PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. – The tornado that ripped through Palm Beach County on Wednesday had peak winds of 140 miles per hour, starting in Wellington and eventually ending at least 21 miles later north in Jupiter Farms, the National Weather Service (NWS) said. in a report released Friday evening.

The devastating EF3 tornado, which left seven injured, first touched down in Wellington at 4.51pm and remained on the ground until 5.21pm. The investigation found that the tornado had a width of 1,000 feet at its maximum.

“The southernmost point of this survey is marked by a double-wide mobile home on Deer Path Lane in the Rustic Ranches section of Wellington, which was left virtually unrecognizable,” the NWS said.

The investigation showed that the track continued north-northeast across the far western part of Wellington, in the communities of Lakefield West, Meadowwood and Binks Forest, where EF1 and EF2 damage was noted to homes and trees.

The tornado crossed Southern Boulevard/US Highway 98 and then continued its north-northeast track through Loxahatchee Groves and The Acreage, where EF1 to isolated EF2 damage was observed to homes, trees and outbuildings.

The NWS said the tornado intensified as it approached Northlake Boulevard on the north side of The Acreage, then caused its greatest damage in the Avenir Community of Palm Beach Gardens.

The investigation shows that at the beginning of the Avenir community, a large portion of the roof of a Publix supermarket, which was recently completed and will open in the near future, collapsed after being hit by winds of at least 130 miles (210 km). /o’clock.

The storm caused significant structural damage in Avenir, including heavy roof damage to homes, shattering and blowing impact-resistant windows, and lifting vehicles at least 100 meters.

The tornado then moved just westward, very close to the North Palm Beach County General Aviation Airport, where a gust of 90 mph (150 km/h) from the south-southwest was measured at approximately 5:10 p.m.

The tornado then crossed Bee Line Highway/State Road 710 where tree damage was observed, then entered Jupiter Farms where EF1 to EF2 damage was noted to trees, outbuildings and utility poles.

“Images from a Florida Turnpike highway camera showed the tornado moving north past Jupiter Farms to the Martin County line, where it likely continued into Martin County,” the report said. “The path width was 200-300 yards for much of the track, with only a few places where circulation (of the tornado) may have increased briefly.”

The NWS investigation concluded by reporting that the tornado’s radar circulation was seen well south of Wellington in the Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge, and video of the tornado was captured in this area from west of Delray Beach.

The NWS said the track length indicated in the report applies only to the section surveyed.

“If the track is extended southward to the shelter where radar circulation suggested the tornado may have originated, it would have been more than 30 miles,” the NWS said.