By now everyone has heard about the tornado that whipped through Sun N Fun 2011 on March 31st damaging over 40 aircraft, flooding the grounds and injuring 7 people. Most news outlets focused on the damage but what happened next that is the truly remarkable story. I went the next day expecting the worst and for the rest of the show to either be scrubbed or painfully slow and unattended. Boy, was I surprised. The Sun N Fun crew had done a fantastic job getting the place back into shape over night and the next several days were beautiful weather, crowds came out and it was very busy and successful event! Check out our video update from the next day, April 1st, 2011.

A tornado hit the Sun N Fun Event today and there was damage to aircraft. Reports are streaming in…
This just in from the Sun N Fun staff:
We still have no power or Internet. We know that there are downed power lines and trees in spots. We’ve heard that CNN is reporting a possibly collapsed building but WE CANNOT CONFIRM THIS. We’re at the SnF office and in this area the buildings are all intact. We know at least a few planes have been flipped by the wind. We’ll get you updates when we can. Cell service is spotty.

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This morning I headed to Lakeland from Sarasota to work the Sun N Sun Event. Half way there I looked at the radar and forecast and turned around and went back. About 5 hours later the storm hit. I had been watching the radar all day and this is what it looked like.

Lakeland Sun N Fun Radar just before Tornado