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NWS Confirms EF-0 Tornado Hit Boyle Heights on Christmas Day

The agency says phone alerts were withheld under strict thresholds meant to prevent warning fatigue.

Overview

  • Storm surveyors documented a brief EF-0 tornado with estimated 80 mph winds, a path about a quarter to one-third of a mile, and a width near 30 yards.
  • Damage centered near South Lorena Street and Whittier Boulevard included shattered storefront windows, bent or damaged utility infrastructure, and torn roofs and signs.
  • No injuries were reported, and city inspectors, the fire department, and emergency management personnel assessed affected homes and businesses.
  • NWS officials said no tornado warning was issued for this cell because wireless alerts are reserved for the most life‑threatening situations to avoid significant alert fatigue.
  • The tornado struck during a holiday atmospheric river that soaked Southern California, following other recent weak twisters in Oxnard and Pico Rivera and a stronger Montebello event in 2023.