Alert archive / Florida / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2002

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 5, NWS Tampa Bay, FL

April 3, 2002Hardee County, Florida

NWS Tampa Bay, FL issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Apr 3, 2002, 12:08 PM EST for Hardee County, Florida. It was in force for 52 min. 3 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
Apr 3, 2002, 12:08 PM EST (17:08 UTC)
Expired
Apr 3, 2002, 1:00 PM EST
In force
52 min
Issued by
NWS Tampa Bay, FL
Area
Whole counties

County Hardee County, FL

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
Apr 3, 12:32 PM ESTTornado F0Zolfo Spgs, FL
Apr 3, 12:37 PM ESTThunderstorm WindZolfo Spgs, FL
Apr 3, 12:40 PM ESTHail 0.75Zolfo Spgs, 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, 5.1 hours before the alert went out and 63 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 2002-04-03Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 398 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 2002-04-03The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 64 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
398 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-118 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1200 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
22 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
64 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
125 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
1.4

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
WUUS52 KTBW 031708
SVRTBW
FLC049-031800-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL
1206 PM EST WED APR 3 2002

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN RUSKIN HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...
  NORTHWESTERN HARDEE COUNTY IN FLORIDA.

* UNTIL 100 PM EST.

* AT 1206 PM EST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WITH LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS...OVER
  SOUTHEASTERN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 25 MPH.

* THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT...
  FORT GREEN.
  BOWLING GREEN.

THIS STORM HAS A HISTORY OF PRODUCING DIME SIZE HAIL...FUNNEL 
CLOUDS...AND WINDS IN EXCESS FO 50 MPH.

$$

LAT...LON 2765 8190 2764 8206 2749 8206 2742 8198
          2760 8183

NNNN

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 Apr 3, 10:40 AM EST, 1 hour 28 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 3, 10:40 AM EST, 1 hour 28 minutes before
WEST CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST FLORIDA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL
1040 AM EST WED APR 3 2002

UPDATE: HAD TO INCREASE POPS FOR CENTRAL COASTAL COUTNIES AS LINE
SHOWS NO SIGNS OF SLOWING DOWN.

REST OF BELOW UNCHANGED.

AS EXPECTED...INITIAL BATCH OF THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE NORTHEAST
GULF...WHICH BLOSSOMED EARLY THIS MORNING IN POCKET OF MID LEVEL
INSTABILITY NOTED BY DRY PATCH ON THE WATER VAPOR IMAGERY...IS
BEGINNING TO WEAKEN. WE HAVE STARTED THE DIURNAL PROCESS OF
STABILIZATION OVER THE GULF AND DESTABILIZATION OVER LAND. ALREADY
78 DEGREES HERE IN RUSKIN WHERE THE CLOUDS HAVE NOT IMPINGED YET...
APPROACHING THIS AFTERNOONS TRIGGER TEMPERATURE OF 83.

COULD SEE A FEW STRONG THUNDERSTORMS INLAND THIS AFTERNOON AS
ATMOSPHERE WILL BECOME QUITE UNSTABLE IN AREAS THAT RECEIVE DECENT
SUNSHINE. WILL ALSO SEE BEST CONVERGENCE INLAND AS GULF BREEZE
PROPAGATES EASTWARD WITH TIME. WILL NUDGE POPS UP TO LIKELY THERE
FOR THIS AFTERNOON.

MARINE: PUTTING OUT MARINE WEATHER STATEMENTS ON PROGRESS OF
THUNDERSTORMS THIS MORNING. WILL MENTION HIGHER GUSTS NEAR
THUNDERSTORMS IN CWF TEXT.

.TBW...NONE.

ALSHEIMER

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Apr 3, 6:40 AM EST, 5 hours 28 minutes before
FLZ039-042-043-048>052-055>057-060>062-065-031600-

WEST CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST FLORIDA HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL
640 AM EST WED APR 3 2002

...PATCHY DENSE FOG EARLY THIS MORNING...
...ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS TODAY...

ABUNDANT LOW LEVEL MOISTURE AND NEAR CALM WINDS HAVE ALLOWED AREAS
OF DENSE FOG TO FORM EARLY THIS MORNING...WITH LOCAL VISIBILITIES
1/4 MILE OR LESS.  THE FOG SHOULD LIFT BY 9 AM...BUT UNTIL THIS TIME
MOTORISTS ARE URGED TO SLOW DOWN IN AREAS WITH FOG...USE LOW BEAM
HEADLIGHTS...AND MAINTAIN A SAFE FOLLOWING DISTANCE BETWEEN
VEHICLES.

FOR THE REST OF THE DAY...A WEAK UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE WILL
COMBINE WITH DAYTIME HEATING AND THE GULF COAST SEA BREEZE TO CAUSE
SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS TO DEVELOP.  THESE STORMS WILL BE
ACCOMPANIED BY BRIEF HEAVY RAINFALL...GUSTY WINDS AND OCCASIONAL
CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING.  REMEMBER...LIGHTNING CAN STRIKE SEVERAL
MILES AWAY FROM THE CORE OF THE STORM.  IF YOU CAN SEE LIGHTNING OR
HEAR THUNDER...YOU SHOULD MOVE INDOORS UNTIL THE THREAT HAS PASSED.

PRC
Special weather statement, Apr 3, 9:00 AM EST, 3 hours 8 minutes before
FLZ039-042-043-048>052-032000-

WEST CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST FLORIDA HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL
900 AM EST WED APR 3 2002

...SOME STRONG THUNDERSTORMS TODAY...

AN UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE MOVING OVER THE REGION COMBINED WITH
ABUNDANT LOW LEVEL MOISTURE...DAYTIME HEATING AND THE GULF COAST SEA
BREEZE TO CAUSE SCATTERED TO NUMBEROUS THUNDERSTORMS TODAY.  SOME
STORMS MAY BE STRONG CAPABLE OF PRODUCING HAIL...STRONG GUSTY
WINDS...HEAVY FLOODING RAINFALL...AND FREQUENT LIGHTNING.

WHEN SKIES DARKEN...MOVE INDOORS. IF YOU CAN SEE LIGHTNING OR HEAR
THUNDER...YOU SHOULD MOVE INDOORS UNTIL THE THREAT HAS PASSED. IF
THERE IS TIME...UNPLUG APPLIANCES AND ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT. WAIT
UNTIL THE STORM ENDS BEFORE USING THE TELEPHONE OR RUNNING WATER.
REMEMBER...LIGHTNING CAN STRIKE SEVERAL MILES AWAY FROM THE CORE OF
THE STORM.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR LOCAL MEDIA OUTLETS FOR
UPDATES.
Local storm report, Apr 3, 11:20 AM EST, 48 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL
1120 AM EST WED APR 3 2002

TIME(EST)  .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE  ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

1120 PM    PINECREST                  FL   .75 INCH HAIL.
04/3/02    HILLSBOROUGH                   NO WIND DAMAGE.
                                          5 MINUTE DURATION
                                          OF HEAVY RAIN.
Local storm report, Apr 3, 11:20 AM EST, 48 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL
1120 AM EST WED APR 3 2002

...CORRECTED TO CHANGE PM TO AM ON TIME OF REPORT...

TIME(EST)  .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE  ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

1120 AM    PINECREST                  FL   .75 INCH HAIL.
04/3/02    HILLSBOROUGH                   NO WIND DAMAGE.
                                          5 MINUTE DURATION
                                          OF HEAVY RAIN.
Local storm report, Apr 3, 12:07 PM EST, 1 minute before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL
351 PM EST THU MAR 28 2002

TIME(EST)  .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE  ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

0215 PM    5 NW TAMPA                FL   DUST DEVIL
03/28/02   HILLSBOROUGH                   ADDITION TO HOME
                                          SUSTAINED CONSIDERABLE
                                          DAMAGE.  THREE CEMENT
                                          SUPPORT POLES WERE
                                          LIFTED FROM GROUND
                                          METAL ROD WAS THROUGH
                                          ROOF.  REPORTED BY LAW
                                          ENFORCEMENT OFFICIAL.

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Apr 3, 11:01 AM ESTSpecial Marine WarningTBW59 min
Apr 3, 11:10 AM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTBWHillsborough50 min
Apr 3, 11:33 AM ESTSpecial Marine WarningTBW27 min
Apr 3, 11:46 AM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTBWPolk59 min
Apr 3, 12:48 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTBWHighlands, Polk42 min
Apr 3, 3:43 PM ESTSpecial Marine WarningTBW62 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Florida, 2002Every severe thunderstorm 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; verification from NCEI's Storm Data; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.