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14 Mar 2025, Fri

Tornado warning in Lake Mary shocks Adriana Sant’Anna and grips Central Florida

Adriana Santana


On March 10, 2025, Brazilian influencer Adriana Sant’Anna, living in the United States with her husband Rodrigão and children Rodrigo and Linda, encountered a startling moment when a tornado warning disrupted her morning routine. While dropping her kids off for a school presentation, she was forced to seek shelter in her car as the alert sounded unexpectedly. The episode occurred during a barrage of severe storms across Central Florida, including a confirmed tornado in Lake Mary, just miles from her location. Sharing the ordeal on Instagram, Adriana captured the sudden shift from calm to chaos, reflecting the broader tension that enveloped the region as residents braced for impact.

The storm’s intensity escalated around 9 a.m. local time when the National Weather Service issued tornado warnings for Seminole, Volusia, and parts of Orange and Lake counties. Gusts reaching 60 mph and the threat of isolated tornadoes prompted urgent calls for residents to take cover. Adriana, still in the school parking lot, posted a video describing the alert as coming “out of nowhere,” a sentiment echoed by many caught off guard by the rapid weather shift. Though she later returned home unharmed, her experience highlighted the unpredictability of Central Florida’s climate, where sunny skies can quickly give way to danger.

Safe at home by mid-morning, Adriana reassured her followers that the tornado spared her immediate area, leaving only heavy rain behind. She commended the rigorous safety measures of U.S. schools, which swiftly moved students to secure zones during the alert. Meanwhile, the confirmed EF2 tornado in Lake Mary, with winds between 111 and 135 mph, inflicted real damage just miles away, underscoring the storm’s potency. Her close call added a personal angle to a weather event that tested the resilience of Central Florida’s communities on an otherwise routine Monday.

Storms upend normalcy across Central Florida

Cloudy skies greeted Central Florida early on March 10, but conditions soon deteriorated as a low-pressure system from the southeast unleashed powerful storms. In Lake Mary, roughly 15 miles north of Orlando, a tornado swept through, briefly interrupting a live Fox 35 broadcast as meteorologist Brooks Garner urged staff to take cover. Captured on camera, the twister’s passage revealed its strength, damaging buildings and scattering debris in its wake. Though short-lived, the event left a lasting impression on a region unaccustomed to such concentrated destruction outside hurricane season.

The storm’s reach extended beyond Lake Mary to Sanford, Longwood, and Deltona. In Seminole County, emergency crews reported a near-miss in Longwood, where two residents escaped unharmed after their home collapsed. Fallen trees, damaged roofs, and downed power lines disrupted daily life, with winds strong enough to snarl traffic and challenge first responders. Adriana Sant’Anna’s area dodged the worst, but the proximity of the chaos—less than 30 minutes from her home—brought the storm’s reality into sharp focus for her and her followers.

Widespread damage prompts swift action in Seminole County

Debris-strewn streets and shattered homes marked the tornado’s trail through Seminole County. Touching down around 9:50 a.m., the twister moved at 45 mph, leaving little time for preparation in Lake Mary and Sanford. At least 125 homes across Central Florida sustained damage, with Longwood bearing some of the heaviest structural losses. Emergency teams worked tirelessly to clear roads and assist residents, while the Red Cross mobilized to support families displaced by the sudden upheaval.

Early alerts avert greater harm

Prompt warnings from the National Weather Service proved critical in limiting the storm’s toll. Issued before 9 a.m., alerts covered Seminole and Volusia counties, urging people to shelter in interior rooms or basements. Schools, including the one Adriana’s children attend, followed strict protocols, either securing students in safe areas or releasing them to parents as the threat loomed. This rapid response minimized injuries, even as the Lake Mary tornado tore through nearby neighborhoods with destructive force.

The alert persisted in Deltona and Osteen until 10 a.m., as meteorologists tracked the storm’s northeast trajectory. For Adriana, the experience meant a rushed exit from school grounds, a scenario countless parents faced that morning. While she later noted the schools’ cautious approach with a hint of relief, the tangible damage in Lake Mary validated the urgency. Advanced forecasting and coordinated action ensured the region weathered a potentially catastrophic event with fewer casualties than feared.

Key moments of March 10 storm

The day’s events unfolded in a flurry of alerts and rapid developments. Here’s a timeline of the critical stages:

  • 4:56 a.m.: Early signs of severe weather emerge, with forecasts of 60 mph winds.
  • 9 a.m.: Tornado warnings activate for Seminole, Volusia, Orange, and Lake counties, overlapping with Adriana’s initial report.
  • 9:50 a.m.: Tornado confirmed in Sanford, advancing northeast, hitting Lake Mary and Longwood.
  • 10 a.m.: Warnings lift in some zones, though storms linger into the afternoon.

This sequence illustrates how swiftly the situation escalated, catching residents mid-routine.

Storm’s ripple effects across Florida

Adriana’s brush with the storm was just one thread in a larger tapestry of disruption. Beyond Lake Mary, Orlando faced traffic snarls from wind gusts, while Volusia County towns like Oak Hill and Maytown received additional warnings. Warm, humid air from the Gulf of Mexico fueled the instability, a pattern meteorologists had monitored since the prior weekend. Unlike the widespread tornado outbreak tied to Hurricane Milton in October 2024, which spawned 46 twisters in 48 hours, this event stemmed from an isolated system—yet its impact was keenly felt.

In Seminole County alone, roughly 200 residents were displaced, prompting the opening of shelters like the Wa-Ke Hatchee Recreation Center, stocked with essentials. Across Central Florida, the storm’s blend of rain, wind, and tornadoes tested infrastructure and resolve. While Adriana returned to a semblance of normalcy, others faced a longer road to recovery, tallying losses and awaiting aid in the wake of a turbulent morning.

Tornado trends in Florida

Florida ranks high among U.S. states for tornado frequency, though its twisters are often milder than those in the Midwest. Consider these insights:

  • Annual average stands at 46 tornadoes, per data from 2003 to 2022.
  • October 2024 set a record with 46 tornadoes in two days, driven by Hurricane Milton.
  • EF2 tornadoes, like Lake Mary’s, pack winds over 111 mph, capable of significant structural damage.

These stats frame Adriana’s scare as part of a broader pattern, where tornadoes remain a persistent, if unpredictable, threat.

Recovery takes shape amid resilience

As the skies cleared, Central Florida turned to rebuilding. Power crews tackled outages affecting thousands, while in Longwood, volunteers cleared debris alongside firefighters. In Lake Mary, Fox 35 resumed airing after its dramatic on-air interruption. Adriana’s widely shared story lent a personal lens to the storm, but attention soon shifted to aiding the hardest-hit areas, where homes and livelihoods bore the brunt.

Emergency response teams opened support hubs, and the Red Cross provided relief to those in need. The day left a lasting mark, reminding residents of nature’s unpredictability and the value of preparedness. For Adriana, it ended with her family safe at home, a small victory amid a region-wide effort to rebound from an unforgettable storm



On March 10, 2025, Brazilian influencer Adriana Sant’Anna, living in the United States with her husband Rodrigão and children Rodrigo and Linda, encountered a startling moment when a tornado warning disrupted her morning routine. While dropping her kids off for a school presentation, she was forced to seek shelter in her car as the alert sounded unexpectedly. The episode occurred during a barrage of severe storms across Central Florida, including a confirmed tornado in Lake Mary, just miles from her location. Sharing the ordeal on Instagram, Adriana captured the sudden shift from calm to chaos, reflecting the broader tension that enveloped the region as residents braced for impact.

The storm’s intensity escalated around 9 a.m. local time when the National Weather Service issued tornado warnings for Seminole, Volusia, and parts of Orange and Lake counties. Gusts reaching 60 mph and the threat of isolated tornadoes prompted urgent calls for residents to take cover. Adriana, still in the school parking lot, posted a video describing the alert as coming “out of nowhere,” a sentiment echoed by many caught off guard by the rapid weather shift. Though she later returned home unharmed, her experience highlighted the unpredictability of Central Florida’s climate, where sunny skies can quickly give way to danger.

Safe at home by mid-morning, Adriana reassured her followers that the tornado spared her immediate area, leaving only heavy rain behind. She commended the rigorous safety measures of U.S. schools, which swiftly moved students to secure zones during the alert. Meanwhile, the confirmed EF2 tornado in Lake Mary, with winds between 111 and 135 mph, inflicted real damage just miles away, underscoring the storm’s potency. Her close call added a personal angle to a weather event that tested the resilience of Central Florida’s communities on an otherwise routine Monday.

Storms upend normalcy across Central Florida

Cloudy skies greeted Central Florida early on March 10, but conditions soon deteriorated as a low-pressure system from the southeast unleashed powerful storms. In Lake Mary, roughly 15 miles north of Orlando, a tornado swept through, briefly interrupting a live Fox 35 broadcast as meteorologist Brooks Garner urged staff to take cover. Captured on camera, the twister’s passage revealed its strength, damaging buildings and scattering debris in its wake. Though short-lived, the event left a lasting impression on a region unaccustomed to such concentrated destruction outside hurricane season.

The storm’s reach extended beyond Lake Mary to Sanford, Longwood, and Deltona. In Seminole County, emergency crews reported a near-miss in Longwood, where two residents escaped unharmed after their home collapsed. Fallen trees, damaged roofs, and downed power lines disrupted daily life, with winds strong enough to snarl traffic and challenge first responders. Adriana Sant’Anna’s area dodged the worst, but the proximity of the chaos—less than 30 minutes from her home—brought the storm’s reality into sharp focus for her and her followers.

Widespread damage prompts swift action in Seminole County

Debris-strewn streets and shattered homes marked the tornado’s trail through Seminole County. Touching down around 9:50 a.m., the twister moved at 45 mph, leaving little time for preparation in Lake Mary and Sanford. At least 125 homes across Central Florida sustained damage, with Longwood bearing some of the heaviest structural losses. Emergency teams worked tirelessly to clear roads and assist residents, while the Red Cross mobilized to support families displaced by the sudden upheaval.

Early alerts avert greater harm

Prompt warnings from the National Weather Service proved critical in limiting the storm’s toll. Issued before 9 a.m., alerts covered Seminole and Volusia counties, urging people to shelter in interior rooms or basements. Schools, including the one Adriana’s children attend, followed strict protocols, either securing students in safe areas or releasing them to parents as the threat loomed. This rapid response minimized injuries, even as the Lake Mary tornado tore through nearby neighborhoods with destructive force.

The alert persisted in Deltona and Osteen until 10 a.m., as meteorologists tracked the storm’s northeast trajectory. For Adriana, the experience meant a rushed exit from school grounds, a scenario countless parents faced that morning. While she later noted the schools’ cautious approach with a hint of relief, the tangible damage in Lake Mary validated the urgency. Advanced forecasting and coordinated action ensured the region weathered a potentially catastrophic event with fewer casualties than feared.

Key moments of March 10 storm

The day’s events unfolded in a flurry of alerts and rapid developments. Here’s a timeline of the critical stages:

  • 4:56 a.m.: Early signs of severe weather emerge, with forecasts of 60 mph winds.
  • 9 a.m.: Tornado warnings activate for Seminole, Volusia, Orange, and Lake counties, overlapping with Adriana’s initial report.
  • 9:50 a.m.: Tornado confirmed in Sanford, advancing northeast, hitting Lake Mary and Longwood.
  • 10 a.m.: Warnings lift in some zones, though storms linger into the afternoon.

This sequence illustrates how swiftly the situation escalated, catching residents mid-routine.

Storm’s ripple effects across Florida

Adriana’s brush with the storm was just one thread in a larger tapestry of disruption. Beyond Lake Mary, Orlando faced traffic snarls from wind gusts, while Volusia County towns like Oak Hill and Maytown received additional warnings. Warm, humid air from the Gulf of Mexico fueled the instability, a pattern meteorologists had monitored since the prior weekend. Unlike the widespread tornado outbreak tied to Hurricane Milton in October 2024, which spawned 46 twisters in 48 hours, this event stemmed from an isolated system—yet its impact was keenly felt.

In Seminole County alone, roughly 200 residents were displaced, prompting the opening of shelters like the Wa-Ke Hatchee Recreation Center, stocked with essentials. Across Central Florida, the storm’s blend of rain, wind, and tornadoes tested infrastructure and resolve. While Adriana returned to a semblance of normalcy, others faced a longer road to recovery, tallying losses and awaiting aid in the wake of a turbulent morning.

Tornado trends in Florida

Florida ranks high among U.S. states for tornado frequency, though its twisters are often milder than those in the Midwest. Consider these insights:

  • Annual average stands at 46 tornadoes, per data from 2003 to 2022.
  • October 2024 set a record with 46 tornadoes in two days, driven by Hurricane Milton.
  • EF2 tornadoes, like Lake Mary’s, pack winds over 111 mph, capable of significant structural damage.

These stats frame Adriana’s scare as part of a broader pattern, where tornadoes remain a persistent, if unpredictable, threat.

Recovery takes shape amid resilience

As the skies cleared, Central Florida turned to rebuilding. Power crews tackled outages affecting thousands, while in Longwood, volunteers cleared debris alongside firefighters. In Lake Mary, Fox 35 resumed airing after its dramatic on-air interruption. Adriana’s widely shared story lent a personal lens to the storm, but attention soon shifted to aiding the hardest-hit areas, where homes and livelihoods bore the brunt.

Emergency response teams opened support hubs, and the Red Cross provided relief to those in need. The day left a lasting mark, reminding residents of nature’s unpredictability and the value of preparedness. For Adriana, it ended with her family safe at home, a small victory amid a region-wide effort to rebound from an unforgettable storm



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