NWS Confirms Tornado Damaged Carpinteria Mobile Homes

Update by the edhat staff
2:45 p.m., March 22, 2023

The National Weather Service (NWS) released a report from its damage survey team after assessing the weather event in Carpinteria on Tuesday.

NWS is calling the incident a tornado and have given it an EF0 rating with winds estimated up to 75 mph.

"A weak, narrow tornado briefly touched down in the Sandpiper Village mobile home park in Carpinteria [at 5:45 p.m.] Tuesday, March 21, 2023. It damaged around 25 mobile home units and there was minor tree damage to the cemetery adjacent to the mobile home park," the NWS report states.

The report also included one injury, although the Carpinteria-Summerland Fire Protection District stated there were no injuries.

The Enhanced Fujita Scale (EF Scale) classifies tornadoes by wind speed from level 0 to level 5. NWS considers EF0 a weak tornado with wind speeds from 65 to 85 mph whereas the EF5 level is considered "violent" with speeds over 200 mph. 

The NWS damage survey assessment team will next survey the area in Montebello where a weak tornado potentially touched down Wednesday morning.

By Amy Katz
March 22, 2023

Last night around 6:00 pm, gail force winds swept up from the Pacific ocean, and flew over the free way to the Sandpiper Mobile Home Park, on Foothill, forming a Tornado.

The erratic whirlwind destroyed dozens of roofs and carports, and even blew the debris into the Carpinteria Cemetery, where large chunks of plastic are still dangling from the massive oak trees. Neighbors are checking in on each orher and helping stack up the debris.

There was one reported head injury.

Most of the grave stones were untouched, and only some plants uprooted: the tornado seemed to stay several feet off the ground. 

Photo by Amy Katz

Photo by Amy Katz

Photo by Amy Katz

By the Carpinteria-Summerland Fire Department
March 21, 2023

At 6:01PM [Tuesday] Carpinteria-Summerland Fire Protection District responded to a weather event at Sandpiper Mobile Home Park.

Upon arrival, Firefighters found residents helping one another. Firefighters assessed the situation and discovered multiple carports and awning damaged by the wind.

26 residences were determined to have been damaged, that number may increase after additional inspections during the day. There was additional damage to the properties adjacent the Park.

There were no injuries reported. The Fire District encourages residents to stay informed by monitoring local weather reports.

For additional information contact Carpinteria-Summerland Fire Marshal Mike LoMonaco 805-698-0816.

Photo by the CSFPD

Photo by the CSFPD

Photo by the CSFPD