LAKE MARY, FL — Fox 35 Orlando senior meteorologist Brooks Garner warned his co-workers to take cover while on air Monday morning as an apparent tornado spanning at least a half-mile whisked by the Florida studios.
"Take shelter," Garner is seemingly overheard saying in video footage of the newscast released online. "Everybody in the FOX 35 studios, get to your safe space."
The tornado hit around 9:30 a.m. near Lake Mary Boulevard in Seminole County, FOX 35 reported. No one was injured after the disaster, the news outlet reported.
As Garner continued to report on the tornado's location, his warnings resumed as he urged producers, anchors and other staff to take cover under their desks.
"Seek shelter immediately," Garner warned. "… We got power flickering out. That's a tornado. … This is a very serious situation. This is a real live tornado."
Garner said the tornado was the first in a "really long time" for the area, and was the first time a tornado has hit a studio where he worked.
The roof of FOX 35 sustained damage, he said. Garner took to Facebook to share photos of what appears to be a damaged weather deck.
"Quick view of what’s left of our beautiful new Weather Deck, after winds from a tornado blew destroyed it after passing over our station. The sound of debris on the roof and walls was scary and I am glad everyone is okay here, and hopefully that is true for everyone in the region," Garner wrote.
Meteorologist Noah Bergren surmised the tornado could have been an EF0 or EF1, FOX 35 reported.
Tower cameras in the area showed debris flying as the twister passed near the TV studio, AccuWeather reported.
The National Weather Service said the twister touched down around 9:40 a.m. and “was located over Lake Mary,” heading northeast at 30 mph.
The Seminole County Fire Department responded to a home that collapsed from the strength of the winds. "There were two occupants & both were uninjured," according to responders who are assessing other homes for damage and urge residents to please stay clear of the area if they don't need to be there.
While Garner deemed the twister weak, the NWS and Seminole County Emergency Management Alan Harris indicated it also went through the Longwood community, according to The Weather Channel and Fox 35.
The weather outlet reported an average of 46 tornadoes that pop up in the Sunshine State, the same number of twisters that spun in two days during the deadly Hurricane Milton last October.
A wind advisory remains in effect until 7 p.m. Monday for Indian River, Martin, St. Lucie, Volusia, Brevard, Lake, Okeechobee, Orange, Osceola and Seminole counties due to anticipated southwest winds of 15-20 mph with gusts up to 35 mph.
After Monday, the rainfall is expected to clear out of the area until Sunday, according to a National Weather Service forecast.