Alert archive / Florida / Tornado Warnings in 1998
Tornado Warning 10, NWS Tampa Bay, FL
NWS Tampa Bay, FL issued this tornado warning at Jan 23, 1998, 10:42 AM EST for Polk County, Florida. It was in force for 48 min. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.
The area
The counties it named.
The facts
- Issued
- Jan 23, 1998, 10:42 AM EST (15:42 UTC)
- Expired
- Jan 23, 1998, 11:30 AM EST
- In force
- 48 min
- Issued by
- NWS Tampa Bay, FL
- Area
- Whole counties
County Polk County, FL
The radar
The Tampa radar (KTBW), 74 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 15:44 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.
The nearest sounding before it
Cape Canaveral, FL (KXMR), launched 12:00Z, 3.7 hours before the alert went out and 131 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
- 1021 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -2 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 621 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 31 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 85 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 138 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.4
- Supercell composite
- 3.1
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
078 WFUS1 KTBW 231543 RRA TORTBW FLC105-231630- BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED TORNADO WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL 1042 AM EST FRI JAN 23 1998 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A...TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 1130 AM EST FOR ...SOUTHEASTERN POLK COUNTY AT 1041 AM EST... NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR IN RUSKIN INDICATED A TORNADO NEAR AVON PARK AIR FORCE BASE MOVING TO THE NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH. RESIDENTS IN SOUTHEAST POLK COUNTY SHOULD TAKE COVER IMMEDIATELY. THIS IS A DANGEROUS STORM ACT QUICKLY. IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF THIS TORNADO GO TO A SMALL INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR. AVOID WINDOWS AND DOORS. ABANDON CARS AND MOBILE HOMES FOR A STURDY BUILDING OR GET INTO A DITCH OR CULVERT.
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.
NWS Tampa Bay, FL wrote its last area forecast discussion before this tornado warning went out at Jan 23, 9:30 AM EST, 1 hour 12 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Jan 23, 9:30 AM EST, 1 hour 12 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY-RUSKIN, FL 930 AM EST FRI JAN 23 1998 BUSY. COORD W/SPC ON TORNADO THREAT. WATCH ISSUED FOR FCST AREA SOUTH AND EAST OF TAMPA AREA AS THE SOUTHERN LINE HAS BEST INFLOW AND CHANCES FOR CONTINUED SVR THREAT. STORMS MOVG THRU TAMPA EXPECTED TO BE GONE BY 1030AM...THUS WATCH NOT INCLUDE TAMPA METRO AREA. ZONES UPDATED...AND WL LIKELY ISSUE A FEW MORE AS STORMS MOVE OUT OF MOST OF THE AREA. HAVE LITTLE BIT OF CONCERN FOR SOME HEAVY RAINS/ FLOODING SRQ AND SOUTH AND LINE IN GULF BECOMING MORE E-W ORIENTED. SYSTEM STILL SEEMS PROGRESSIVE ENUF THAT WE CAN ESCAPE THAT PROBLEM... BUT WL MONITOR. THANKS FOR COORD CALLS JR NASH
In the hours before
Special weather statement, Jan 23, 5:40 AM EST, 5 hours 2 minutes before
FLZ039-042-043-048>052-055>057-060>062-065-GMZ830-850-853-856- 870-873-876-231535- WEST CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST FLORIDA HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL 540 AM EST FRI JAN 23 1998 ...A CHANCE FOR STRONG THUNDERSTORMS TODAY... ...LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL ALSO POSSIBLE... A LINE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE EASTERN GULF OF MEXICO THIS MORNING WILL MOVE EASTWARD...REACHING THE COASTAL COUNTIES NORTH OF SARASOTA BEFORE 7 AM...THEN FARTHER SOUTH INTO THE FORT MYERS AREA BEFORE 8 AM. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL SPREAD FARTHER INLAND BY LATE MORNING. SOME THUNDERSTORMS COULD BECOME STRONG...ESPECIALLY THIS AFTERNOON SOUTH OF A LINE FROM LAKELAND TO SARASOTA. THE MAIN THREATS FROM ANY STRONG STORMS TODAY WILL BE WIND GUSTS OF 35 TO 45 MPH...FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND LOCALLY HEAVY DOWNPOURS. RAINFALL TOTALS WITH THIS LINE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO BE BETWEEN ONE AND TWO INCHES THROUGH THIS EVENING. THESE AMOUNTS ARE NOT EXPECTED TO CAUSE ANY WIDE SPREAD FLOODING PROBLEMS. HOWEVER...ANY AREAS THAT DO RECEIVE HIGHER AMOUNTS MAY ENCOUNTER SOME MINOR FLOODING OF STREETS AND LOW LYING AREAS. IN ADDITION...RESIDENTS ALONG AREA RIVERS AND STREAMS SHOULD BE ALERT FOR THE POTENTIAL FOR RISING WATER LEVELS. WHEN THUNDERSTORMS ARE OCCURRING...PEOPLE SHOULD MOVE INSIDE A STRONG BUILDING. DO NOT STAND BY WINDOWS. DO NOT USE TELEPHONES OR ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES UNLESS IN AN EMERGENCY UNTIL THE STORM HAS PASSED. MOTORISTS SHOULD NOT DRIVE THROUGH WATER OF UNKNOWN DEPTH. REMEMBER...LIGHTNING MAY STRIKE MILES AWAY FROM THE MAIN THUNDERSTORM. PRECAUTIONS SHOULD BE TAKEN EVEN THOUGH THE THUNDERSTORM IS NOT DIRECTLY OVERHEAD. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...OR RADIO/TELEVISION/CABLE STATIONS IN THE EVENT ANY ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS OR WARNINGS BECOME NECESSARY. MORALES
Special weather statement, Jan 23, 5:40 AM EST, 5 hours 2 minutes before
FLZ039-042-043-048>052-055>057-060>062-065-GMZ830-850-853-856- 870-873-876-231535- WEST CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST FLORIDA HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL 540 AM EST FRI JAN 23 1998 ...A CHANCE FOR STRONG THUNDERSTORMS TODAY... ...LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL ALSO POSSIBLE... A LINE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE EASTERN GULF OF MEXICO THIS MORNING WILL MOVE EASTWARD...REACHING THE COASTAL COUNTIES NORTH OF SARASOTA BEFORE 7 AM...THEN FARTHER SOUTH INTO THE FORT MYERS AREA BEFORE 8 AM. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL SPREAD FARTHER INLAND BY LATE MORNING. SOME THUNDERSTORMS COULD BECOME STRONG...ESPECIALLY THIS AFTERNOON SOUTH OF A LINE FROM LAKELAND TO SARASOTA. THE MAIN THREATS FROM ANY STRONG STORMS TODAY WILL BE WIND GUSTS OF 35 TO 45 MPH...FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND LOCALLY HEAVY DOWNPOURS. RAINFALL TOTALS WITH THIS LINE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO BE BETWEEN ONE AND TWO INCHES THROUGH THIS EVENING. THESE AMOUNTS ARE NOT EXPECTED TO CAUSE ANY WIDE SPREAD FLOODING PROBLEMS. HOWEVER...ANY AREAS THAT DO RECEIVE HIGHER AMOUNTS MAY ENCOUNTER SOME MINOR FLOODING OF STREETS AND LOW LYING AREAS. IN ADDITION...RESIDENTS ALONG AREA RIVERS AND STREAMS SHOULD BE ALERT FOR THE POTENTIAL FOR RISING WATER LEVELS. WHEN THUNDERSTORMS ARE OCCURRING...PEOPLE SHOULD MOVE INSIDE A STRONG BUILDING. DO NOT STAND BY WINDOWS. DO NOT USE TELEPHONES OR ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES UNLESS IN AN EMERGENCY UNTIL THE STORM HAS PASSED. MOTORISTS SHOULD NOT DRIVE THROUGH WATER OF UNKNOWN DEPTH. REMEMBER...LIGHTNING MAY STRIKE MILES AWAY FROM THE MAIN THUNDERSTORM. PRECAUTIONS SHOULD BE TAKEN EVEN THOUGH THE THUNDERSTORM IS NOT DIRECTLY OVERHEAD. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...OR RADIO/TELEVISION/CABLE STATIONS IN THE EVENT ANY ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS OR WARNINGS BECOME NECESSARY. MORALES
The office that day
Everything else NWS Tampa Bay, FL issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 23, 8:24 AM EST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | TBW | Pinellas | |
| Jan 23, 8:25 AM EST | Tornado Warning | TBW | Charlotte, DeSoto, Sarasota | 60 min |
| Jan 23, 8:46 AM EST | Tornado Warning | TBW | Hillsborough, Pinellas | 49 min |
| Jan 23, 8:50 AM EST | Tornado Warning | TBW | Hardee | 45 min |
| Jan 23, 9:23 AM EST | Tornado Warning | TBW | DeSoto, Hardee | 47 min |
| Jan 23, 9:28 AM EST | Tornado Warning | TBW | Hillsborough, Pasco | 47 min |
| Jan 23, 9:38 AM EST | Tornado Warning | TBW | Highlands | 47 min |
| Jan 23, 9:49 AM EST | Tornado Warning | TBW | Polk | 46 min |
| Jan 23, 10:33 AM EST | Tornado Warning | TBW | Hardee, Highlands | 47 min |
| Jan 23, 11:51 AM EST | Tornado Warning | TBW | Polk | 49 min |
Nearby
Tornado Warnings in Florida, 1998Every tornado warning in 1998Tornadoes 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; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.