Alert archive / Florida / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1991

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 21, NWS Tampa Bay, FL

March 3, 19915 counties in Florida

NWS Tampa Bay, FL issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Mar 3, 1991, 10:52 AM EST for 5 counties in Florida. It was in force for 68 min. 2 reports came from inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The counties it named, with what was reported inside it.

The facts

Issued
Mar 3, 1991, 10:52 AM EST (15:52 UTC)
Expired
Mar 3, 1991, 12:00 PM EST
In force
68 min
Issued by
NWS Tampa Bay, FL
Area
Whole counties

Counties DeSoto County, FL, Hardee County, FL, Hillsborough County, FL, Manatee County, FL, Polk County, FL

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
Mar 3, 11:09 AM ESTHail 0.75Polk, FL
Mar 3, 11:09 AM ESTThunderstorm Wind 0Polk, FL

NCEI Storm Data entries that began inside the alert's area while it was in force. Before 2003 the local storm report archive is thin, so this is the record of what happened rather than what was phoned in. Storm Data before 1996 records only tornadoes, thunderstorm wind and hail.

The nearest sounding before it

Tampa Bay, FL (KTBW), launched 12:00Z, 3.9 hours before the alert went out and 41 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, Tampa Bay, FL at 12:00Z on 1991-03-03Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1186 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 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, Tampa Bay, FL at 12:00Z on 1991-03-03The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 341 square meters per square second.1939587897Sfc1 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
1186 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-34 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
661 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
59 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
341 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
344 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
8.2

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KTBW 031555
SVRTBW
FLC027-049-105-015-057-081-115-071-031700-
 
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM AND SPECIAL MARINE WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA RUSKIN FL
1052 AM EST SUN MAR 3 1991
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TAMPA BAY AREA RUSKIN HAS ISSUED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM AND SPECIAL MARINE WARNING
EFFECTIVE UNTIL NOON EST
FOR PEOPLE...
 
IN CENTRAL FLORIDA
 
   ...DESOTO COUNTY...HARDEE COUNTY...POLK COUNTY
IN WEST CENTRAL FLORIDA
 
   ...WESTERN CHARLOTTE COUNTY...EASTERN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY
   ...MANATEE COUNTY...SARASOTA COUNTY...WESTERN LEE COUNTY
 
  AND FOR THE COASTAL WATERS FROM...
 
   ...LONG BOAT KEY  TO  VENICE
   ...VENICE  TO  BOCA GRANDE
   ...BOCA GRANDE  TO  FORT MYERS BEACH
   ...FORT MYERS BEACH  TO  BONITA BEACH
 
 
 
A LINE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WAS DETECTED BY RADAR FROM POLK COUNTY
TO 30 MPILES WEST OF SANIBEL ISLAND... MOVING EAST AT 35 MPH.
DAMAGING WINDS AND SEVERAL TORNADOES HAVE BEEN OBSERVED EARLIER THIS
MORNING.
 
SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCE DAMAGING WIND IN EXCESS OF 55
MPH...DESTRUCTIVE HAIL...DEADLY LIGHTNING...AND VERY HEAVY RAIN.
CARS AND MOBILE HOMES ARE NOT SAFE. IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM MOVE TO A REINFORCED BUILDING.
 
A TORNADO WATCH IS ALSO IN EFFECT FOR THE WARNED AREA.  REMEMBER
SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAN AND OCCASIONALLY DO PRODUCE TORNADOES
WITH LITTLE OR NO ADVANCE WARNING.
 
IF YOU SEE A TORNADO... WATERSPOUT..c. HAIL OR DAMAGING WIND...
CALL THE WEST CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST FLORIDA SEVERE WEATHER LINE AT
1-800-282-5584.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this severe thunderstorm 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, Mar 3, 7:43 AM EST, 3 hours 9 minutes before
FLZ006-009>022-031340-

SPECIAL WEATHER AND MARINE WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA RUSKIN FL
730 AM EST SUN MAR 03 1991

...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL SUNDAY MORNING AT 12 PM EST FOR
PARTS OF NORTH...ALL OF CENTRAL...SOUTH CENTRAL FLORIDA...

...A MARINE WARNING IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 915 AM FOR THE COASTAL WATERS FROM
LEVY COUNTY SOUTH TO SARASOTA COUNTY...

THIS STATEMENT IS FOR CITRUS...LEVY...SUMTER...HERNANDO...PASCO...POLK...
HILLSBOROUGH...PINELLAS...MANATEE...SARASOTA...HARDEE...DESOTO...AND
HIGHLANDS COUNTIES...

AT 730 AM...RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM OVER THE EAST GULF
50 MILES WEST OF ST PETERSBURG.  THIS THUNDERSTORM...AND OTHER SCATTERED
SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS...WAS EMBEDDED IN A LARGE AREA OF RAIN THAT
EXTENDED FROM NEAR GAINESVILLE...SOUTHWEST TO TARPON SPRINGS...THEN OUT
OVER THE EAST GULF FOR OVER 180 MILES.  THE HEAVIEST RAINFALL WAS IN A
BROAD BAND THAT EXTENDED FROM HOMOSASSA...SOUTHWEST OVER THE GULF FOR
140 MILES.  MOVEMENT WAS NORTHEAST AT 45 MILES AN HOUR.

ELSEWHERE...PATCHES OF LIGHT RAIN WERE JUST NORTH OF LAKE OKEECHOBEE
...AND OVER THE NORTHERN EVERGLADES.

A TORNADO WATCH MEANS CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR TORNADO DEVELOPMENT
IN AND CLOSE TO THE WATCH AREA.  RESIDENTS IN AND NEAR THE WATCH AREA
ARE URGED TO TAKE IMMEDIATE PRECAUTIONS IN CASE DAMAGING WEATHER OCCURS
IN YOUR AREA.  BE READY TO SEEK SAFE SHELTER IN AN INTERIOR ROOM OF A
REINFORCED BUILDING SHOULD THREATENING WEATHER APPROACH.
Special weather statement, Mar 3, 8:42 AM EST, 2 hours 10 minutes before
FLZ006-009>022-031440-

SPECIAL WEATHER AND MARINE WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA RUSKIN FL
835 AM EST SUN MAR 03 1991

...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL SUNDAY MORNING AT 12 PM EST FOR
PARTS OF NORTH...ALL OF CENTRAL...SOUTH CENTRAL FLORIDA...

...A MARINE WARNING IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 915 AM FOR THE COASTAL WATERS FROM
LEVY COUNTY SOUTH TO SARASOTA COUNTY...

THIS STATEMENT IS FOR CITRUS...LEVY...SUMTER...HERNANDO...PASCO...POLK...
HILLSBOROUGH...PINELLAS...MANATEE...SARASOTA...HARDEE...DESOTO...AND
HIGHLANDS COUNTIES...

AT 830 AM...RADAR INDICATED SEVERAL STRONG THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE EAST
GULF...ONE WAS 40 MILES WEST OF ST PETERSBURG.AND ANOTHER ONE 75 MILES
WEST OF VENICE. THESE STORMS WERE PART OF AN AREA OF SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS THAT WAS FROM EAST OF GAINESVILLE TO WEST OF ORLANDO...
CONTINUED ACROSS THE STATE FROM CEDAR KEY TO ST. PETERSBURG...THEN OUT
OVER THE EAST GULF WATERS...FROM 50 TO OVER 100 MILES OFFSHORE FROM
CEDAR KEY TO CAPTIVA.

MOVEMENT WAS TO THE NORTHEAST AT 45 MILES AN HOUR.

A TORNADO WATCH MEANS CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR TORNADO DEVELOPMENT
IN AND CLOSE TO THE WATCH AREA.  RESIDENTS IN AND NEARW THE WATCH AREA
ARE URGED TO TAKE IMMEDIATE PRECAUTIONS IN CASE DAMAGING WEATHER OCCURS
IN YOUR AREA.  BE READY TO SEEK SAFE SHELTER IN AN INTERIOR ROOM OF A
REINFORCED BUILDING SHOULD THREATENING WEATHER APPROACH.
Special weather statement, Mar 3, 9:39 AM EST, 1 hour 13 minutes before
FLZ006-009>022-031540-

SPECIAL WEATHER AND MARINE WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA RUSKIN FL
935 AM EST SUN MAR 03 1991

...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL SUNDAY MORNING AT 12 PM EST FOR
PARTS OF NORTH...ALL OF CENTRAL...SOUTH CENTRAL FLORIDA...

...A MARINE WARNING IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 915 AM FOR THE COASTAL WATERS FROM
LEVY COUNTY SOUTH TO SARASOTA COUNTY...

THIS STATEMENT IS FOR CITRUS...LEVY...SUMTER...HERNANDO...PASCO...POLK...
HILLSBOROUGH...PINELLAS...MANATEE...SARASOTA...HARDEE...DESOTO...AND
HIGHLANDS COUNTIES...

AT 930 AM...RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORMS...FROM
NORTHERN CITRUS COUNTY TO 50 MILES OFFSHORE FROM SARASOTA. THIS LINE OF
THUNDERSTORMS AREA PART OF AN AREA OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS...THAT WAS
OVER NORTH AND WEST CENTRAL PART OF THE STATE AND THE EAST GULF WATERS.
THE AREA WAS 100 MILES WIDE AND THE LEADING EDGE OF THE AREA WAS FROM
WEST OF DAYTON BEACH TO WEST OF ORLANDO TO THE TAMPA BAY AREA AND
CONTINUED OUT OVER THE EAST GULF WATERS...SOUTHWESTWARD TO OVER 100
MILES OFFSHORE FROM NAPLES.

MOVEMENT WAS TO THE NORTHEAST AT 45 MILES AN HOUR.

A TORNADO WATCH MEANS CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR TORNADO DEVELOPMENT
IN AND CLOSE TO THE WATCH AREA.  RESIDENTS IN AND NEAR THE WATCH AREA
ARE URGED TO TAKE IMMEDIATE PRECAUTIONS IN CASE DAMAGING WEATHER OCCURS
IN YOUR AREA.  BE READY TO SEEK SAFE SHELTER IN AN INTERIOR ROOM OF A
REINFORCED BUILDING SHOULD THREATENING WEATHER APPROACH.
Special weather statement, Mar 3, 9:46 AM EST, 1 hour 6 minutes before
FLZ006-009>022-031540-

SPECIAL WEATHER AND MARINE WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA RUSKIN FL
935 AM EST SUN MAR 03 1991

...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL SUNDAY MORNING AT 12 PM EST FOR
PARTS OF NORTH...ALL OF CENTRAL...SOUTH CENTRAL FLORIDA...

...A MARINE WARNING IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 12 NOON FOR THE COASTAL WATERS
FROM PINELLAS COUNTY SOUTH TO SARASOTA COUNTY...

THIS STATEMENT IS FOR CITRUS...LEVY...SUMTER...HERNANDO...PASCO...POLK...
HILLSBOROUGH...PINELLAS...MANATEE...SARASOTA...HARDEE...DESOTO...AND
HIGHLANDS COUNTIES...

AT 930 AM...RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORMS...FROM
NORTHERN CITRUS COUNTY TO 50 MILES OFFSHORE FROM SARASOTA. THIS LINE OF
THUNDERSTORMS AREA PART OF AN AREA OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS...THAT WAS
OVER NORTH AND WEST CENTRAL PART OF THE STATE AND THE EAST GULF WATERS.
THE AREA WAS 100 MILES WIDE AND THE LEADING EDGE OF THE AREA WAS FROM
WEST OF DAYTON BEACH TO WEST OF ORLANDO TO THE TAMPA BAY AREA AND
CONTINUED OUT OVER THE EAST GULF WATERS...SOUTHWESTWARD TO OVER 100
MILES OFFSHORE FROM NAPLES.

MOVEMENT WAS TO THE NORTHEAST AT 45 MILES AN HOUR.

A TORNADO WATCH MEANS CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR TORNADO DEVELOPMENT
IN AND CLOSE TO THE WATCH AREA.  RESIDENTS IN AND NEAR THE WATCH AREA
ARE URGED TO TAKE IMMEDIATE PRECAUTIONS IN CASE DAMAGING WEATHER OCCURS
IN YOUR AREA.  BE READY TO SEEK SAFE SHELTER IN AN INTERIOR ROOM OF A
REINFORCED BUILDING SHOULD THREATENING WEATHER APPROACH.
Special weather statement, Mar 3, 10:36 AM EST, 16 minutes before
FLZ006-009>022-031640-

SPECIAL WEATHER AND MARINE WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA RUSKIN FL
1035 AM EST SUN MAR 03 1991

...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL SUNDAY MORNING AT 12 PM EST FOR
PARTS OF NORTH...ALL OF CENTRAL...SOUTH CENTRAL FLORIDA...

...A MARINE WARNING IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 12 NOON FOR THE COASTAL WATERS
FROM PINELLAS COUNTY SOUTH TO SARASOTA COUNTY...

THIS STATEMENT IS FOR CITRUS...LEVY...SUMTER...HERNANDO...PASCO...POLK...
HILLSBOROUGH...PINELLAS...MANATEE...SARASOTA...HARDEE...DESOTO...AND
HIGHLANDS COUNTIES...

AT 1030 AM...AN AREA OF SHOWERS AND STRONG THUNDERSTORMS...SOME WITH
HEAVY RAINFALL WERE OVER THE NORTHERN AND CENTRAL PORTIONS OF THE STATE
AND THE EAST GULF WATERS. SOME OF THE STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE OVER
NORTHERN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY...OVER THE TAMPA BAY...NORTHWEST OF DADE CITY
IN PASCO COUNTY AND ALSO 30 MILES OFFSHORE FROM SARASOTA. THE AREA WAS
FROM NEAR ST. AUGUSTINE TO SOUTH OF DAYTONA BEACHSOUTHWEST ACROSS THE
STATE TO SARASOTA THEN ALONG THE WEST COAST TO NORTH OF NEW PORT RICHEY.
THE AREA EXTENDS OUT OVER THE GULF WATERS 50 TO OVER 100 MILES OFFSHORE
NEW PORT RICHEY TO CAPE ROMANO.

MOVEMENT WAS TO THE NORTHEAST AT 45 MILES AN HOUR.

A TORNADO WATCH MEANS CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR TORNADO DEVELOPMENT
IN AND CLOSE TO THE WATCH AREA.  RESIDENTS IN AND NEAR THE WATCH AREA
ARE URGED TO TAKE IMMEDIATE PRECAUTIONS IN CASE DAMAGING WEATHFER OCCURS
IN YOUR AREA.  BE READY TO SEEK SAFE SHELTER IN AN INTERIOR ROOM OF A
REINFORCED BUILDING SHOULD THREATENING WEATHER APPROACH.
Local storm report, Mar 3, 10:45 AM EST, 7 minutes before
STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY-RUSKIN, FL
1045 AM EST SUN MAR 03 1991

 03/03/91  0800  EST   PINELLAS       COUNTY, PALM HARBOR
                       FREQUENT LIGHTNING, STRONG WINDS, HEAVY RAIN
                       WIND DAMAGE
                       PRIVATE CITIZEN
                       MIASVRTBW 031243-031445

 03/03/91  0850  EST   HERNANDO       COUNTY, BAYPORT
                       DAMAGING WINDS FREQUENT RAIN AND LIGHTNING
                       PRIVATE CITIZEN
                       MIASVTBW 031243 - 031445

 03/03/91  0920  EST   CITRUS         COUNTY, US41 NEAR COUNTY LINE
                       POSSIBLE TORNADO... SEVERAL TREES DOWN
                       CITRUS COUNTY SHERIFFS OFFICE
                       MIASVRTBW 031418 - 031615

 03/03/91  0934  EST   PASCO          COUNTY, NEW PORT RICHEY
                       WIND DAMAGE
                       2 HOUSES DAMAGED.. ROOF BLOWN OFF OF ONE
      T                 PASCO COUNTY DIV. OF EMERG. MANAGEMENT
                       MIASVRTBW 031243 - 031615Z

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Mar 3, 7:40 AM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTBWPasco, Pinellas2 hr
Mar 3, 8:51 AM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTBWHernando, Pasco69 min
Mar 3, 9:15 AM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTBWHernando, Hillsborough, Pasco, Pinellas, Sumter2 hr
Mar 3, 9:15 AM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTBWCitrus2 hr
Mar 3, 9:51 AM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTBWHillsborough, Manatee, Polk69 min
Mar 3, 10:21 AM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTBWSarasota39 min
Mar 3, 10:21 AM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTBWHardee39 min
Mar 3, 10:52 AM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTBWCharlotte, Sarasota68 min
Mar 3, 10:52 AM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTBWLee68 min
Mar 3, 12:01 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTBWCharlotte, DeSoto, Highlands, Lee59 min
Mar 3, 12:01 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTBWHardee, Polk59 min
Mar 3, 1:00 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTBWCharlotte, Highlands60 min
Mar 3, 1:00 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTBWLee60 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Florida, 1991Every severe thunderstorm warning 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; verification from NCEI's Storm Data; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.