Manzanita Tornados??! You're Kidding!
Yesterday the unimaginable happened - a tornado touched down in Manzanita Beach Oregon.
Since that time, I've been busy answering messages from our guests at our Manzanita vacation rentals, first asking if we are alright, then asking if they house they booked for their vacation is still there.
We happily are able to assure our guests that our Manzanita Rentals are safe and sound. Even better, there were no injuries reported. And for the rest of our wonderful community ...
As of Monday, October 17, 2016, most Manzanita Beach businesses are open and welcome all!
We'll first start with how you can help. Scroll down the page for all the details regarding our extremely rare tornado!
How to Help
We happily are able to assure our guests that our Manzanita Rentals are safe and sound. Even better, there were no injuries reported.
Donations toward Manzanita Tornado Relief should be mailed to the following address:
Fulcrum Community Resources / Manzanita Tornado Relief PO Box 44 Manzanita, OR 97130
You can also donate online directly to CARE, with whom we're working, at https://www.careinc.org/donate Just say “Manzanita tornado relief” in the “notes” blank.
Or send a check directly to: CARE, 2310 First Street, Tillamook, OR 97141. Be sure to write Manzanita Tornado Relief in the memo area of your check.
Several Manzanita Beach businesses and business owners are in need of help. We will post requests for help as they become available.
October 18, 2015: Sirens, the Hair Salon (and home) of owner Heather Brownlee and her son Joey was destroyed in the Manzanita tornado. They need help to relocate their home and restart their business. Help is needed very soon. Their Go Fund Me page is here.
October 15, 2016: Moxie, a local Manzanita Beach business dedicated to helping women crafts people around the world, has a Go Fund Me page located here. Their Manzanita Beach business was one of the most seriously damaged. Owner Sarah Simmons depends on her business for her family's livelihood. Please help if you can.
Moxie has a Seaside location too, so shop there to support their business.
Manzanita Beach is such a great community and often helps others -- this is the time to lend a hand to help the area you love.
Photo Credit: Gayle Stevens Facebook
The Details
The Manzanita tornado touched down around 8:20 am on October 14, 2016. The Manzanita tornado damage, while appearing shocking in the media, was relatively minor when one considers what damage tornados have created in other areas.
During a local meeting on October 16, 2016 with authorities, those with tornado experience speculated that the Manzanita tornado didn't actually touch down, but hovered approximately 15 feet above ground level, which was why most of the damage was to roofs and higher elevations.
At this time there are a reported two houses and five businesses severely damaged - Manzanita Cones and Coffee, Wisteria, Moxie, Longevity (they've set up temporarily in Nehalem for business) and Sirens Salon.
Many trees were damaged or uprooted, and power was down.
Please note: video has been included throughout this post. Some of the language may be PG-13 due to the nature of the situation.
There are reports of approximately 128 homes and business damaged, but this includes minor damage such as broken windows or gutters.
Manzanita Beach power was off for a part of the day, but mostly restored before dark. All of our Manzanita vacation rentals had the power restored before evening. The Manzanita weather was surprisingly beautiful after the storm passed, and one enterprising guest pulled the barbecue into the front yard and fixed lunch for her group.
Nearby Portland had the rainiest Oct. 13 in recorded history. The National Weather Service also reported a 103-mph wind gust was recorded at Cape Meares.
October 15, 2016 Update: From the Tillamook Headlight Herald: Manzanita Mayor Jerry Taylor reports “There were 128 buildings with some Manzanita Tornado damage, but that could be just a tree landing on a gutter, or as bad as a house that slipped off its foundation. We haven’t done a detailed damage assessment, but most of the damage occurred between 4th and 5th Streets. There were only a few businesses with severe Manzanita Tornado damage. Moxie (Fair Trade), Manzanita Cones & Coffee and Salt Paper were hit the hardest.”
The Manzanita Tornado Path
The National Weather Service reported preliminary data confirming the Manzanita tornado was a category EF2, with maximum winds of 125 to 130 mph. They indicated the Manzanita tornado traveled on the ground for almost three quarters of a mile, at the maximum 225 yards wide.
A second tornado was confirmed outside of Manzanita Beach in Oceanside, occurring approximately 40 minutes later than the Manzanita Tornado, according to the National Weather Service. Luckily, no injuries or damage was reported in that area. The Oceanside tornado only briefly touched down on the beach.
We will post more information and updates as it becomes available.
Check back later. We will be posting where donations may be made for those severely affected by the Manzanita tornado.
Should We Worry About Tornados When Visiting Manzanita Beach and the Oregon Coast?
Tornadoes on the Oregon coast are extremely rare occurrences. The last was reported in December of 2010 when a small tornado briefly touched down on the beach at Lincoln City and then tore up parts of the Seahorse Motel.
This is the third storm in the Oregon Coast's history dating back to 1950 to produce a tornado, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. It is the second costliest tornado in Oregon history.
Oregon has had 106 tornadoes since 1950. Only four of those tornadoes were rated higher than a category F1 of the Fujita Scale.
A look at the Disaster Center Ranking of Tornado Risk by State, Oregon ranks a very low 47 out of 50 states.
Photos of the Manzanita Tornado damage
We're so very grateful that the Manzanita Tornado didn't cause more damage.
We appreciate you stopping by to find out more about the 2016 Manzanita tornado. We will post information as it becomes available at Manzanita Beach.
Manzanita Beach is truly a magical place that attracts a wide range of vacationers, and we're glad we're still here for you! Do let us know if you have more questions about the Manzanita Tornado and the effects on our community.
When planning a visit to Manzanita Oregon, check out the following links:
The definitive list of Manzanita Weather Information
Find out what Oregon Coast Weather in November is really like.
Heading to Cannon Beach? Check out their weather!
Find out when the Oregon Clam Season is best.
What are the top 5 Wrong Manzanita Weather assumptions?
Thanks for stopping to find out about the Manzanita tornado ~
Want to learn more? Contact us for information about our oceanfront Manzanita Vacation Rentals on our beautiful seven mile Manzanita Beach.
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