Severe Storm Brings Destruction on Bloomingdale

Much of the area experienced winds in the 75 mph range resulting in large trees being uprooted. The entire state remained under a tornado watch for majority of the day.

This storm was a force to be reckoned with.  At Target on Bloomingdale Avenue, as individuals were out shopping or enjoying their spring break vacations, they were corralled into a "safe" area of the store. 

As the storm hovered over MacDill Air Force Base area, military families got calls to hunker down.

After leaving MacDill, the storm landed in the Bloomingdale area, leaving signs of its presence all over the streets.  The corner of U.S. 301 and Bloomingdale Avenue, one of the busiest intersections in the area, was without lights until late in the evening.  At 6:30 P.M., police officers were still guiding traffic through this intersection.

The popular Wolfe's fruit stand on the corner was no longer standing and neighboring Target had trees uprooted and tossed like twigs.

Take a look at the photos to see some of the aftermath of the storm.