Alert archive / Florida / Flash Flood Warnings in 2003
Flash Flood Warning 1, NWS Tampa Bay, FL
NWS Tampa Bay, FL issued this flash flood warning at Apr 26, 2003, 12:37 AM EDT for Pinellas County, Florida. It was in force for 3 hr. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.
The area
The outline as issued.
The facts
- Issued
- Apr 26, 2003, 12:37 AM EDT (04:37 UTC)
- Expired
- Apr 26, 2003, 3:30 AM EDT
- In force
- 3 hr
- Issued by
- NWS Tampa Bay, FL
- Area
- Counties, with a storm outline in the text
County Pinellas County, FL
The radar
The Tampa radar (KTBW), 39 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 04:39 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 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 00:00Z, 4.6 hours before the alert went out and 39 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
- 1699 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -11 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 971 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 35 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 105 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 122 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.9
- Supercell composite
- 6.1
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
000 WGUS52 KTBW 260436 FFWTBW FLC103-260730- BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED FLASH FLOOD WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL 1237 AM EDT SAT APR 26 2003 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN RUSKIN HAS ISSUED A * FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR... SOUTHERN PINELLAS COUNTY IN FLORIDA. FLOODING WILL AFFECT THE FOLLOWING CITIES. SEMINOLE. SAINT PETE BEACH. SAINT PETERSBURG. PINELLAS PARK. LARGO. * UNTIL 330 AM EDT * AT 1234 AM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED MORE TORRENTIAL RAINS HEADED FOR URBAN SOUTHERN PINELLAS COUNTY. * THE THUNDERSTORMS WITH TORRENTIAL RAIN WILL ALSO AFFECT... TREASURE ISLAND...MADEIRA BEACH. ADDITIONAL RAINFALL OF UP TO 3 INCHES IS POSSIBLE DURING THE FLOOD WARNING PERIOD. SOME AREAS MAY EXCEED EIGHT INCHES OF RAIN BEFORE THE NIGHT IS THROUGH. EXCESSIVE RUNOFF WILL CAUSE FLOODING OF LOW LYING AREAS AND INTERSECTIONS. WATER LEVELS UP TO 3 FEET ARE POSSIBLE IN POOR DRAINAGE AREAS...WHICH ARE MOST AT RISK. DO NOT DRIVE THROUGH FLOODED ROADS && LAT...LON 2787 8289 2761 8272 2788 8255 2796 8280 $$ 88
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 Apr 25, 9:22 PM EDT, 3 hours 15 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Apr 25, 9:22 PM EDT, 3 hours 15 minutes before
WEST CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST FLORIDA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL 922 PM EDT FRI APR 25 2003 LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUES TO DRIFT SLOWLY SOUTH INTO CENTRAL ZONES...BUT APPEARS TO BE RUNNING OUT OF GAS. OUTFLOW HAS MOVED OUT WELL SOUTH OF STORMS WITH NEW CONVECTION DEVELOPING BEHIND IT. STORMS OVER INTERIOR COUNTIES CONTINUING TO MOVE EAST SOUTHEAST WHILE CONVECTION ALONG AND OFF COAST MOVING BACK TO NORTHEAST. SO IT WOULD APPEAR THAT STORMS WILL NOT MAKE IT MUCH FURTHER SOUTH DURING THE NEXT FEW HOURS. STORMS HAVE PRODUCED SOME LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL AMOUNTS WITH RADAR ESTIMATES OVER 3 INCHES IN A FEW SPOTS. TAMPA INTERNATIONAL HAS ALREADY SET A NEW RECORD DAILY RAINFALL FOR TODAY WITH OVER 1.51 INCHES AS OF 9 PM...OLD RECORD WAS 1.23 INCHES SET IN 1991...AND MORE RAIN STILL TO COME. LATEST RUC INDICATES CURRENT VORT MAX MOVING ACROSS FLORIDA THIS EVENING MOVING EAST OUT INTO ATLANTIC OVERNIGHT WHILE ANOTHER ONE APPROACHES AND MOVES ACROSS THE PENINSULA LATE TONIGHT. MORE CONVECTION STILL OUT OVER GULF MOVING EAST NORTHEAST AND WITH NEXT SLIGHTLY WEAKER VORT MAX MOVING EAST LATER TONIGHT...WILL LEAVE CHANCE POPS IN FOR NORTHERN AND CENTRAL ZONES OVERNIGHT. WILL LEAVE SLIGHT CHANCE DOWN SOUTH AS NEXT VORT MAX MAY HELP TO PUSH ACTIVITY A LITTLE FURTHER SOUTH LATE TONIGHT. WILL ALSO NOT UPDATE ZONES UNTIL ABOUT 11 PM AND WATCH RADAR TRENDS FOR THE NEXT HOUR OR SO. WINDS OVER COASTAL WATERS FROM ALL DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS THANKS TO STORMS...BUT SHOULD SETTLE DOWN AND COME BACK AROUND TO THE SOUTH OVER ENTIRE AREA LATER TONIGHT. WILL DROP SMALL CRAFT EXERCISE CAUTION AND MAKE SOME OTHER MINOR ADJUSTMENTS TO MARINE FORECAST FOR EVENING UPDATE. .TBW...NONE. PRC
Hazardous weather outlook, Apr 25, 11:30 AM EDT, 13 hours 7 minutes before
FLZ039-042-043-048-049-252130- HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL 1130 AM EDT FRI APR 25 2003 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR WEST CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST FLORIDA. .DAY ONE...TODAY: A STRONG TO SEVERE LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS CROSSING THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE AND THE FAR NORTHERN GULF WILL APPROACH THE NATURE COAST THIS AFTERNOON. WHILE THE LINE IS EXPECTED TO WEAKEN SOME THIS AFTERNOON...ISOLATED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE STILL POSSIBLE. THE STRONGEST STORMS WILL CONTAIN FREQUENT TO EXCESSIVE LIGHTNING AND GUSTY WINDS IN EXCESS OF 50 MPH. WHEN SKIES DARKEN...MOVE INDOORS. IF THERE IS TIME...UNPLUG APPLIANCES AND ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT. WAIT UNTIL THE STORM ENDS BEFORE USING THE TELEPHONE OR RUNNING WATER. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY: .SPOTTER CALL TO ACTION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE REQUIRED LATER THIS AFTERNOON IF THE THREAT OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS INCREASES. FOR ADDITIONAL WEATHER INFORMATION, CHECK OUR WEB SITE AT HTTP://WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/TBW
In the hours before
Special weather statement, Apr 25, 6:51 PM EDT, 5 hours 46 minutes before
FLZ039-042-043-048-049-252300- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL 651 PM EDT FRI APR 25 2003 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH WILL EXPIRE AT 7 PM EDT FOR THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS... HERNANDO...CITRUS...LEVY...SUMTER AND PASCO. INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...BROOKSVILLE...CHIEFLAND...INVERNESS...NEW PORT RICHEY...SPRING HILL AND ZEPHYRHILLS. DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED THAT HEAVY RAIN...SMALL HAIL...AND GUSTY WINDS WERE STILL POSSIBLE FROM THUNDERSTORMS...MAINLY IN PASCO COUNTY...UNTIL 730 PM. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR LOCAL MEDIA OUTLETS FOR UPDATES. FOR ADDITIONAL WEATHER INFORMATION, CHECK OUR WEB SITE AT HTTP://WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/TBW (LOWER CASE) BSG
Special weather statement, Apr 25, 7:03 PM EDT, 5 hours 34 minutes before
FLZ049-252330- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL 703 PM EDT FRI APR 25 2003 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT SOUTHERN PASCO COUNTY... A THUNDERSTORM...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 15 MPH...WILL AFFECT ODESSA...LAND O LAKES AND WESLEY CHAPEL...UNTIL 730 PM EDT. GUSTY WINDS UP TO 40 MPH WILL OCCUR. FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IS EXPECTED. IF CAUGHT OUTSIDE...CROUCH DOWN IN A LOW SPOT...AWAY FROM TALL OBJECTS. HAIL UP TO ONE HALF INCH IN DIAMETER IS EXPECTED. TORRENTIAL RAINS WILL REDUCE VISIBILITY TO NEAR ZERO AT TIMES. MOTORISTS MAY WANT TO DELAY TRAVEL. GOLDSMITH
Special weather statement, Apr 25, 7:17 PM EDT, 5 hours 20 minutes before
FLZ050-051-260000- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL 717 PM EDT FRI APR 25 2003 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MOVING INTO THE TAMPA BAY METRO AREA... A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 20 MPH...WILL AFFECT CENTRAL AND NORTHERN PINELLAS COUNTY BEFORE 8 PM...AND TAMPA AND THE NORTHERN SUBURBS BETWEEN 745 AND 830 PM. GUSTY WINDS UP TO 40 MPH WILL OCCUR. FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IS EXPECTED. IF CAUGHT OUTSIDE...CROUCH DOWN IN A LOW SPOT...AWAY FROM TALL OBJECTS. TORRENTIAL RAINS WILL REDUCE VISIBILITY TO NEAR ZERO AT TIMES. MOTORISTS MAY WANT TO DELAY TRAVEL. GOLDSMITH
Special weather statement, Apr 25, 8:10 PM EDT, 4 hours 27 minutes before
FLZ050>052-260045- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL 810 PM EDT FRI APR 25 2003 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WITH TORRENTIAL RAINS WILL CONTINUE TO AFFECT TAMPA AND THE EASTERN AND SOUTHERN SUBURBS... THUNDERSTORMS...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 20 MPH...WILL MOVE OUT OF TAMPA BY 815 PM BUT CONTINUE TO AFFECT THE EAST BAY COMMUNITIES...INCLUDING RIVERVIEW...APOLLO BEACH...AND GIBSONTON...THROUGH 845 PM. STRONG STORMS WILL ALSO AFFECT WESTERN POLK COUNTY...INCLUDING LAKELAND...MULBERRY...AND BARTOW. FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IS EXPECTED. IF CAUGHT OUTSIDE...CROUCH DOWN IN A LOW SPOT...AWAY FROM TALL OBJECTS. THIS STORM WILL PRODUCE PEA SIZE HAIL. RAINFALL RATES OF 1 TO 2 INCHES PER HOUR WILL OCCUR. MOTORISTS CAN EXPECT PONDING OF WATER ON ROADS...AND MINOR FLOODING OF POOR DRAINAGE AREAS. GOLDSMITH
Local storm report, Apr 25, 11:20 PM EDT, 1 hour 17 minutes before
MARINE LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL
1120 PM EDT FRI APR 25 2003
TIME(EDT) .....MARINE SUBZONE.... GMZ ...EVENT/REMARKS...
......MARINE ZONE......
1102 PM TAMPA BAY 830 34 KT MARINE TSTM WIND
04/25/03 TAMPA BAY WATERS REPORTED BY COASTAL
AIRPORT ALBERT WHITTED
ALONG THE WEST SHORE OF THE
BAY.
1106 PM OLD TAMPA BAY 830 38 KT MARINE TSTM WIND
04/25/03 TAMPA BAY WATERS MARINE OBS STATION AT
SAINT PETERSBURG REPORTED.
BSGSpecial weather statement, Apr 26, 12:16 AM EDT, 21 minutes before
FLZ051-052-055-056-260515- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL 1216 AM EDT SAT APR 26 2003 STRONG THUNDERSTORMS...MOVING EAST AT 30 MPH...WILL AFFECT AREAS NEAR FORT LONESOME...DUETTE...BOWLING GREEN...AND FORT MEADE...UNTIL 115 AM EDT. GUSTY WINDS UP TO 40 MPH AND EXCESSIVE CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IS EXPECTED. IF OUTSIDE...CROUCH DOWN IN A LOW SPOT...AWAY FROM TALL OBJECTS. IF INDOORS...REFRAIN FROM USING ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES. RAINFALL RATES OF 1 TO 2 INCHES PER HOUR WILL OCCUR. MOTORISTS CAN EXPECT PONDING OF WATER ON ROADS...AND MINOR FLOODING OF POOR DRAINAGE AREAS.
The office that day
Everything else NWS Tampa Bay, FL issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 25, 10:23 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | TBW | Pinellas | 37 min |
| Apr 25, 10:58 PM EDT | Special Marine Warning | TBW | 32 min | |
| Apr 25, 11:01 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | TBW | Pinellas | 14 min |
| Apr 25, 11:10 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | TBW | Hillsborough | 35 min |
| Apr 26, 2:34 AM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | TBW | Sarasota | 26 min |
| Apr 26, 4:43 AM EDT | Special Marine Warning | TBW | 92 min | |
| Apr 26, 6:21 AM EDT | Special Marine Warning | TBW | 84 min |
Nearby
Flash Flood Warnings in Florida, 2003Every flash flood 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.