March 22, 2023. Five buildings have been damaged and one has been red-tagged. Video from the scene showing portions of rooftops being ripped off industrial structures and debris swirling in the air. The National Weather Service on Tuesday night issued a brief tornado warning in southwestern Los Angeles County, but it was allowed to expire after about 15 minutes when weather conditions eased. There was no such warning in place late Wednesday morning when the powerful winds hit Montebello, near the area of Washington Boulevard and Vail Avenue.  (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
A large portion of the roof the Royal Paper Box Company is gone after a tornado Wednesday, March 22, 2023 in Montebello.
Montebello, CA - March 22: A pickup bed liner is lodged into a tree outside the Royal Paper Box Company, where the roof was torn off from a confirmed tornado at the scene where one person injured nearby and heavily damaged several cars and buildings in Montebello Wednesday, March 22, 2023. Eleven buildings have been  been red-tagged. Video from the scene showing portions of rooftops being ripped off industrial structures and debris swirling in the air. The National Weather Service on Tuesday night issued a brief tornado warning in southwestern Los Angeles County, but it was allowed to expire after about 15 minutes when weather conditions eased. There was no such warning in place late Wednesday morning when the powerful winds hit Montebello, near the area of Washington Boulevard and Vail Avenue.  (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
A pickup bed liner is lodged into a tree outside the Royal Paper Box Company after a tornado Wednesday, March 22, 2023 in Montebello.
Barrels at the Apex Container Service facility after a rare tornado touched down in Montebello, California, US, on Thursday, March 23, 2023. The National Weather Service confirmed that a rare tornado hit an industrial area of Montebello, east of downtown Los Angeles, on Wednesday, injuring one person and damaging several buildings. Photographer: David Swanson/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Barrels at the Apex Container Service facility after a rare tornado touched down in Montebello, California, US, on Thursday, March 23, 2023.
Barrels at the Apex Container Service facility and damage to a recycling company's building after a rare tornado touched down in Montebello, California, US, on Thursday, March 23, 2023. The National Weather Service confirmed that a rare tornado hit an industrial area of Montebello, east of downtown Los Angeles, on Wednesday, injuring one person and damaging several buildings. Photographer: David Swanson/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Barrels at the Apex Container Service facility and damage to a recycling company's building after a rare tornado touched down in Montebello, California, US, on Thursday, March 23, 2023.
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