Alert archive / Florida / Flash Flood Warnings in 2002

Flash Flood Warning 9, NWS Tampa Bay, FL

November 16, 2002Charlotte County, Lee County, Florida

NWS Tampa Bay, FL issued this flash flood warning at Nov 16, 2002, 3:27 PM EST for Charlotte County, Lee County, Florida. It was in force for 63 min. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued.

The facts

Issued
Nov 16, 2002, 3:27 PM EST (20:27 UTC)
Expired
Nov 16, 2002, 4:30 PM EST
In force
63 min
Issued by
NWS Tampa Bay, FL
Area
Counties, with a storm outline in the text

Counties Charlotte County, FL, Lee County, FL

Did it verify

Not verified. The Iowa Environmental Mesonet's Cow found no qualifying storm report inside this flash flood warning while it was in force. That is not proof nothing happened: reports are thin where few people live.

Cow counts a report within 15 km of the polygon while the warning was in force: a tornado for a tornado warning; hail of 1 inch or more, a gust of 58 mph or more or wind damage for a severe thunderstorm warning; a flash flood report for a flash flood warning.

The nearest sounding before it

Tampa Bay, FL (KTBW), launched 12:00Z, 8.5 hours before the alert went out and 119 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 2002-11-16Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 460 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Tampa Bay, FL at 12:00Z on 2002-11-16The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 141 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
460 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-2 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
479 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
29 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
141 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
171 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
1.5

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
WGUS52 KTBW 162027
FFWTBW
FLC015-071-162130-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL
324 PM EST SAT NOV 16 2002

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN RUSKIN HAS ISSUED A

* FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR...
  CHARLOTTE AND LEE COUNTIES IN FLORIDA.

* UNTIL 430 PM EST

* AT 324 PM EST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED   
RAINFALL RATES OF 2 TO 3 THREE INCHES PER HOUR.

AT 324 PM EST...EMERGENCY MANANGMENT OFFICIALS REPORTED FLOODING IN 
THE ENGLEWOOD AREA...WATER WAS GETTING INTO HOMES AND THE ORANGE 
RIVER IN LEE COUNTY IS OVER ITS BANKS.

PERSONS IN LOW LYING FLOOD PRONE AREAS SHOULD CONTINUE TO MONITOR 
THE WEATHER CLOSELY THIS AFTERNOON. 


&&

LAT...LON 2700 8166 2642 8159 2631 8222 2694 8233

$$

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this flash flood 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 flash flood warning went out at Nov 16, 1:30 PM EST, 1 hour 57 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Nov 16, 1:30 PM EST, 1 hour 57 minutes before
WEST CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST FLORIDA FORECAST DISCUSSION...CORRECTED.
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN
130 PM EST SAT NOV 16 2002

CORRECTED TO ADD PRELIM NUMBERS.

CURRENTLY: FRONT JUST ENTERING THE EXTREME NORTHWESTERN FA. REST OF
THE AREA CONTINUES UNDER MOIST SOUTHERLY FLOW WITH PRODIGIOUS RAINS
DOWN SOUTH CAUSING SOME FLOODING. AREAS OF HEAVY RAIN SHOULD
CONTINUE INTO THE EVENING HOURS...ALONG WITH SEVERE THREAT.

FORECAST: FRONT SHOULD BE IN THE TAMPA BAY VICINITY BY SUNSET...
MOVING THROUGH THE SOUTHEASTERN HALF OF THE FA OVERNIGHT. THE
HEAVIEST RAIN AND THREAT OF THUNDERSTORMS WILL TAPER OFF BEHIND THE
FRONT...BUT ENOUGH UPPER LEVEL FORCING SHOULD KEEP THE THREAT OF AT
LEAST SOME LIGHT RAIN GOING OVERNIGHT. WINDS WILL PICK UP QUITE A
BIT BEHIND THE FRONT FROM THE NORTH AND NORTHWEST...STIRRING UP THE
SEAS. I WILL ISSUE A HEAVY SURF ADVISORY FOR ALL LOCATIONS WITH THE
AFTERNOON PACKAGE...EMPHASIZING LATE TONIGHT IN THE SOUTH WHERE IT
WILL TAKE LONGER FOR THE FRONT TO GO THROUGH.

DEEP DRYING SHOULD MOVE IN QUICKLY DURING SUNDAY MORNING...BUT COLD
ADVECTION WILL LIKELY KEEP SOME LOW CLOUDINESS AROUND DURING THE
AFTERNOON HOURS. TEMPS ARE EXPECTED TO RISE LITTLE DURING THE DAY AS
COLD ADVECTION REALLY KICKS IN. STIFF BREEZE WILL MAKE IT FEEL EVEN
COOLER.

MODELS SET UP A NICE COLD AIR DRAINAGE PATTERN FOR MONDAY MORNING
WITH LOW TEMPS AT LEAST 10 DEGREES BELOW NORMAL. MONDAY AFTERNOON
WILL BE WARMER THAN SUNDAY...BUT STILL BELOW NORMAL.

TUESDAY MORNING WILL BE CHILLY AGAIN...WITH LIGHTER WINDS. WINDS
WILL SLOWLY BECOME MORE NORTHEASTERLY OFF THE SURFACE OVERNIGHT...
WHICH MAY HELP TO KEEP THE MINS A TOUCH ABOVE MONDAY MORNINGS
LEVELS.

TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY LOOK NICE WITH A FAIR AMOUNT OF SUNSHINE AND
TEMPERATURES BACK UP TO SEASONAL LEVELS.

QUESTIONS CREEP BACK IN FOR LATER IN THE WEEK. FOR THE LAST 3 RUNS...
GFS HAS DEVELOPED A CUTOFF IN THE WESTERN GULF...PUMPING UP PLENTY
OF MOISTURE AGAIN. THIS SOLUTION WOULD MEAN LOTS OF CLOUDS AND THE
THREAT OF ANOTHER ROUND OF HEAVY RAIN ON THURSDAY AND FRIDAY. GIVEN
CLIMATOLOGY FOR EL NINO EVENTS...AND SOME SUPPORT FOR THIS
SOLUTION FROM LAST NIGHTS UKMET...I WILL HAVE TO MAKE SOME
ADJUSTMENTS TO THE ONGOING FORECAST AND INTRODUCE THE CHANCE OF RAIN
THURSDAY IN THE SOUTH AND FRIDAY EVERYWHERE...WITH MAYBE SOME
LINGERING SHOWERS INTO SATURDAY.

MARINE: SCA WILL CONTINUE THROUGH SUNDAY AS WINDS REALLY PICK UP
BEHIND THE FRONT. I WILL GRADUALLY BACK DOWN ON THE WINDS SUNDAY
NIGHT AS PRESSURE GRADIENT LOOSENS. I AM NOT READY TO JUMP ON
STRONG WINDS AVN IS ADVERTISING FOR WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY. I WILL
JUST CONTINUE THE CURRENT 15 KNOTS AND GUSTY. WE CAN GET MORE
DETAILED IN FUTURE FORECASTS.

PRELIM NUMBERS:
BKV 58/61/34/64 9200
TPA 61/65/43/66 9200
GIF 61/67/43/66 +200
SRQ 63/67/44/67 +200
FMY 65/69/46/70 +300

.TBW...TORNADO WATCH SARASOTA...DESOTO...HIGHLANDS...CHARLOTTE...AND
       LEE COUNTIES UNTIL 4 PM.
    ...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY BONITA BCH TO SUWANNEE RIVER OUT 60 NM
       INCLUDING TAMPA BAY.
    ...HEAVY SURF ADVISORY LEVY...CITRUS...HERNANDO...PASCO...
       PINELLAS...HILLSBOROUGH...MANATEE...SARASOTA...CHARLOTTE...AND
       LEE COUNTIES TONIGHT AND SUNDAY.

ALSHEIMER
Hazardous weather outlook, Nov 16, 6:05 AM EST, 9 hours 22 minutes before
FLZ039-042-043-048>052-055>057-060>062-065-161600-

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL
605 AM EST SAT NOV 16 2002

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR WEST CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST
FLORIDA.

.DAY ONE...TODAY:

...LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL MAY PRODUCE MINOR FLOODING THROUGH THIS
EVENING...
...SCATTERED LATE MORNING THROUGH AFTERNOON SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS...
...HIGH WINDS AND SEAS DEVELOPING TONIGHT OVER THE COASTAL WATERS...

...RAINFALL...
LOCALLY HEAVY RAINS WILL CONTINUE ACROSS SOUTHWEST FLORIDA THIS
MORNING...SPREADING ACROSS THE ENTIRE SUNCOAST BY LATE MORNING.
OCCASIONAL HEAVY RAIN IS EXPECTED TO LAST THROUGH THIS EVENING.

CURRENT DATA SUGGEST STORM TOTALS TO RANGE FROM 3 TO 5
INCHES...LOCALLY 8 INCHES OR MORE...FROM SARASOTA COUNTY SOUTH BY
EARLY SUNDAY.  ELSEWHERE NEAR THE COAST...2 TO 4 INCHES ARE
LIKELY...WITH LOCALLY 6 INCHES OR MORE.  SLIGHTLY LOWER AMOUNTS ARE
EXPECTED OVER CENTRAL FLORIDA.

RESIDENTS OF THE SUNCOAST...ESPECIALLY IN LOW LYING AND POOR
DRAINAGE AREAS...SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR POSSIBLE FLOODING TODAY.
STAY TUNED FOR FURTHER INFORMATION...INCLUDING FLASH FLOOD WARNINGS
OR URBAN FLOOD ADVISORIES...LATER TODAY.

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS...
AN APPROACHING STRONG UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE WILL DESTABILIZE THE
ATMOSPHERE AND INCREASE THE WINDS.  SCATTERED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS
ARE EXPECTED LATER THIS MORNING THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON AS THE FRONT
APPROACHES.  A SQUALL LINE MAY PRECEDE THE FRONT LATE THIS
AFTERNOON...AND A FEW SEVERE STORMS MAY DEVELOP ALONG IT AS WELL.

THE PRIMARY THREAT FROM THE STORMS WOULD BE DAMAGING WIND.  ISOLATED
TORNADOES ARE POSSIBLE...MAINLY FROM LATE THIS MORNING THROUGH MID
AFTERNOON AHEAD OF THE SQUALL LINE.

RESIDENTS...EMERGENCY SERVICES PERSONNEL...THE MEDIA...AND OTHER
INTERESTS SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS STORMS
TODAY.  STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR OTHER SOURCES FOR
POSSIBLE WATCHES OR WARNINGS FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.

...MARINE HAZARDS...
MARINERS...PARTICULARLY SMALL CRAFT OPERATORS...MAY WANT TO CANCEL
WEEKEND TRIPS INTO THE GULF.  WINDS AND SEAS WILL CONTINUE TO RISE
TODAY IN ADVANCE OF THE FRONT...AND NUMEROUS THUNDERSTORMS WILL
PROVIDE ADDITIONAL DANGER.

BEHIND THE FRONT...NORTHWEST WINDS GUSTING TO 30 KNOTS WILL PRODUCE
RISING SEAS AND ROUGH SURF.  SEAS WILL RISE AS HIGH AS 10 FEET NEAR
SHORE...AND UP TO 14 FEET BEYOND 60 NM...BY LATE TONIGHT.

.SPOTTER CALL TO ACTION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE REQUIRED TODAY.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY:

...COLD WEATHER ON THE WAY SUNDAY NIGHT...

TEMPERATURES WILL STRUGGLE TO GET OUT OF THE 50S ALONG THE NATURE
COAST SUNDAY...AND REMAIN BETWEEN 60 AND 65 ELSEWHERE.  BY SUNDAY
NIGHT...SKIES WILL CLEAR AND WINDS WILL BECOME NORTHERLY...ALLOWING
TEMPERATURES TO PLUMMET.  READINGS BY DAYBREAK MONDAY WILL RANGE
FROM THE 30S NORTH OF TAMPA BAY TO THE 40S ELSEWHERE.  VALUES WILL
BE 5 TO 10 DEGREES HIGHER NEAR THE COAST.

WIND CHILL VALUES LATE SUNDAY NIGHT AND EARLY MONDAY WILL RANGE FROM
THE UPPER 20S NORTH TO THE LOWER 40S SOUTH.

A MODERATING TREND WILL BEGIN LATER MONDAY...AND CONTINUE THROUGH
MID WEEK.

FOR MORE WEATHER INFORMATION...CHECK OUR WEBSITE AT
HTTP://WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/TBW (LOWER CASE)

BSG

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Nov 16, 12:51 PM EST, 2 hours 36 minutes before
FLZ039-042-043-048-049-161830-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL
1251 PM EST SAT NOV 16 2002

...STRONG WINDS WILL AFFECT THE GULF COAST FROM NEW PORT RICHEY
THROGH CEDAR KEY...A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS...MOVING EAST AT 45
MPH...WILL AFFECT YANKEETOWN...OZELLO...LEBANON AND CRYSTAL
RIVER...UNTIL 130 PM EST. GUSTY WINDS 40 TO 50 MPH MAY CAUSE LOOSE
OBJECTS TO BLOW AROUND. MINOR DAMAGE TO TREE LIMBS AND WIRES IS
POSSIBLE.

THERE IS THE THREAT FOR SOME ISOLATED COASTAL FLOODING AS THE SQUALL
LINE MOVES ONSHORE.  COASTAL RESIDENTS SHOULD PREPARE FOR HIGH WATER
OVER THE NEXT HOUR OR SO.

SOBIEN
Special weather statement, Nov 16, 3:20 PM EST, 7 minutes before
FLZ060>062-065-170215-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL
320 PM EST SAT NOV 16 2002

THE TORNADO WATCH WILL BE ALLOWED TO EXPIRE FOR THE FOLLOWING
LOCATIONS...

CHARLOTTE...LEE...DE SOTO AND SARASOTA.

INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...VENICE...SARASOTA...PUNTA GORDA...PORT
CHARLOTTE...FORT MYERS...CAPE CORAL AND ARCADIA.

THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORMS HAVE MOVED EAST OF THE AREA...SO THE
WATCH WILL BE ALLOWED TO EXPIRE AT 4 PM. PERIODS OF RAIN...SOME
LOCALLY HEAVY...ARE STILL EXPECTED THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE
EVENING.

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Nov 15, 11:13 PM ESTSpecial Marine WarningTBW62 min
Nov 16, 1:46 AM ESTSpecial Marine WarningTBW44 min
Nov 16, 8:53 AM ESTSpecial Marine WarningTBW52 min
Nov 16, 10:10 AM ESTSpecial Marine WarningTBW50 min
Nov 16, 10:43 AM ESTFlash Flood WarningTBWCharlotte, DeSoto, Highlands, Lee, Sarasota3 hr
Nov 16, 11:09 AM ESTSpecial Marine WarningTBW2 hr
Nov 16, 11:57 AM ESTSpecial Marine WarningTBW63 min
Nov 16, 12:55 PM ESTSpecial Marine WarningTBW2 hr
Nov 16, 12:55 PM ESTSpecial Marine WarningTBW2 hr
Nov 16, 1:06 PM ESTSpecial Marine WarningTBW54 min
Nov 16, 1:21 PM ESTTornado WarningTBWDeSoto24 min
Nov 16, 1:30 PM ESTFlash Flood WarningTBWCharlotte, DeSoto, Hardee, Highlands, Lee, Manatee and 1 more2 hr
Nov 16, 1:42 PM ESTTornado WarningTBWHighlands48 min
Nov 16, 2:29 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTBWHighlands, Polk31 min
Nov 16, 2:32 PM ESTTornado WarningTBWHighlands, Polk28 min
Nov 16, 4:24 PM ESTFlash Flood WarningTBWLee111 min

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Florida, 2002Every flash flood warning in 2002

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.