Late Night Tornado Warning Surprises Many on the Central Coast
A rare tornado warning surprised many and rattled nerves throughout the Central Coast late Monday night.
The warning was issued at 11:21 p.m. on Monday night by the National Weather Service in Oxnard.
Cell phone users along the San Luis Obispo County coastline down into the Santa Maria Valley were alerted through a loud warning on their device that indicated severe thunderstorms capable of producing a tornado were located in the region.
It was pretty scary," said Eddie Rocha of Santa Maria. "When I saw it, that was the first time I saw one of those.
The message advised people to immediately seek shelter in a basement or in an interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building.
It also indicated that anyone outside, in a mobile home, or vehicle should move into the closest substantial shelter to protect themselves from potential flying debris.
Author summary: Tornado warning issued on Central Coast.