"Anchors, under your desks!” — Orlando news station gets hit with a tornado while reporting on the weather live on air

While reporting on the tornado situation in Orlando, news channel Fox 35 seemed to get hit by the rotating column of air on March 10, 2025. Meteorologist Brooks Garner was reporting on the situation when the windstorm hit the news channel's office building. As the situation worsened, he advised everyone to take shelter and get to safer spaces. He said:

“We are catching debris right now on the roof, debris is on the roof right now. We are hearing, you can see the debris flying there on the camera. This is a tornado. Seek shelter immediately! Get under your desks, guys. Anchors, under the desks! Everybody get under the desks.”

During the broadcast, Brooks Garner urged everyone in the studio to take cover as the power flickered, confirming that a tornado was passing over the Lake Mary studios. He advised the National Weather Service and viewers in Sanford to seek shelter immediately while reassuring them that the studio was in a secure location. Reflecting on his experience, he said:

“I have been doing this for a very long time. That’s the first time a tornado has hit me while I am doing the weather. Thank goodness for our facilities here at Fox 35 to keep us on the air.”

A resident, speaking to NBC News, shared the horror saying:

“The noise, it was wild. When they say it sounds like a freight train, that’s what I heard. I have lived through many hurricanes as you can imagine. I have never seen anything like that.”

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More details about the tornado that hit Orlando

As per reports, the powerful EF2 tornado swept through Seminole County, causing property damage in Lake Mary. While the event was unsettling, no lives were lost. According to Alan Harris from Seminole County Emergency Management, the storm led to a collapsed home in Longwood, overturned vehicles, blocked roads due to fallen trees, and downed power lines.

Winds reached up to 120 mph, and as seen in the videos shared by media outlets, it sent chairs and pool floats flying around. Another witness said:

“It was really strong winds and I am here 25 years through several hurricanes. This was a wind that sounded different.”

Will Ulrich, a meteorologist with the NWS, emphasized the importance of taking tornado warnings seriously to ensure safety. The storm struck unexpectedly at 9:30 in the morning, with no prior windstorm watch in place.

The warning was issued just three minutes before impact. According to NBC News, one home was destroyed when debris collapsed onto it, but a couple who took shelter in an interior room after receiving the alert remained unharmed.

A driver and his dog were stuck in his truck when the windstorm hit. He was inside the truck, lying down and resting, when it happened. He said he was upset about the damages that his truck suffered because that was his livelihood. Nevertheless, he felt good about himself and his dog being safe.