The early morning gusts break tree limbs, knock out electricity and even tear the roofing off a house.
By RICHARD RAEKE
Published March 11, 2004
[Times photo: Janel Schroeder-Norton]
A strong wind tore the roofing off Todd Smith's Gulf Harbors home early Wednesday morning. The National Weather Service attributed the gusts to a fast-moving front. But according to its radar, the wind didn't register above 50 mph -- not enough to trigger a severe thunderstorm warning.
NEW PORT RICHEY - A mighty wind ripped through Pasco County early Wednesday morning, breaking tree limbs, rattling windows and knocking out electricity - but mostly inspiring awe in those it awoke. And in Gulf Harbors, it tore off the roofing of a home and threw it across the street.
The wind caused power outages in Beacon Woods, Lakewood Villas, Golden Acres, Timber Oaks, Shamrock Heights and some parts of New Port Richey, said Peg Thomas of the county's Office of Emergency Management. She toured the county soon after 1 a.m. to inspect the damage.
"At that point I think people were scared, thinking that there would be more damage," she said.
The National Weather Service attributed the gusts to a fast-moving front. But according to its radar, the wind didn't register above 50 mph - not enough to trigger a severe thunderstorm warning.
It was enough to damage roofs in Hudson and Gulf Harbors, however. Todd Smith "learned to respect Mother Nature a little bit more" after a gust tore off the roofing of his Gulf Harbors home about 1 a.m.
The wind peeled off the tar paper and construction tiles, hurtling them onto his neighbor's home across the street.
In the dark, Smith tried to find his roofing materials before discovering that they had cleared the street and landed on Dan Peck's home. Wednesday morning, both men were picking up pieces of the roof in their yards. Peck discovered the debris had punched a hole in his year-old roof.
The noise woke Peck and his wife, Joyce, but they had no idea what had happened until Smith called about 1:30 a.m.
"I went back to bed thinking, "There's nothing I can do about it,"' Peck said.
