Alert archive / Florida / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2003

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 80, NWS Melbourne, FL

July 22, 2003Osceola County, Florida

NWS Melbourne, FL issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jul 22, 2003, 3:30 PM EDT for Osceola 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 22, 2003, 3:30 PM EDT (19:30 UTC)
Expired
Jul 22, 2003, 4:15 PM EDT
In force
45 min
Issued by
NWS Melbourne, FL
Area
Counties, with a storm outline in the text

County Osceola County, FL

The radar

The Melbourne radar (KMLB), 43 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 19:34 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 12:00Z, 7.5 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, Cape Canaveral, FL at 12:00Z on 2003-07-22Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1813 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, Cape Canaveral, FL at 12:00Z on 2003-07-22The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 23 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
1813 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-5 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
578 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
18 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
23 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
57 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

268 
WUUS52 KMLB 221930
SVRMLB
FLC097-222015-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MELBOURNE FL
330 PM EDT TUE JUL 22 2003

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MELBOURNE HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...
  NORTHERN OSCEOLA COUNTY
  IN EAST CENTRAL FLORIDA

* UNTIL 415 PM EDT

* AT 324 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM 10 MILES WEST OF HOLOPAW...OR ABOUT 10 MILES
  SOUTH OF SAINT CLOUD...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 20 MPH.

LARGE HAIL...EXCESSIVE LIGHTNING AND DAMAGING WINDS ARE LIKELY. TAKE
COVER IN A STURDY BUILDING UNTIL THE STORM PASSES.

LAT...LON 2827 8086 2821 8093 2821 8096 2803 8117
          2803 8124 2814 8136 2824 8130 2836 8117
          2836 8090

$$

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 22, 2:40 PM EDT, 50 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 22, 2:40 PM EDT, 50 minutes before
EAST CENTRAL FLORIDA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MELBOURNE FL
240 PM EDT TUE JUL 22 2003

.DISCUSSION...
CURRENTLY...A BROKEN LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS HAS ALREADY RACED EAST
FROM THE WEST SIDE OF THE STATE. WIND GUSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS
ACTIVITY HAVE BEEN AVERAGING 25 TO 30 KNOTS. MUCH OF THE FORECAST
AREA REMAINS PRIMED FOR DEVELOPMENT THIS AFTERNOON AS A LARGE
OUTFLOW BOUNDARY IS MOVING INTO THE EAST COAST SEA BREEZE BOUNDARY.

FOR TONIGHT...WITH STORM MOTION CONCENTRATING ALONG THE EAST COAST
CURRENT THINKING IS TO USE SLIGHTLY HIGHER COVERAGE ALONG THE
COASTAL COUNTIES WITH ISOLATED STRONG STORMS AND LIGHTNING UNTIL
DUSK. MOSTLY CLOUDY SKIES THIS EVENING WILL DIMINISH TO PARTLY
CLOUDY BY AROUND MIDNIGHT.

WED AND THURS...UPPER LEVEL RIDGE AXIS LIFTS NORTHWARD FROM FL
STRAITS TO ACROSS SOCEN PENINSULA. LOW LEVEL RIDGE AXIS WILL IN TURN
LIFT NORTH TO ACROSS THE CENTRAL PENINSULA BY THURS. PWATS WILL
LOWER A BIT OVER SOUTHERN SECTIONS OF THE CWA WED...BUT BY THURSDAY
THE MESOETA/GFS SOMEWHAT CONSISTENT IN SPREADING MOISTURE IN FROM
THE SE IN ASSOCIATION WITH TROPICAL WAVE (TD 6 REMNANTS). WHILE A
FEW STRONG STORMS CANT BE DISCOUNTED...NORTHWARD MIGRATION OF RIDGE
AXIS WILL ALLOW HEIGHTS TO RISE A BIT AND MID LEVEL TEMPS TO WARM
SLIGHTLY...SO MAY NOT BE QUITE AS ACTIVE AS PAST FEW DAYS. WILL KEEP
POPS IN SCT CAT IN THIS TIME FRAME...A LITTLE LOWER IN SOUTH COASTAL
SECTIONS WED...THEN POPS IN ALL AREAS A BIT HIGHER THURS DUE TO
MOISTURE ENHANCEMENT FROM TROPICAL WAVE. OF COURSE...WILL CONTINUE
TO MONITOR THIS WAVE AND ANY REDEVELOPMENT OF THE SYSTEM WOULD LEAD
TO CHANGES IN THE FORECAST LATE IN THE WEEK.

FRI THRU THE WEEKEND...12Z GFS RUN INDICATES RIDGE AXIS WILL
CONTINUE TO DRIFT NORTH ON FRIDAY AND REMAIN WELL NORTH OF THE AREA
OVER THE WEEKEND. LOW LEVEL FLOW WILL BACK FROM SELY FRI TO EASTERLY
OVER THE WEEKEND AS THIS OCCURS. HIGHEST STORM COVERAGE EXPECTED TO
OCCUR OVER WESTERN SIDE OF PENINSULA...WITH CHANCES BEST NEAR THE
EAST COSAT THROUGH THE EARLY AFTERNOON...THEN FOCUS SHIFTING INLAND.

EXTENDED...NEXT MON AND TUES...UPPER TROF DEEPENING INTO THE SE
STATES WILL DISPLACE LOW LEVEL RIDGE AXIS BACK SOUTHWARD EARLY NEXT
WEEK. AS THIS OCCURS...EAST SIDE OF PENINSULA WILL AGAIN BECOME
FAVORED FOR AFTERNOON AND EVENING CONVECTION WITH WEAK LOW LEVEL
SOUTHWEST FLOW AND ENHANCED CONVERGENCE NEAR THE EAST COAST ALONG
SEA BREEZE BOUNDARIES.

MARINE...NO HIGHLIGHTS THROUGH THE PERIOD. WIND DIRECTION CHANGES
WILL BE DICTATED BY NORTHWARD DRIFT OF THE LOW LEVEL RIDGE AXIS AND
AFTERNOON SEA BREEZES. AFTERNOON STORMS MOVING OFF THE COAST WILL BE
MAIN HAZARD TO BOATERS AGAIN ON WED...THEN OVERNIGHT/MORNING HOURS
WILL BE FAVORED HEADING THROUGH THE LATE WEEK AS RIDGE AXIS PUSHES
FARTHER NORTH.

PRELIMINARY CCF...
DAB BB 073/091 073/091 073 343
MCO BB 073/092 073/091 073 343
MLB BB 074/091 075/090 074 342
VRB BB 074/091 075/089 074 342

.MLB...NONE.

PENDERGRAST/GLITTO
Hazardous weather outlook, Jul 22, 10:30 AM EDT, 5 hours before
AMZ550-555-570-575-FLZ041-044>047-053-054-058-059-064-141-144-147-
222100-

EAST CENTRAL FLORIDA HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MELBOURNE FL
1030 AM EDT TUE JUL 22 2003

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT...

...STRONG TO SEVERE LIGHTNING STORMS POSSIBLE...

SCATTERED LIGHTNING STORMS WILL DEVELOP OVER EAST CENTRAL FLORIDA
THIS AFTERNOON.  THESE STORMS WILL MOVE EAST TO NORTHEAST AND WILL
CONTINUE INTO THE LATE AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING ALONG THE COAST.
THE EAST COAST SEA BREEZE WILL FORM OVER THE SPACE AND TREASURE
COAST COUNTIES BY EARLY AFTERNOON...BUT WILL REMAIN PINNED NEAR THE
EAST COAST DUE TO DEEP SOUTHWEST FLOW.

STORM COVERAGE AND INTENSITY WILL INCREASE AS THE WEST COAST SEA
BREEZE PUSHES EASTWARD OVER THE INTERIOR AND EVENTUALLY OVER THE
COASTAL COUNTIES LATE THIS AFTERNOON.

OVER THE COASTAL WATERS STRONG TO POSSIBLY SEVERE STORMS ARE
FORECAST TO MOVE OFFSHORE PRODUCING WIND GUSTS EXCEEDING 40
KNOTS...FREQUENT CLOUD TO WATER LIGHTNING AND LOCALLY ROUGH SEAS.
BOATERS ARE URGED TO TAKE SAFE HARBOR BEFORE STORMS APPROACH THEIR
AREA.

COOL AND DRY CONDITIONS ALOFT WILL ALLOW FOR A FEW STORMS TO BECOME
SEVERE WITH DAMAGING WIND GUSTS...HAIL UP TO THE SIZE OF A QUARTER
...EXCESSIVE LIGHTNING...AND TORRENTIAL DOWNPOURS. MOVE INDOORS
QUICKLY AT THE FIRST SIGN OF A STORM. STAY INSIDE UNTIL 30 MINUTES
PAST THE LAST THUNDER IS HEARD TO AVOID THE LIGHTNING HAZARD.

ALSO...WHILE STORM MOTION WILL BE TO THE EAST TO NORTHEAST AT 15 TO
20 MPH...THEY WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING VERY HEAVY DOWNPOURS AS
THEY PASS. THIS MAY LEAD TO BRIEF PONDING OF WATER ON ROADS...
INTERSECTIONS AND PARKING LOTS. MINOR POOR DRAINAGE FLOODING IS ALSO
POSSIBLE...ESPECIALLY IN AREAS THAT HAVE RECEIVED RECENT HEAVY RAINS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY...SCATTERED STORMS
ARE EXPECTED EACH DAY DURING THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING HOURS.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ASKED TO SELF ACTIVATE IF ANY WARNINGS ARE
ISSUED FOR THEIR COUNTY. RELAY ANY REPORTS OF SIGNIFICANT WEATHER
...HAIL...HIGH WINDS...WIND DAMAGE OR FLOODING...TO THE NATIONAL
WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE IN MELBOURNE.

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

PENDERGRAST

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Jul 22, 11:55 AM EDT, 3 hours 35 minutes before
FLZ144-221645-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MELBOURNE FL
1155 AM EDT TUE JUL 22 2003

...STRONG LIGHTNING STORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING WINDS UP TO 50 MPH
AND SMALL HAIL MOVING TOWARD LAKE COUNTY...

AT 1153 AM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
LIGHTNING STORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING STRONG WINDS AND SMALL HAIL
FROM THE VILLAGES SOUTH TO MASCOTTE...MOVING EAST AT 15 TO 20 MPH.

PERSONS OUTDOORS IN LAKE COUNTY SHOULD MAVE INDOORS TO A SAFE
LOCATION.

JP
Special weather statement, Jul 22, 1:19 PM EDT, 2 hours 11 minutes before
FLZ045-046-144-221800-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MELBOURNE FL
119 PM EDT TUE JUL 22 2003

...STRONG STORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING WINDS UP TO 50 MPH AND SMALL
HAIL SOUTH CENTRAL LAKE COUNTY...NORTHWESTERN ORANGE COUNTY...
NORTHWESTERN SEMINOLE COUNTY...

AT 113 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
RAPIDLY INTENSIFYING STORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING STRONG WINDS AND
SMALL HAIL OVER CLERMONT. THIS STORM WAS MOVING NORTHEAST AT 20 MPH.
OTHER STRONG STORMS FARTHER SOUTH MAY ALSO MOVE ACROSS THE
ATTRACTIONS AREAS AND THE WESTERN PART OF ORLANDO.

THESE STORMS WILL ALSO PRODUCE FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND HEAVY RAIN.

LOCATIONS IN THE PATH OF THE STORM WHICH MAY EXPERIENCE STRONG WINDS
AND SMALL HAIL INCLUDE WEKIWA SPRINGS STATE PARK.

DECKER
Special weather statement, Jul 22, 3:03 PM EDT, 27 minutes before
FLZ053-221945-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MELBOURNE FL
303 PM EDT TUE JUL 22 2003

...STRONG STORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING WINDS UP TO 50 MPH AND SMALL
HAIL NORTHERN OSCEOLA COUNTY...

AT 254 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
CLUSTER OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING STRONG WINDS
AND SMALL HAIL ABOUT TO CROSS LAKE KISSIMMEE AND ENTER WESTERN
OSCEOLA COUNTY. THESE STORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 20 MPH AND
WILL LIKELY STRENGTHEN AND MOVE TOWARD HOLOPAW AND DEAR PARK.
ADDITIONAL STRONG STORMS WILL CONTINUE TO DEVELOP ACROSS NORTHERN
AND CENTRAL BREVARD COUNTIES.

IF THE OSCEOLA COUNTY STORM CONTINUES TO STRENGTHEN...A SEVERE
THUNDERSTORM WARNING WILL BE ISSUED.

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 21, 8:15 PM EDTSpecial Marine WarningMLB45 min
Jul 22, 2:14 PM EDTSpecial Marine WarningMLB2 hr
Jul 22, 3:15 PM EDTSpecial Marine WarningMLB90 min
Jul 22, 3:15 PM EDTSpecial Marine WarningMLB90 min
Jul 22, 4:05 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMLBBrevard40 min
Jul 22, 5:05 PM EDTSpecial Marine WarningMLB85 min
Jul 22, 5:44 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMLBSaint Lucie31 min
Jul 22, 7:05 PM EDTSpecial Marine WarningMLB55 min

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.