Tornado outbreak of February 23, 1965
# Tornado outbreak of February 23, 1965

On Tuesday, February 23, 1965, a small, localized tornado outbreak affected the southern Florida peninsula. At least four confirmed tornadoes touched down between 10 a.m.–1 p.m. EST (15:00–18:00 UTC); the strongest tornado moved through the Fort Lauderdale area and produced F3 damage on the Fujita scale, injuring six people. In addition, a F1 tornado also moved through northern Broward and southern Palm Beach counties. Two tornadoes also affected Lee County, producing F2 and F1 damage, respectively.

## Confirmed tornadoes

Confirmed tornadoes by Fujita rating :

| FU | F0 | F1 | F2 | F3 | F4 | F5 | Total |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4* |

* A tornado reportedly damaged three residences in a pair of duplexes in Lehigh Acres, injuring a person with airborne glass, flaying the paint on a vehicle with pebbles, pulling up roofing, and scattering TV antennae, garbage cans, and awnings. However, this was officially classified as a severe thunderstorm wind.

Confirmed tornadoes – Tuesday, February 23, 1965 :

| F# | Location | County / Parish | State | Start coord. | Time (UTC) | Path length | Max. width | Damage |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| F1 | Western Pompano Beach to Delray Beach | Broward, Palm Beach | FL | 26°15′N 80°12′W﻿ / ﻿26.25°N 80.20°W﻿ / 26.25; -80.20﻿ (Pompano Beach (February 23, F1)) | 15:50–? | 14.1 mi (22.7 km) | 33 yd (30 m) | $2,500 |
| This tornado produced intermittent, minor damage, mainly to trees and fences. A small, rural barn was destroyed as well. Losses totaled $2,500. |||||||||
| F3 | Southwestern Fort Lauderdale to southeastern Oakland Park | Broward | FL | 26°06′N 80°10′W﻿ / ﻿26.10°N 80.17°W﻿ / 26.10; -80.17﻿ (Fort Lauderdale (February 23, F3)) | 16:15–? | 5.7 mi (9.2 km) | 60 yd (55 m) | $250,000 |
| See section on this tornado |||||||||
| F1 | Iona | Lee | FL | 26°30′N 81°45′W﻿ / ﻿26.50°N 81.75°W﻿ / 26.50; -81.75﻿ (Iona (February 23, F1)) | 17:45–? | 0.1 mi (0.16 km) | 33 yd (30 m) | $25,000 |
| This tornado substantially damaged saran housing and vegetation at a plant nursery. A mother and infant were injured in a trailer. Losses totaled $25,000. |||||||||
| F2 | Fort Myers | Lee | FL | 26°37′N 81°52′W﻿ / ﻿26.62°N 81.87°W﻿ / 26.62; -81.87﻿ (Fort Myers (February 23, F2)) | 17:45–? | 0.5 mi (0.80 km) | 67 yd (61 m) | $25,000 |
| Various structures and small homes were either partly unroofed or extensively damaged. A metal structure at a factory was damaged, skylights and windows were smashed, a built-up roof was mostly pulled off its sheathing, a shed and awnings were blown away, a carport was shifted, and a pair of trucks were tipped sideways. Additionally, a 40-foot-long (13 yd), 12-foot-tall (4.0 yd) CMU wall was downed, while a similar but smaller wall elsewhere was bent 2 ft (0.67 yd) outward. Losses totaled $25,000. Grazulis did not list this tornado as an F2 or stronger. |||||||||

### Fort Lauderdale–Oakland Park, Florida

The second tornado touched down near Chula Vista and moved north-northeast across western portions of the city of Fort Lauderdale, affecting a 1-square-mile (2.6 $km^2)$ area, or 40 blocks, of the city. The small funnel was visible from a jetliner awaiting takeoff at Fort Lauderdale International Airport. Later, it briefly lifted prior to touching down in Oakland Park, and it dissipated northeast of Wilton Manors. Though three funnel clouds occurred along the path, only one tornado developed. One home was destroyed, while seven trailers, three cars, and a pair of trucks received severe damage. Most of the damage affected a marina and a trailer park, though damage to power poles left about 2,400 residents powerless. 75 small watercraft were damaged at the marina, along with the clubhouse. The width of the damage path averaged 60 yd (180 ft), but occasionally reached 100 yd (300 ft). The tornado caused six injuries, three of them due to airborne debris, and at least $140,000–$300,000 in damages (NCEI lists damages as $250,000). The tornado is officially estimated to have been an F3 event. It remains the second of only three F/EF3 tornadoes to affect Broward County since 1950; the others occurred on April 10, 1956, and March 1, 1980. However, tornado researcher Thomas P. Grazulis classified the tornado as an F2.

## Non-tornadic effects

In addition to tornadoes, multiple funnel clouds occurred over at least two counties in southern Florida, and at least one waterspout touched down near West Palm Beach.

