Alert archive / Florida / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2003

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 72, NWS Melbourne, FL

July 18, 2003Volusia County, Florida

NWS Melbourne, FL issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jul 18, 2003, 8:30 PM EDT for Volusia County, Florida. It was in force for 45 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
Jul 18, 2003, 8:30 PM EDT (00:30 UTC)
Expired
Jul 18, 2003, 9:15 PM EDT
In force
45 min
Issued by
NWS Melbourne, FL
Area
Counties, with a storm outline in the text

County Volusia County, FL

The radar

The Melbourne radar (KMLB), 107 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 00:32 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.

Did it verify

Not verified. The Iowa Environmental Mesonet's Cow found no qualifying storm report inside this severe thunderstorm 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

Cape Canaveral, FL (KXMR), launched 00:00Z, 0.5 hours before the alert went out and 87 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, Cape Canaveral, FL at 00:00Z on 2003-07-19Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 3111 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, Cape Canaveral, FL at 00:00Z on 2003-07-19The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 47 square meters per square second.1939Sfc1 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
3111 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-8 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
731 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
21 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
47 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
64 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.6
Supercell composite
4.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
WUUS52 KMLB 190030
SVRMLB
FLC127-190115-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MELBOURNE FL
830 PM EDT FRI JUL 18 2003

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MELBOURNE HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...
  CENTRAL VOLUSIA COUNTY
  IN EAST CENTRAL FLORIDA

* UNTIL 915 PM EDT

* AT 827 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM OVER LAKE HELEN...OR ABOUT 2 MILES SOUTHWEST OF
  LAKE HELEN...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 25 MPH.

* THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WILL BE...
  NEAR DELTONA AT 835 PM EDT
  NEAR OSTEEN AT 850 PM EDT

SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCE DAMAGING WINDS IN EXCESS OF 58 MILES AN
HOUR...DESTRUCTIVE HAIL...DEADLY LIGHTNING AND VERY HEAVY RAIN. IF
THE STORM APPROACHES YOU...MOVE TO AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST
FLOOR.

LAT...LON 2907 8119 2900 8138 2875 8125 2884 8105

$$

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 Melbourne, FL wrote its last area forecast discussion before this severe thunderstorm warning went out at Jul 18, 2:07 PM EDT, 6 hours 23 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 18, 2:07 PM EDT, 6 hours 23 minutes before
EAST CENTRAL FLORIDA FORECAST DISCUSSION...CORRECTED PRELIM NUMBERS
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MELBOURNE FL
207 PM EDT FRI JUL 18 2003

.DISCUSSION...LATEST MODEL RUNS CONTINUES TO SHOW A TREND OF THE LOW
LEVEL RIDGE MIGRATING SOUTH OF THE AREA AS A SERIES OF SHORTWAVES
CARVE OUT A RATHER IMPRESSIVE SUMMERTIME TROUGH OVER THE EASTERN
U.S. BY TUE/WED OF NEXT WEEK.  DIFFICULT TO PIN DOWN WHICH DAYS WILL
SEE THE GREATEST STORM COVERAGE AS INDIVIDUAL VORT MAXES RIPPLE
THROUGH MEAN TROUGH.  THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK...SOUTHWEST
FLOW THROUGH A DEEP LAYER SHOULD CONTINUE TO RESULT IN AT LEAST
SCATTERED COVERAGE OF STORMS.  WOULD EXPECT THAT ON AT LEAST A FEW
OF THE DAYS...POPS WILL NEED TO BE INCREASED TO THE LIKELY CATEGORY.

TONIGHT...WILL HAVE TO WATCH STORMS THAT DEVELOP THIS EVENING AS
BOTH EAST AND WEST COAST BOUNDARIES ARE STARTING TO GET ACTIVE WITH
SOME COOLER/DRIER AIR STILL PRESENT ALOFT.  EXPECT THAT THERE WILL
BE A BOUNDARY COLLISION OVER THE INTERIOR...POSSIBLY NEAR THE I-4
CORRIDOR...AND PLAN ON SCT POPS THERE...SLIGHT CHANCE ELSEWHERE.

WEEKEND...SOUTHWEST STEERING (700 MB) FLOW PROGGED TO GRADUALLY
INCREASE.  H25 CYCLONIC SHEAR AXIS IS FORECAST TO BE MOVING BACK
ACROSS THE AREA SAT THEN ANOTHER TROUGH ALOFT DROPPING DOWN FROM THE
NORTHWEST ON SUNDAY.  EXPECT THAT EAST COAST SEA BREEZE WILL BE ABLE
TO FORM ALONG THE ENTIRE COAST SAT AND MAYBE EVEN SUNDAY.  MODEL
POPS CONTINUE TO COME IN AT 30/40 PERCENT.  NOT CERTAIN ABOUT THE
EFFECTS OF WEAK IMPULSES ALOFT SO WILL GO WITH 40 POPS EACH
AFTERNOON SINCE THE SHORTWAVE SUNDAY MAY ACTUALLY BE A MORE
SIGNIFICANT FEATURE.

NEXT WEEK...GFS SHOWING SHORTWAVE POSSIBLY AFFECTING THE AREA
MONDAY.  MAIN INCREASE IN GRADIENT LOOKS TO BE JUST TO OUR
NORTH...WHICH MAY ALLOW A SEA BREEZE TO FORM.  THIS COULD RESULT IN
AN ACTIVE DAY FOR STORMS.  SO PLAN TO BUMP POPS UP TO 50 PERCENT.

SOUTHWEST GRADIENT FLOW IS PROGGED TO INCREASE BY TUE AS LOW
PRESSURE DEVELOPS WELL TO OUR NORTH AND SWINGS A FRONT INTO THE
SOUTHEAST STATES.  WILL STAY WITH UNIFORM 40 POPS AS SOUTHWEST
STEERING FLOW CONTINUES.

BY THE END OF THE WEEK...THE LATEST GFS STALLS THE FRONT OUT WELL
NORTH OF THE REGION AS IT ENCOUNTERS A STRONGER THAN NORMAL BERMUDA
HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE.  WE SHOULD STAY IN A MOIST FLOW...THOUGH
BECOMING MORE SOUTHEAST WITH TIME AS BROAD RIDGE AXIS SHIFTS A
LITTLE BACK TO THE NORTH OVER THE ATLANTIC.

.MARINE...DO NOT SEE MUCH REASON TO CHANGE CURRENT FORECAST SHOWING
SLIGHTLY INCREASED SOUTHWEST WINDS OVER THE NORTHERN LEG STARTING
SAT NIGHT.  WILL NOT GO AS STRONG AS THE GFS WINDS SHOW FOR EARLY
NEXT WEEK...KEEPING 10 TO 15 IN THE NORTH AND 10 KNOTS IN THE SOUTH.

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
DAB 074/092 074/091 074 2424
MCO 074/092 074/091 074 3424
MLB 074/090 074/090 074 2424
VRB 073/090 073/090 073 2424

.MLB...WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...NONE.

SHORT TERM...WIMMER
LONG TERM...LASCODY
Hazardous weather outlook, Jul 18, 5:15 AM EDT, 15 hours 15 minutes before
AMZ550-555-570-575-FLZ041-044>047-053-054-058-059-064-141-144-147-
182000-

EAST CENTRAL FLORIDA HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MELBOURNE FL
515 AM EDT FRI JUL 18 2003

.DAY ONE...TODAY...

...SCATTERED STRONG STORMS POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON...

THE EAST COAST SEA BREEZE WILL MOVE WELL INLAND DURING THE
AFTERNOON. MOISTURE...INSTABILITY AND HEATING WILL PRODUCE SCATTERED
LIGHTNING STORMS ACROSS THE AREA TODAY. STORMS ARE EXPECTED TO
DEVELOP JUST INLAND FROM THE COAST AROUND MID DAY AND MOVE TOWARD
THE NORTH AT AROUND 10 MPH.

ALSO...DUE TO THE SLOW MOVEMENT OF STORMS SOME LOCATIONS MAY RECEIVE
2 TO 3 INCHES OF RAIN CAUSING TEMPORARY FLOODING OF LOW LYING AND
POOR DRAINAGE AREAS.

COOLER AIR IN THE MID LEVELS OF THE ATMOSPHERE WILL LEAD TO SOME
STRONG STORMS BY LATE AFTERNOON.  WIND GUSTS TO 50 MPH...SMALL HAIL
AND FREQUENT LIGHTNING STRIKES MAY OCCUR. MOVE QUICKLY TO A SAFE
SHELTER IF LIGHTNING STORMS APPROACH.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY...SCATTERED
LIGHTNING STORMS CAN BE EXPECTED EACH DAY...MAINLY DURING THE
AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING HOURS. STEERING FLOW OUT OF THE
SOUTHWEST WILL BRING STORMS BACK TO THE EAST COAST EACH EVENING
BEGINNING THIS WEEKEND INTO NEXT WEEK.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE REQUESTED TO SELF ACTIVATE IF A WARNING IS
ISSUED FOR YOUR AREA

FOR A GRAPHICAL VERSION OF THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...GO TO
WWW.WEATHER.GOV AND CLICK ON EAST CENTRAL FLORIDA.

JP

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Jul 18, 7:14 PM EDT, 1 hour 16 minutes before
FLZ041-141-190015-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MELBOURNE FL
714 PM EDT FRI JUL 18 2003

...STORMS WITH EXCESSIVE LIGHTNING OVER NORTH CENTRAL VOLUSIA
COUNTY...

AT 707 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LIGHTNING DETECTION
EQUIPMENT INDICATED A LINE OF STORMS WITH EXCESSIVE LIGHTNING FROM 23
MILES NORTHWEST OF ORMOND BY THE SEA TO BARBERVILLE...MOVING EAST AT
15 MPH. THIS LINE OF STORMS WILL REACH THE COAST NEAR TOMOKA ESTATES
BY 8 PM.

THESE STORMS ARE ALSO CAPABLE OF PRODUCING BRIEF WIND GUSTS UP TO 45
MPH AND SMALL HAIL.

IF YOU ARE OUTDOORS...TAKE SHELTER IN A BUILDING OR ENCLOSED
AUTOMOBILE. TREES AND OPEN SHELTERS FOUND ON A BEACH OR GOLF COURSE
OFFER NO PROTECTION.

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 18, 8:42 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMLBLake33 min
Jul 19, 5:29 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMLBOrange46 min
Jul 19, 6:01 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMLBSeminole44 min
Jul 19, 7:11 PM EDTSpecial Marine WarningMLB2 hr
Jul 19, 7:11 PM EDTSpecial Marine WarningMLB2 hr

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Florida, 2003Every severe thunderstorm warning in 2003

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.