It included a deadly pair of tornado families that struck the I-4 corridor in Central Florida from the Tampa Bay Area to Brevard County.

Later, it continued across the northern side of Tampa, where it demolished 150–158 homes and caused significant damages to 186 residences, primarily in and near Carrollwood and Temple Terrace.

This and the next tornado collectively destroyed 480 homes, killed eight people, injured 280 others, and caused $20 million in damages in Polk County alone.

After striking Galloway and Gibsonia, the tornado also destroyed many trailers and a restaurant in the Loughman area, north of Haines City and Davenport.

[25][26][27][28][5][29][18][30][20] The second of a pair of tornado families touched down 15 minutes later than its predecessor near the Sunshine Skyway Bridge, where it lifted a 23-foot-long (7.0 m) trailer and an automobile.

In the Pinellas Point area, on the southernmost edge of St. Petersburg, the tornado damaged or destroyed 43 homes and injured nine people.

It then crossed Tampa Bay, moved inland over Central Florida, and closely paralleled the path of the more powerful first tornado.

The tornado also destroyed warehouses, Citrus trees, and trailers from Auburndale and northern Winter Haven to just south of Haines City.

Additionally, the tornado struck the training site for the Houston Astros in nearby Cocoa, ripping four light standards from the ground, flattening the center field fence, and destroying all the backstops and batting cages.