Alert archive / Florida / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2003

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 96, NWS Tampa Bay, FL

August 1, 2003Sarasota County, Florida

NWS Tampa Bay, FL issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Aug 1, 2003, 7:16 PM EDT for Sarasota County, Florida. It was in force for 29 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
Aug 1, 2003, 7:16 PM EDT (23:16 UTC)
Expired
Aug 1, 2003, 7:45 PM EDT
In force
29 min
Issued by
NWS Tampa Bay, FL
Area
Counties, with a storm outline in the text

County Sarasota County, FL

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, 11.3 hours before the alert went out and 85 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 2003-08-01Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 530 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 2003-08-01The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -10 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
530 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-85 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1150 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
4 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-10 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
11 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.

178 
WUUS52 KTBW 012316
SVRTBW
FLC115-012345-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL
716 PM EDT FRI AUG 1 2003

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN RUSKIN HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...
  SOUTHERN SARASOTA COUNTY IN FLORIDA.

* UNTIL 745 PM EDT

* AT 716 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  LINE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH DAMAGING WINDS...FROM 10 MILES
  SOUTHWEST OF ENGLEWOOD TO 8 MILES NORTHEAST OF NORTH               
  PORT...MOVING NORTHWEST WEST AT 10 MPH.

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT...
  WARM MINERAL SPRINGS.
  VENICE GARDENS.
  VENICE.
  VAMO.

MOVE INSIDE A STURDY BUILDING. DAMAGING WIND...LARGE HAIL...
TORRENTIAL RAIN...AND DEADLY LIGHTNING ARE EXPECTED. STAY INSIDE AWAY
FROM WINDOWS UNTIL THE STORM HAS PASSED.

FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IS OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM. MOVE
INDOORS IMMEDIATELY. DO NOT USE ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES OR TELEPHONES.

&&

LAT...LON 2676 8247 2721 8203 2723 8259 2678 8303

$$

57

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 Aug 1, 1:56 PM EDT, 5 hours 20 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Aug 1, 1:56 PM EDT, 5 hours 20 minutes before
WEST CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST FLORIDA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL
156 PM EDT FRI AUG 1 2003

NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGES TO THE BIG PICTURE.  BERMUDA HIGH BEING
PANCAKED BY CUTOFF VORTEX DROPPING FROM THE UPPER MIDWEST INTO THE
NORTHEAST U.S./MID ATLC WILL BE REFLECTED AT THE SFC BY AN
OSCILLATING SFC RIDGE ACROSS THE CENTRAL AND S PENINSULA.  THAT
MEANS A CONTINUATION OF OVERNIGHT THROUGH EARLY AFTN MARINE
ACTIVITY...AND GENERALLY LATE MORNING THROUGH EARLY EVENING ACTIVITY
INLAND.

MODELS IN GOOD AGREEMENT WITH THE BIG PICTURE...BUT DIFFER A BIT
EARLY ON.  ETA MOVES EASTERLY WAVE NOW IN THE BAHAMAS ALONG FLS
EAST COAST THROUGH SAT NIGHT...WITH BACKSIDE ENE FLOW DEVELOPING
ACROSS THE PENINSULA.  GFS KEEPS THE WAVE FARTHER E AND N WHICH
APPEARS TO BE A BETTER SOLUTION BASED ON WATER VAPOR IMAGES...
LEAVING MORE OF A SE TO S BACKGROUND FLOW.

SHORT TERM (TONIGHT - SUN):
SUBTLE CHANGES OCCURRED TODAY...WITH A TAD MORE ROBUST SE FLOW NEAR
THE SFC AT DAYBREAK (SINCE DISSIPATED) PRODUCING NUMEROUS MORNING
TSTMS OFFSHORE AND SLOWING DOWN SOMEWHAT CONVECTIVE DEVELOPMENT
INLAND.  ECSB ACTIVITY MUCH MORE PRONOUNCED AS WELL.  COVERAGE
INCREASING QUICKLY AS CONVECTIVE TEMP HAS BEEN REACHED.  EXPECT
EVENING ACTIVITY TO FOCUS OVER INTERIOR AND S COUNTIES...AND WILL
DECIDE LAST MINUTE WHETHER TO ADD A REMAINDER OF AFTN/EVE PERIOD.

THEREAFTER...EXPECT A QUIET OVERNIGHT AND EARLY MORNING EACH DAY AS
SE FLOW HOLDS DEVELOPMENT OFFSHORE.  GIVEN DEEP LAYERED MOISTURE
AND PERSISTENT (THOUGH WEAK) SHEAR AXIS NEARBY...WILL CONTINUE
LIKELY AFTN CATEGORY EACH DAY AND SCT/ISOLD DURING THE EVENING.  MAX
TEMPS SHOULD BE SIMILAR TO THIS AFTN (89-92).

EXTENDED (SUN NIGHT - FRI):
SURFACE RIDGE AXIS WILL REMAIN ACROSS THE REGION THROUGH THE PERIOD
AS UPPER LEVEL TROUGH CONTINUES OVER EASTERN U.S.  THUS WILL CONTINUE
TO SEE SCATTERED MAINLY LATE MORNING THROUGH EVENING SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS EACH DAY WITH NEAR NORMAL TEMPERATURES.

MARINE...AS EXPECTED...ACTIVITY DRYING UP THIS AFTN BUT WILL
REDEVELOP AFTER DARK AS INSTABILITY SHIFTS TO THE WATER.  COULD BE
NUMEROUS TSTMS N OF TARPON AGAIN SAT AND SUN MORNING...BUT WILL
SETTLE FOR SCT OVERNIGHT/MORNING AND ISOLD AFTN/EVE.  WINDS A TAD
MORE S/SE AND PERHAPS A SHADE HIGHER...STILL NOT SIGNIFICANT.

FIRE WX:  NO PROBLEMS EXPECTED.

PRELIM NUMBERS:
TPA 076/091 076/090 2635
FMY 075/091 075/091 3535
GIF 074/092 074/092 3636
SRQ 075/090 075/089 2525
BKV 071/092 071/090 2636

.TBW...NONE.

BSG/PRC
Hazardous weather outlook, Aug 1, 6:00 AM EDT, 13 hours 16 minutes before
FLZ039-042-043-048>052-055>057-060>062-065-011600-

WEST CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST FLORIDA HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL
600 AM EDT FRI AUG 1 2003

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

.DAY ONE...TODAY:

A FEW THUNDERSTORMS MAY MOVE ONSHORE FROM THE GULF PRIMARILY NORTH OF
TAMPA BAY DURING THE MORNING HOURS. THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL PRODUCE
LIGHTNING AND BRIEF HEAVY RAIN.

DURING THE AFTERNOON... AS THE GULF SEA BREEZE MOVES INLAND SCATTERED
THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP AND INCREASE IN COVERAGE. THE STRONGEST
STORMS WILL CONTAIN HAIL...HEAVY RAIN IN EXCESS OF TWO INCHES...AND
WIND GUSTS TO 50 MPH OR HIGHER. EXCESSIVE LIGHTNING IS ALSO
EXPECTED.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY:

SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED EACH DAY.

.SPOTTER CALL TO ACTION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS REQUESTED THIS AFTERNOON. WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE
REMINDED TO RELAY ANY REPORTS OF SIGNIFICANT WEATHER TO THE NWS
OFFICE IN RUSKIN.

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Aug 1, 5:46 PM EDT, 1 hour 30 minutes before
FLZ042-043-048-012230-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL
546 PM EDT FRI AUG 1 2003

A CLUSTER OF THUNDERSTORMS...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 10 MPH...WILL
AFFECT AREAS NORTH OF BROOKSVILLE TO LAKE PANASOFFKEE TO
BUSHNELL...UNTIL 630 PM EDT. GUSTY WINDS UP TO 40 MPH WILL OCCUR.
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. THIS STORM WILL
PRODUCE PEA SIZE HAIL. TORRENTIAL RAINS WILL CAUSE PONDING OF WATER
ON ROADS...AND MINOR FLOODING OF POOR DRAINAGE AREAS.

NOAH
Special weather statement, Aug 1, 5:47 PM EDT, 1 hour 29 minutes before
FLZ061-062-065-012230-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL
547 PM EDT FRI AUG 1 2003

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT AREAS NEAR ARCADIA...FORT
OGDEN...TUCKERS CORNER...BABCOCK RANCH...NORTH FORT MYERS...FORT
MYERS...CAPE CORAL...AND FORT MYERS BEACH...UNTIL 630 PM EDT.
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. TORRENTIAL RAINS WILL CAUSE
PONDING OF WATER ON ROADS...AND MINOR FLOODING OF POOR DRAINAGE
AREAS. AT 540 PM EDT CHARLOTTE COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
REPORTED A FUNNEL CLOUD ALONG COUNTY ROADS 74 AND 31. ADDITIONAL
FUNNEL CLOUDS WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THESE THUNDERSTORMS. IF
THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES YOUR LOCATION...MOVE INDOORS
IMMEDIATELY.

MCMICHAEL
Special weather statement, Aug 1, 6:31 PM EDT, 45 minutes before
FLZ050-051-012315-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL
631 PM EDT FRI AUG 1 2003

A CLUSTER OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS NEARLY STATIONARY WILL AFFECT
OLDSMAR...SAFETY HARBOR...AND TOWN N COUNTRY THROUGH 715 PM EDT.

GUSTY WINDS UP TO 30 MPH WILL POSSIBLE. FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND
LIGHTNING IS EXPECTED. IF CAUGHT  OUTSIDE...CROUCH DOWN IN A LOW
SPOT...AWAY FROM TALL OBJECTS. TORRENTIAL RAINS WILL CAUSE PONDING
OF WATER ON ROADS...AND MINOR FLOODING OF POOR DRAINAGE AREAS.
MOTORISTS SHOULD EXERCISE CAUTION WHILE DRIVING THIS EVENING.

MCMICHAEL
Local storm report, Aug 1, 6:56 PM EDT, 20 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN  FL
656 PM EDT FRI AUG 1 2003

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

0330 PM    APOLLO BEACH              FL   LIGHTNING
08/01/03   HILLSBOROUGH                   *** 1 INJ ***
                                          A 35 YEAR OLD MALE
                                          CONSTRUCTION WORKER STRUCK
                                          BY LIGHTNING WHILE IN HIS
                                          TRUCK. CPR PERFORMED. HE
                                          WAS TAKEN TO HOSPITAL AND
                                          IS IN CRITICAL BUT STABLE
                                          CONDITION. REPORT FROM WFTS
                                          CHANNEL 28.

0505 PM    PLANT CITY                FL   1.00 INCH HAIL
08/01/03   HILLSBOROUGH                   REPORTED BY TRAINED
                                          SKYWARN SPOTTER.

0534 PM    5 NE CLEVELAND            FL   FUNNEL CLOUD
08/01/03   CHARLOTTE                      A TRAINED SPOTTER WATCHED
                                          A FUNNEL CLOUD NEAR HER
                                          HOME FOR 10 MINUTES.

0537 PM    PUNTA GORDA               FL   WIND DAMAGE
08/01/03   CHARLOTTE                      TREES DOWN IN PUNTA GORDA
                                          AREA. EXACT LOCATION
                                          UNKOWN.

0540 PM    14 E CLEVELAND            FL   FUNNEL CLOUD
08/01/03   CHARLOTTE                      FUNNEL CLOUD REPORTED NEAR
                                          THE INTERSECTION OF COUNTY
                                          ROAD 74 AND STATE ROAD 31.
                                          REPORTED BY EMERGENCY
                                          MANAGEMENT.

0547 PM    4 E WAUCHULA              FL   WIND DAMAGE
08/01/03   HARDEE                         TWO HOMES DAMAGED AND
                                          POWER LINES DOWN. HARDEE
                                          COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
                                          WILL INVESTIGATE TO SEE IF
                                          IT WAS A POSSIBLE TORNADO.
                                          TIME ESTIMATED BY RADAR.

NOAH
Special weather statement, Aug 1, 7:09 PM EDT, 7 minutes before
FLZ042-043-020015-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL
709 PM EDT FRI AUG 1 2003

THUNDERSTORMS...MOVING NORTH AT 10 MPH...WILL AFFECT
INVERNESS...BEVERLY HILLS...HERNANDO...CITRUS SPRINGS...AND RURAL
AREAS NORTH OF WILDWOOD...UNTIL 815 PM EDT. GUSTY WINDS UP TO 40 MPH
AND FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IS EXPECTED. IF CAUGHT
OUTSIDE...CROUCH DOWN IN A LOW SPOT...AWAY FROM TALL OBJECTS. THIS
STORM MAY PRODUCE PEA SIZE HAIL. TORRENTIAL RAINS WILL CAUSE
PONDING OF WATER ON ROADS...AND MINOR FLOODING OF POOR DRAINAGE
AREAS.
Special weather statement, Aug 1, 7:10 PM EDT, 6 minutes before
FLZ055-056-060>062-020000-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL
710 PM EDT FRI AUG 1 2003

A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MOVING NORTHWEST AT 10 MPH WILL
AFFECT ROTONDA...NORTH PORT...ENGLEWOOD...HIDDEN RIVER...
VENICE..SOUTH VENICE AND MYAKKA CITY...UNTIL 800 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. TORRENTIAL RAINS WILL CAUSE 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.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Aug 1, 3:30 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTBWHillsborough30 min
Aug 1, 4:43 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTBWHillsborough, Polk32 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.