Alert archive / Florida / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1998
Severe Thunderstorm Warning 39, NWS Tampa Bay, FL
NWS Tampa Bay, FL issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Feb 28, 1998, 8:05 AM EST for Citrus County, Florida. It was in force for 60 min. 1 report 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
- Feb 28, 1998, 8:05 AM EST (13:05 UTC)
- Expired
- Feb 28, 1998, 9:05 AM EST
- In force
- 60 min
- Issued by
- NWS Tampa Bay, FL
- Area
- Whole counties
County Citrus County, FL
The radar
The Tampa radar (KTBW), 128 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 13:05 UTC, the scan nearest the moment this went out.
Open the radar archive at this moment
The archived warnings, watches and discussions in force at that minute are drawn over the scan, this one among them.
What was reported inside it
| Time | Report | Where | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 28, 8:24 AM EST | Hail 0.75 | Crystal River, 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.
The nearest sounding before it
Tampa Bay, FL (KTBW), launched 12:00Z, 1.1 hours before the alert went out and 128 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.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 1297 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -29 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 722 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 49 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 194 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 188 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 1.5
- Supercell composite
- 10.6
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
765 WUUS1 KTBW 281306 RRA SVRTBW FLC017-GMZ850-281405- BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL 805 AM EST SAT FEB 28 1998 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 905 AM EST FOR ...CITRUS COUNTY ...AND INCLUDING THE GULF WATERS FROM WACCASASSA BAY TO HOMOSASSA RIVER DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS NEAR CRYSTAL RIVER AND CHASSAHOWITZKA SPRINGS MOVING EAST AT 30 MPH. BY DEFINITION...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS HAVE WINDS OF 58 MPH OR GREATER AND/OR DIME SIZE HAIL OR LARGER. IF THIS STORM APPROACHES YOUR AREA...GO INDOORS AND STAY UNTIL THE STORM PASSES.
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.
NWS Tampa Bay, FL wrote its last area forecast discussion before this severe thunderstorm warning went out at Feb 28, 3:15 AM EST, 4 hours 50 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Feb 28, 3:15 AM EST, 4 hours 50 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY-RUSKIN, FL 315 AM EST SAT FEB 28 1998 A SHORT WAVE MOVING INTO THE PANHANDLE THIS MORNING IS ADDING FIRE TO THE THUNDERSTORMS IN THE AREA. THE SHORT WAVE WILL SWING NORTH INTO THE APPALACHIANS THIS AFTERNOON...BUT NOT WITHOUT GIVING OUR FRONT A LITTLE PUSH SOUTH AND EASTWARD. THEN EXPECT THE FRONT TO STALL AGAIN OVER NORTH FLORIDA. WITH THE LONGWAVE TROUGH REMAINING WELL TO OUR WEST...ALBEIT A FLATTER TROUGH...THROUGHOUT THE PERIOD I DO NOT SEE ANY REASON TO PUSH THE FRONT THROUGH TOO RAPIDLY. IN FACT I WOULD BE REAL HAPPY TO SEE THE CURRENT ZONES CHANGED FOR SUNDAY TO READ MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH A SLIGHT CHANCE OR CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS. THE ETA IS AGAIN MY MODEL OF CHOICE...BUT LIKE ALL OF THE MODELS I THINK IT IS IN TOO MUCH OF A HURRY TO PUSH THE FRONT OUT. THERE IS A SECONDARY FRONT APPROACHING THE MISSISSIPPI VALLEY THIS MORNING WHICH MAY GIVE OUR FRONT A LITTLE PUSH...BUT NOT ENOUGH TO PUSH IT INTO THE ATLANTIC. IT IS HARD TO ARGUE WHEN ALL MODELS AGREE ON SOMETHING BUT THE BUILDING RIDGE IN THE GULF...WHICH I AM PRESUMING IS PUSHING OUT OUR FRONT JUST LOOKS A LITTLE FISHY. AGAIN MY ARGUMENT IS THAT THE BASE OF THE TROUGH IS WELL WEST OF OUR AREA AND THE AVN DROPS ANOTHER SHORT WAVE DOWN THE BACKSIDE OF THE TROUGH 60 TO 72 HOURS OUT CAUSING IT TO RETROGRADE BACK TOWARDS TEXAS. WITH INSTABILITY WELL ENTRENCHED AND EVEN MORE RICH LOW LEVEL AIR ADVECTING IN I WOULD NOT BE SURPRISED TO SEE SOME THUNDER AROUND THIS AFTERNOON. I WAS AWOKEN BY A THUNDER AROUND NOON TODAY AT MY HOUSE AND CONDITIONS ARE A LITTLE BETTER TODAY. FWC AND FAN GUIDANCE ARE FINALLY LOOKING PRETTY CLOSE I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH EITHER...WHICH WOULD INDICATE THAT THE HIGH TEMP WE HAVE FOR TODAY IN THE ZONES MAY BE A LITTLE ON THE LOW SIDE...BUT NOT OUT OF THE BALLPARK. POPS MAY BE A LITTLE LOW IN OUR FAR NORTHERN COUNTIES FOR TODAY...CENTRAL AND SOUTH LOOK OK. THANKS FOR YOUR THOUGHTS MLB. SOBIEN
In the hours before
Special weather statement, Feb 28, 6:00 AM EST, 2 hours 5 minutes before
FLZ039-042-043-048>052-055>057-060>062-065-GMZ830-850-853-870-873-2802300- WEST CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST FLORIDA HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL 600 AM EST SAT FEB 28 1998 ...ISOLATED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE ACROSS WEST CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST FLORIDA SATURDAY NIGHT... ...RIVER FLOOD WARNINGS REMAIN IN EFFECT FOR THE WITHLACOOCHEE... MYAKKA...AND PEACE RIVERS...AND CYPRESS CREEK... ...LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT PORTIONS OF WEST CENTRAL FLORIDA... A VERY SLOW MOVING FRONTAL BOUNDARY STRETCHING ACROSS THE FLORIDA BIG BEND AREA SOUTHWEST INTO THE GULF OF MEXICO THIS MORNING WILL DRIFT INTO NORTH CENTRAL FLORIDA BY SUNDAY MORNING. A STRONG UPPER LEVEL JET AND A SUFFICIENTLY UNSTABLE ATMOSPHERE OVER FLORIDA WILL LEAD TO THUNDERSTORMS THAT WILL DEVELOP ALONG THE FRONT AND JUST AHEAD OF THE FRONT. THE AREAS OF RAIN THAT DO FORM WILL MOVE NEARLY PARALLEL TO THE FRONT OVER THE SAME AREAS. THIS WOULD CAUSE LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL AMOUNTS TO BE POSSIBLE. GIVEN ALREADY SATURATED GROUND AND HIGH RIVER LEVELS...THE PREMISE FOR WORSENED RIVER FLOODING AND FLOODING OF LOW LYING AND FLOOD PRONE AREAS EXISTS TODAY AND TONIGHT. WIDESPREAD SEVERE WEATHER IS NOT EXPECTED WITH THIS EVENT BUT THE ATMOSPHERE WILL BE UNSTABLE ENOUGH AND WINDS ALOFT STRONG ENOUGH THAT AN ISOLATED SEVERE THUNDERSTORM MAY BE POSSIBLE. IN ADDITION DRY AIR ALOFT MAY ENHANCE THUNDERSTORMS SOMEWHAT. THE MAIN THREAT WITH THESE STORMS WILL BE STRONG WINDS AND LARGE HAIL. RESIDENTS LIVING IN THESE FLOOD PRONE AREAS SHOULD REMAIN ALERT TO THE POSSIBILITY OF FLOODING IF THE HEAVY RAINS DEVELOP. SKYWARN UNITS SHOULD BE AWARE THAT THEY MAY BE NEEDED LATER TODAY AND TONIGHT...IF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS DO DEVELOP. FOR THE LATEST WARNINGS AND STATEMENTS ON THUNDERSTORMS OR RIVER FLOODING...LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR COMMERCIAL RADIO AND TV. SOBIEN
Special weather statement, Feb 28, 6:36 AM EST, 1 hour 29 minutes before
FLZ039-042-043-048>052-055>057-060>062-065-GMZ830-850-853-870-873-2802300- WEST CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST FLORIDA HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL 600 AM EST SAT FEB 28 1998 ...ISOLATED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE ACROSS WEST CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST FLORIDA SATURDAY NIGHT... ...RIVER FLOOD WARNINGS REMAIN IN EFFECT FOR THE WITHLACOOCHEE... MYAKKA...AND PEACE RIVERS...AND CYPRESS CREEK... ...LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT PORTIONS OF WEST CENTRAL FLORIDA... A VERY SLOW MOVING FRONTAL BOUNDARY STRETCHING ACROSS THE FLORIDA BIG BEND AREA SOUTHWEST INTO THE GULF OF MEXICO THIS MORNING WILL DRIFT INTO NORTH CENTRAL FLORIDA BY SUNDAY MORNING. A STRONG UPPER LEVEL JET AND A SUFFICIENTLY UNSTABLE ATMOSPHERE OVER FLORIDA WILL LEAD TO THUNDERSTORMS THAT WILL DEVELOP ALONG THE FRONT AND JUST AHEAD OF THE FRONT. THE AREAS OF RAIN THAT DO FORM WILL MOVE NEARLY PARALLEL TO THE FRONT OVER THE SAME AREAS. THIS WOULD CAUSE LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL AMOUNTS TO BE POSSIBLE. GIVEN ALREADY SATURATED GROUND AND HIGH RIVER LEVELS...THE PREMISE FOR WORSENED RIVER FLOODING AND FLOODING OF LOW LYING AND FLOOD PRONE AREAS EXISTS TODAY AND TONIGHT. WIDESPREAD SEVERE WEATHER IS NOT EXPECTED WITH THIS EVENT BUT THE ATMOSPHERE WILL BE UNSTABLE ENOUGH AND WINDS ALOFT STRONG ENOUGH THAT AN ISOLATED SEVERE THUNDERSTORM MAY BE POSSIBLE. IN ADDITION DRY AIR ALOFT MAY ENHANCE THUNDERSTORMS SOMEWHAT. THE MAIN THREAT WITH THESE STORMS WILL BE STRONG WINDS AND LARGE HAIL. RESIDENTS LIVING IN THESE FLOOD PRONE AREAS SHOULD REMAIN ALERT TO THE POSSIBILITY OF FLOODING IF THE HEAVY RAINS DEVELOP. SKYWARN UNITS &SHOULD BE AWARE THAT THEY MAY BE NEEDED LATER TODAY AND TONIGHT...IF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS DO DEVELOP. FOR THE LATEST WARNINGS AND STATEMENTS ON THUNDERSTORMS OR RIVER FLOODING...LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR COMMERCIAL RADIO AND TV. SOBIEN
The office that day
Everything else NWS Tampa Bay, FL issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 28, 9:20 AM EST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | TBW | Pasco | 60 min |
| Feb 28, 10:22 AM EST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | TBW | Pasco | 48 min |
| Feb 28, 11:45 AM EST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | TBW | Polk | 65 min |
| Feb 28, 12:10 PM EST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | TBW | Hillsborough, Manatee | 65 min |
Nearby
Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Florida, 1998Every severe thunderstorm warning in 1998
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; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.