Alert archive / Florida / Tornado Warnings in 1991

Tornado Warning 6, NWS Melbourne, FL

April 25, 1991Osceola County, Florida

NWS Melbourne, FL issued this tornado warning at Apr 25, 1991, 4:43 PM EDT for Osceola County, Florida. It was in force for 62 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Apr 25, 1991, 4:43 PM EDT (20:43 UTC)
Expired
Apr 25, 1991, 5:45 PM EDT
In force
62 min
Issued by
NWS Melbourne, FL
Area
Whole counties

County Osceola County, FL

The nearest sounding before it

Cape Canaveral, FL (KXMR), launched 12:00Z, 8.7 hours before the alert went out and 78 km from the middle of its area. This is the routine balloon launch nearest before it, the air the forecaster had in hand, not a measurement taken for the alert.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Cape Canaveral, FL at 12:00Z on 1991-04-25Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 2559 joules per kilogram.LCLEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Cape Canaveral, FL at 12:00Z on 1991-04-25The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 10 square meters per square second.19395878Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km.
Mixed-layer CAPE
2559 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-1 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
534 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
41 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
10 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
178 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.6
Supercell composite
3.3

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.

000 
TTAA00 KMLB 252045
TORMLB
FLC097-252145-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MELBOURNE FL
443 PM EDT THU APR 25 1991
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MELBOURNE HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  545 PM EDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...
 
IN CENTRAL FLORIDA
 
   ...OSCEOLA COUNTY
 
AT 440 PM A CLUSTER OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH A HISTORY
OF PRODUCING TORNADOS WAS MOVING INTO WESTERN OSCEOLA COUNTY.
THE CLUSTER WAS MOVING TO THE NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH AND WILL
BE MOVING INTO THE KISSIMMEE/ST CLOUD AREA WITHIN THE NEXT
HALF HOUR. RESIDENTS...ESPECIALLY IN MOBILE HOMES AND OTHER
VULNERABLE AREAS SHOULD GO TO A SAFE PLACE AT THIS TIME.
 
IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF A TORNADO...THE SAFEST PLACE IS A
BASEMENT.  GET UNDER A WORKBENCH OR PIECE OF STURDY FURNITURE.
IF NO BASEMENT IS AVAILABLE...SEEK SHELTER IN AN INTERIOR ROOM
SUCH AS A CLOSET ON THE LOWEST FLOOR.  USE BLANKETS...PILLOWS...
OR CUSHION7S TO COVER YOUR BODY.  AVOID WINDOWS.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this tornado warning went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Apr 25, 1:48 PM EDT, 2 hours 55 minutes before
FLZ006>017-020-251845-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DAYTONA BEACH FL
139 PM EDT THU APR 25 1991

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE OVER NORTH AND CENTRAL FLORIDA...

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR MUCH OF NORTH
AND CENTRAL FLORIDA.

AT 125 PM EDT...RADAR SHOWED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS FROM NEAR CEDAR KEY
TO GAINESVILLE THEN TO LAKE GEORGE.

OTHER THUNDERSTORMS AND A LARGE AREA OF RAIN EXTENDED ACROSS FLORIDA
FROM THE TAMPA BAY AREA TO TALLAHASSEE INCLUDING THE GULF COASTAL
WATERS AND EAST TO MELBOURNE AND FERNANDINA BEACH.

MOVEMENT WAS EAST 30 MPH.
Special weather statement, Apr 25, 2:00 PM EDT, 2 hours 43 minutes before
FLZ017-011-016-012-009-251900-

SPECIAL EAST CENTRAL FLORIDA WEATHER UPDATE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MELBOURNE FL
158 PM EDT THU APR 25 1991

...RAPIDLY DEVELOPING THUNDERSTORMS IN EAST CENTRAL FLORIDA...

AT 155 PM WEATHER SERVICE RADAR SHOWED RAPIDLY DEVELOPING
THUNDERSTORMS BETWEEN LONGWOOD AND ASTOR PARK MOVING TO THE
EAST AT 30 MPH. THE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE MOVING TO BETWEEN
DELAND AND SANFORD DURING THE NEXT HOUR PRODUCING HEAVY
DOWNPOURS...FREQUENT DANGEROUS LIGHTNING...AND POSSIBLE HAIL
AS THEY PASS.

A CLUSTER OF THUNDERSTORMS HAD FORMED FROM THE KISSIMMEE
AND ST CLOUD AREA EXTENDING DOWN THE FLORIDA TURNPIKE TO
AROUND HOLOPAW. THESE THUNDERSTORMS SHOWED LITTLE MOVEMENT
BUT WERE PRODUCING HEAVY DOWNPOURS THAT WILL LIKELY PRODUCE
PONDING OF WATER IN LOW LYING AREAS. MOTORISTS SHOULD USE
EXTRA CAUTION WHEN DRIVING IN THESE AREAS.

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF EAST
CENTRAL FLORIDA AND THE ADJACENT COASTAL WATERS UNTIL 8 PM EDT.
RESIDENTS SHOULD KEEP ABREAST OF THE LATEST WEATHER CONDITIONS.

A LARGE AREA OF RAIN AND THUNDERSTORMS COVERED A GOOD PORTION
OF NORTH CENTRAL FLORIDA AND THE EASTERN GULF AND WILL BE
MOVING INTO CENTRAL FLORIDA THROUGH THE REMAINING AFTERNOON
AND EVENING HOURS.
Special weather statement, Apr 25, 2:41 PM EDT, 2 hours 2 minutes before
FLZ006>020-251945-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DAYTONA BEACH FL
238 PM EDT THU APR 25 1991

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE OVER CENTRAL FLORIDA...

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR MUCH OF NORTH
AND CENTRAL FLORIDA.

AT 225 PM EDT...THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED BETWEEN
CRYSTAL RIVER AND GAINESVILLE.

SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS IN AN AREA OF RAIN COVERED THE REMAINDER
OF NORTH AND CENTRAL FLORIDA FROM FORT MYERS TO MELBOURNE NORTH TO
THE GEORGIA STATE LINE AND INCLUDED THE ADJACENT COASTAL WATERS.

MOVEMENT WAS EAST AT 30 MPH.
Special weather statement, Apr 25, 2:57 PM EDT, 1 hour 46 minutes before
FLZ017-011-016-012-009-252000-

SPECIAL EAST CENTRAL FLORIDA WEATHER UPDATE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MELBOURNE FL
254 PM EDT THU APR 25 1991

...THUNDERSTORMS WITH HEAVY RAINFALL OVER EAST CENTRAL FLORIDA...

AT 250 PM WEATHER SERVICE RADAR SHOWED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS
WITH VERY HEAVY RAINFALL EXTENDED FROM OCALA SOUTHWEST TO
CRYSTAL RIVER AND WERE NEAR CLERMONT. THESE THUNDERSTORMS
WERE WITHIN A LARGE AREA OF RAIN WITH SCATTERED EMBEDDED
THUNDERSTORMS COVERING MUCH OF NORTH AND CENTRAL FLORIDA AND
THE ADJACENT COASTAL WATERS.

THE RAIN AND THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING TO THE EAST AT 30 MPH.

OVER THE NEXT TWO HOURS RAIN AND A FEW THUNDERSTORMS WILL
CONTINUE OVER MOST OF EAST CENTRAL FLORIDA. THE HEAVIEST
DOWNPOURS WILL MOVE TO BETWEEN CLERMONT AND DISNEY WORLD
AND IN THE OCALA AREA. MOTORISTS SHOULD USE EXTRA CAUTION
FOR PONDING OF WATER IN LOW LYING AREAS AND FREQUENT
DANGEROUS LIGHTNING WITH THE THUNDERSTORMS.

STRONG THUNDERSTORMS AND RAIN COVERED MUCH OF THE EASTERN GULF
AND WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE ONSHORE AND ACROSS CENTRAL FLORIDA
THROUGH THE REMAINING AFTERNOON AND EVENING HOURS.

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF EAST CENTRAL
FLORIDA AND THE ADJACENT COASTAL WATERS UNTIL 8 PM EDT. RESIDENTS
SHOULD KEEP ABREAST OF THE LATEST WEATHER CONDITIONS AND BE PREPARED
TO SEEK SAFE SHELTER IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES.
Special weather statement, Apr 25, 3:41 PM EDT, 1 hour 2 minutes before
FLZ006>020-252045-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DAYTONA BEACH FL
339 PM EDT THU APR 25 1991

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE OVER CENTRAL FLORIDA...

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR MUCH OF NORTH
AND CENTRAL FLORIDA.

AT 325 PM EDT...THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED BETWEEN
OCALA AND WINTER HAVEN IN CENTRAL FLORIDA AND AROUND ST PETERSBURG
ON THE WEST CAOST.

SCATTERED THUENDERSTORMS IN AN AREA OF RAIN COVERED THE REMAINDER
OF THE STATE FROM FORT MYERS TO FORT LAUDERDALE NORTHWARD AND THE
ADJACENT COASTAL WATERS NORTH OF MELBOURNE AND FORT MYERS.

MOVEMENT WAS EAST AT 30 MPH.
Special weather statement, Apr 25, 4:37 PM EDT, 6 minutes before
FLZ017-011-016-012-009-252145-

SPECIAL EAST CENTRAL FLORIDA WEATHER UPDATE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MELBOURNE FL
436 PM EDT THU APR 25 1991

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS APPROACHING SOUTHERN LAKE...SOUTHWEST
ORANGE AND WESTERN OSCEOLA COUNTIES...

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF
   EAST CENTRAL FLORIDA AND THE ADJACENT COASTAL WATERS UNTIL
   8 PM EDT...

AT 435 PM NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR SHOWED A CLUSTER OF
STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING VERY HEAVY DOWNPOURS...
STRONG GUSTY WINDS...FREQUENT DANGEROUS LIGHTNING...AND POSSIBLE
HAIL EXTENDING FROM AROUND LAKELAND TO FROSTPROOF. THE THUNDERSTORMS
HAVE HAD A HISTORY OF PRODUCING SEVERE WEATHER AS THEY MOVED THROUGH
WEST CENTRAL FLORIDA.

THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING TO THE NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH AND WILL BE
INTO CLERMONT...THE ORLANDO/DISNEY WORLD AREA AND THE KISSIMMEE/ST
CLOUD AREA DURING THE NEXT HOUR. RESIDENTS IN THESE AREAS SHOULD
STAY TUNED FOR FURTHER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS AND SEEK
SAFE SHELTER IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES.

A LARGE AREA OF RAIN AND SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS COVERED THE
REMAINDER OF EAST CENTRAL FLORIDA AND THE ADJACENT COASTAL WATERS
AND 4WILL CONTINUE INTO THE EVENING HOURS.

The office that day

Everything else NWS Melbourne, FL issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Apr 25, 12:12 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMLBAlachua, Marion63 min
Apr 25, 5:41 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMLBBrevard, Indian River64 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Florida, 1991Every tornado warning in 1991Tornadoes in 1991

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.