Alert archive / Florida / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2003

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 65, NWS Tampa Bay, FL

July 8, 2003Hillsborough County, Florida

NWS Tampa Bay, FL issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jul 8, 2003, 6:47 PM EDT for Hillsborough County, Florida. It was in force for 43 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 8, 2003, 6:47 PM EDT (22:47 UTC)
Expired
Jul 8, 2003, 7:30 PM EDT
In force
43 min
Issued by
NWS Tampa Bay, FL
Area
Counties, with a storm outline in the text

County Hillsborough County, FL

The radar

The Tampa radar (KTBW), 42 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 22:48 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

Tampa Bay, FL (KTBW), launched 12:00Z, 10.8 hours before the alert went out and 42 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 2003-07-08Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 2284 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 2003-07-08The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 16 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
2284 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-13 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
711 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
11 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
16 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
7 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.

753 
WUUS52 KTBW 082247
SVRTBW
FLC057-082330-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL
645 PM EDT TUE JUL 8 2003

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN RUSKIN HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...
  NORTHEASTERN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY IN FLORIDA.

* UNTIL 730 PM EDT

* AT 645 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WITH LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS...10 MILES
  EAST OF TEMPLE TERRACE...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 20 MPH.

* THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT...
  HILLSBOROUGH RIVER STATE PARK.
  RURAL NORTHEAST HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.

AT 646 PM EDT...WEATHER SPOTTERS ALSO REPORTED NICKEL SIZED HAIL 
WITH THESE STORMS.

SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CONTAIN WIND GUSTS OF 60 MPH OR HIGHER...AND
HAIL THE SIZE OF PENNIES OR LARGER. MOVE TO A PLACE OF SAFETY.

SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAN PRODUCE TORNADOES WITH LITTLE OR NO ADVANCE
WARNING. MOVE TO A PLACE OF SAFETY...AN INTERIOR ROOM IN THE LOWEST
FLOOR OF YOUR HOUSE OR BUSINESS.

REPORT SEVERE WEATHER OR DAMAGE TO THE NEAREST LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY
OR YOUR COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT. THEY WILL RELAY YOUR REPORT TO
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORECAST OFFICE IN RUSKIN.

&&

LAT...LON 2803 8241 2793 8225 2817 8206 2817 8223

$$

25

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 Jul 8, 1:00 PM EDT, 5 hours 47 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 8, 1:00 PM EDT, 5 hours 47 minutes before
WEST CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST FLORIDA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL
100 PM EDT TUE JUL 8 2003

JULY HEAT/HUMIDITY WILL DOMINATE THE REMAINDER OF THE WORK WEEK WITH
LOWER THAN NORMAL PCPN CHANCES AND COVERAGE.  BY LATE
WEEKEND/EARLY NEXT WEEK...UPPER TROUGH TRIES TO REESTABLISH ACROSS
THE NE U.S...WHICH MAY ALLOW REMNANT MOISTURE FROM TROPICAL WAVE NOW
MOVING INTO THE W CARIBBEAN TO ARRIVE...PERHAPS INCREASING CLOUD
COVER/PCPN CHANCES AND LOWERING DAYTIME TEMPS A HAIR.

MODELS IN GOOD AGREEMENT GIVEN NON-DESCRIPT FLOW UNDERNEATH FLAT 500
MB RIDGE.

SHORT TERM (TONIGHT - THURS):
WHAT YOU SEE IS WHAT YOULL GET.  HOT/HUMID DAYS AND MUGGY NIGHTS
WITH LOW PCPN CHANCES FOR EARLY JULY.  WIND FIELDS ARE VARIABLE...
SO ANY TSTMS THAT DEVELOP WILL BE DRIVEN BY SEA/BAY BREEZES.  HEAT
INDEX VALUES A BIT UNCOMFORTABLE...BUT STILL UNDER ADVISORY CRITERIA.

EXTENDED (THURS NIGHT - TUE):
SURFACE RIDGE AXIS WILL SETUP ACROSS SOUTH CENTRAL FLORIDA...AROUND
LAKE OKEECHOBEE...LATE IN THE WEEK INTO THE WEEKEND AS UPPER LEVEL
TROUGH DEEPENS OVER EASTERN U.S.  RIDGE AXIS WILL THEN DRIFT NORTH
AGAIN EARLY NEXT WEEK AS TROUGH MOVES OFF EAST COAST OF U.S. AND
UPPER LEVEL RIDGE BUILDS IN FROM THE WEST.  ONLY QUESTION THAT
REMAINS IS HOW MUCH MOISTURE IF ANY SNEAKS UP FROM THE TROPICAL WAVE
MOVING ACROSS THE CARIBBEAN AND ACROSS YUCATAN PENINSULA LATE IN THE
WEEK INTO THE WEEKEND.  LATEST GFS KEEPS DEEPEST MOISTURE SOUTH OF
THE FORECAST AREA AND WILL CONTINUE TO GO WITH SCATTERED MAINLY
AFTERNOON AND EVENING SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS EACH DAY WITH
TEMPERATURES REMAINING NEAR NORMAL.

MARINE...LIGHT GENERALLY ESE WINDS EXCEPT FOR AFTN SEA BREEZE
NEAR SHORE EACH AFTN THROUGH FRI.  PERHAPS A SUBTLE SHIFT TO
S/SE OVER THE WEEKEND...WILL DEPEND ON HOW STRONG NE U.S. UPPER
TROUGH IS.

FIRE WX...NO CONCERNS WITH LIGHT WINDS IN THE MIXED LAYER AND RH
ABOVE 50 PERCENT.

PRELIM NUMBERS:
TPA 077/093 077/093 2323
FMY 075/093 075/093 2323
GIF 075/094 075/094 2323
SRQ 075/092 075/092 2323
BKV 073/094 073/094 2323

.TBW...NONE

BSG/PRC
Hazardous weather outlook, Jul 8, 6:00 AM EDT, 12 hours 47 minutes before
FLZ039-042-043-048>052-055>057-060>062-065-081400-

WEST CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST FLORIDA HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL
600 AM EDT TUE JUL 8 2003

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

.DAY ONE...TODAY:

ATMOSPHERIC MOISTURE IS HIGHER THAN THE PAST FEW DAYS AND
SOUTHEAST FLOW WILL KEEP AFTERNOON TEMPERATURES WARM. SCATTERED
THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP OVER THE INTERIOR AREA THIS AFTERNOON AND
MOVE NORTHWEST TOWARDS THE COAST. A WEAK SEA BREEZE WILL DEVELOP
AROUND 4 PM AND WILL ENHANCE THE CONVECTION. SOME STORMS
MAY BECOME STRONG NEAR INTERSECTING SEA BREEZE AND OUTFLOW
BOUNDARIES. THE PRIMARY THREAT FROM THUNDERSTORMS TODAY WILL BE
DANGEROUS CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING AND LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL. A FEW
STORMS MAY HAVE WIND GUSTS TO NEAR 50 MPH LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND
EVENING.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY:

A RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE WILL DRIFT SOUTH ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA
THROUGH THE WEEKEND RESULTING IN SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING
A BIT EARLIER EACH DAY.

.SPOTTER CALL TO ACTION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE REQUIRED TODAY.

FOR ADDITIONAL WEATHER INFORMATION, CHECK OUR WEB SITE AT
HTTP://WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/TBW

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 7, 9:45 PM EDTSpecial Marine WarningTBW30 min
Jul 8, 4:37 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTBWManatee38 min
Jul 8, 6:06 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTBWHillsborough39 min
Jul 8, 6:11 PM EDTSpecial Marine WarningTBW49 min
Jul 8, 6:29 PM EDTTornado WarningTBWHillsborough31 min
Jul 8, 7:02 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTBWPasco28 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.