'It's a pretty scary thing': Possible tornado touched down in Polk County

LAKELAND, Fla. - A possible tornado touched down in Polk County Sunday. A Winter Haven home had its roof completely torn off as severe winds ripped through the area. 

Polk County saw winds of more than 58 mph on Sunday. A trained storm spotter says a possible tornado touched down near Southeastern University. 

Just about eight miles away, a Winter Haven home had its roof ripped off. The family says their 90-year-old mother who lives there luckily wasn't home at the time. Pieces of the roof landed on her neighbor's home and roof. 

Deborah Meints was at her parent's home down the street and saw metal flying around when she looked out the window. 
 
"We were seeing pieces of metal, sheeting and trim flying down the street," Meints said. 

It was a terrifying sight for many in the Winter Haven neighborhood. 
 
"It's a pretty scary thing," Meints said. "We were wondering where the metal was coming from. Obviously, wondering about the rest of the neighbors and hoping everyone was good." 

At the Lake Wire Inn in Lakeland, winds took off part of the motel's roof. 
 
"In one second. In a second. Boom," said Sherry Rancourt, who was inside the motel. 
 
Rancourt says she's seen plenty of Florida weather in the 45 years she's lived here, but that she's never seen anything quite like this.
 
"Hurricanes take a while to go slow. This was 'whoosh.' Out of nowhere," Rancourt said. "It was shocking." 

The National Weather Service could potentially come to Polk County to survey the damage and determine if a tornado touched down.