Alert archive / Florida / Tornado Warnings in 2004

Tornado Warning 25, NWS Tampa Bay, FL

August 14, 2004Sarasota County, Florida

NWS Tampa Bay, FL issued this tornado warning at Aug 14, 2004, 2:54 PM EDT for Sarasota County, Florida. It was in force for 36 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 14, 2004, 2:54 PM EDT (18:54 UTC)
Expired: Aug 14, 2004, 3:30 PM EDT
In force: 36 min
Issued by: NWS Tampa Bay, FL
Area: Counties, with a storm outline in the text

County Sarasota County, FL

The radar

The Tampa radar (KTBW), 66 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 18:55 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 tornado 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, 6.9 hours before the alert went out and 66 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-p

Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.

Hodograph

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: 1978 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -7 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 725 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 16 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 77 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 74 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.0
Supercell composite: 2.3

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
WFUS52 KTBW 141854
TORTBW
FLC115-141930-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL
254 PM EDT SAT AUG 14 2004

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN RUSKIN HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  EASTERN SARASOTA COUNTY IN FLORIDA.

* UNTIL 330 PM EDT

* AT 254 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  TORNADO OVER EASTERN SARASOTA COUNTY...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 15 MPH.

* THE TORNADO WILL AFFECT...
  RURAL EASTERN SARASOTA COUNTY.

IF CAUGHT OUTSIDE...MOVE INTO A STURDY BUILDING. AS A LAST RESORT...
SEEK SHELTER IN A CULVERT...DITCH...OR LOW SPOT...AND COVER YOUR HEAD
WITH YOUR HANDS.


&&

LAT...LON 2711 8229 2707 8216 2720 8207 2720 8220

$$

24

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this tornado 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 tornado warning went out at Aug 14, 2:00 PM EDT, 54 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Aug 14, 2:00 PM EDT, 54 minutes before

WEST CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST FLORIDA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL
200 PM EDT SAT AUG 14 2004

.SHORT TERM (TON-MON)...A TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE WILL REMAIN ACROSS
NORTH CENTRAL FLORIDA AND THE NORTHEAST GULF OF MEXICO...WITH BROAD
SOUTHWEST FLOW OVER THE REGION.  THIS WILL PROMOTE LATE NIGHT
SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE EASTERN GULF OF MEXICO WHICH WILL
MOVE LOCALLY ONSHORE DURING THE EARLY MORNING HOURS.  UNSTABLE
AIRMASS WILL REMAIN OVER THE REGION ON SUNDAY WITH SCATTERED TO
NUMEROUS AFTERNOON SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WITH LOCALLY HEAVY
RAIN.  RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD ACROSS THE REGION ON
MONDAY WITH WEAK EASTERLY FLOW DEVELOPING AND MORE TYPICAL SUMMER
WEATHER FOR WEST CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST FLORIDA.

.LONG TERM (TUE-FRI)...
UPPER TROF OVER THE EASTERN U.S. TO CONTINUE TO LIFT WITH SOME UPPER
RIDGING OVER THE AREA LATE IN THE WEEK. EASTERLY SFC FLOW TO
BECOME SE LATE IN THE PERIOD. LATEST NHC FCST BRINGS TD FIVE TO
HURRICANE FORCE AND REMAINS IN THE NW CARIB THRU DAY 5. WILL KEEP
TEMPS AND POPS AROUND CLIMO ATTM.

&&

.MARINE...SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST FLOW TODAY INTO SUNDAY WILL BECOME MORE
EASTERLY EARLY NEXT WEEK WITH NO FLAGS ANTICIPATED THROUGH THE
FORECAST PERIOD.

&&

.FIRE WEATHER...NO HIGHLIGHTS.

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...

TPA 76 89 76 90 / 30 50 20 50
FMY 75 90 75 91 / 30 50 20 50
GIF 75 90 75 91 / 30 50 20 50
SRQ 75 89 75 90 / 30 50 20 50
BKV 72 89 72 90 / 30 60 20 50

&&

.TBW WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...NONE.

SHORT TERM...EO
LONG TERM...RD

Hazardous weather outlook, Aug 14, 5:30 AM EDT, 9 hours 24 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL
530 AM EDT SAT AUG 14 2004

FLZ039-042-043-048>052-055>057-060>062-065-141430-
CHARLOTTE-CITRUS-DE SOTO-HARDEE-HERNANDO-HIGHLANDS-HILLSBOROUGH-LEE-
LEVY-MANATEE-PASCO-PINELLAS-POLK-SARASOTA-SUMTER-
530 AM EDT SAT AUG 14 2004

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

.DAY ONE...TODAY:

NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TODAY AS LEFTOVER
MOISTURE FROM HURRICANE CHARLEY COMBINES WITH AN UPPER LEVEL
DISTURBANCE MOVING ACROSS THE REGION.  THE PRIMARY THREATS FROM
STRONGER CELLS WILL BE FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING...GUSTY
WINDS TO 40 MPH AND LOCALLY HEAVY DOWNPOURS THAT COULD CAUSE MINOR
FLOODING OF LOW LYING AND POOR DRAINAGE AREAS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY:

SCATTERED MAINLY AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING THUNDERSTORMS ARE
EXPECTED EACH DAY.  THE PRIMARY THREATS FROM STRONGER CELLS WILL BE
FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING AND BRIEF HEAVY DOWNPOURS.

.SPOTTER CALL TO ACTION STATEMENT...
SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE NEEDED.

&&

FOR ADDITIONAL WEATHER INFORMATION...CHECK OUR WEB SITE AT
HTTP://WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/TBW (LOWER CASE)

PRC

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Aug 14, 11:44 AM EDT, 3 hours 10 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL
1144 AM EDT SAT AUG 14 2004

FLZ039-042-043-048-049-051-055-141645-
CITRUS-HERNANDO-HILLSBOROUGH-LEVY-MANATEE-PASCO-SUMTER-
1144 AM EDT SAT AUG 14 2004

...FUNNEL CLOUDS ARE POSSIBLE IN MANATEE...EASTERN
HERNANDO...EASTERN HILLSBOROUGH...EASTERN CITRUS...EASTERN
LEVY...SUMTER AND EASTERN PASCO COUNTIES...

A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS MOVING EAST INTO INTERIOR SECTIONS OF
COASTAL COUNTIES HAS THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE FUNNEL CLOUDS EARLY
THIS AFTERNOON.

AT 1145 AM EDT...LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS REPORTED A FUNNEL CLOUD IN
SUMTER COUNTY. DOPPLER RADAR SHOWED STORMS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING
FUNNEL CLOUDS MOVING NORTHEAST AT 20 MPH.

FUNNEL CLOUDS CAN BECOME BRIEF...SMALL...BUT DANGEROUS TORNADOES.
MOVE INDOORS ..AND STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS.

LAT...LON 2932 8253 2746 8253 2739 8234 2742 8206
      2822 8212 2931 8206

25

Special weather statement, Aug 14, 12:15 PM EDT, 2 hours 39 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL
1215 PM EDT SAT AUG 14 2004

FLZ052-056-057-061-141700-
DE SOTO-HARDEE-HIGHLANDS-POLK-
1215 PM EDT SAT AUG 14 2004

...FUNNEL CLOUDS ARE POSSIBLE IN DESOTO...HARDEE...HIGHLANDS AND POLK
COUNTIES...

AT 1215 PM EDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED AN
AREA OF SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS...CAPABLE OF PRODUCING FUNNEL
CLOUDS...OVER DESOTO...POLK...HIGHLANDS...AND HARDEE
COUNTIES...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 20 MPH.

FUNNEL CLOUDS CAN BECOME BRIEF...SMALL...BUT DANGEROUS TORNADOES.
MOVE INDOORS...AND STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS.

LAT...LON 2707 8203 2724 8109 2806 8147 2827 8202

25

Special weather statement, Aug 14, 12:50 PM EDT, 2 hours 4 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL
1250 PM EDT SAT AUG 14 2004

FLZ042-043-048>052-055>057-060>062-065-141800-
CHARLOTTE-CITRUS-DE
SOTO-HARDEE-HERNANDO-HIGHLANDS-HILLSBOROUGH-LEE-MANATEE-PASCO-
PINELLAS-POLK-SARASOTA-SUMTER-
1250 PM EDT SAT AUG 14 2004

...FUNNEL CLOUDS ARE POSSIBLE IN MANATEE...CHARLOTTE...LEE...
PINELLAS...DESOTO...HARDEE...HIGHLANDS...POLK...HERNANDO...SARASOTA..
.HILLSBOROUGH...CITRUS...SUMTER AND PASCO COUNTIES AS WELL AS TAMPA
BAY...

AT 1250 PM EDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED
SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE AREA...CAPABLE OF
PRODUCING FUNNEL CLOUDS...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 20 MPH.

LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS HAVE ALSO REPORTED FUNNEL CLOUDS EARLIER
OVER THE NATURE COAST.

FUNNEL CLOUDS CAN BECOME BRIEF...SMALL...BUT DANGEROUS TORNADOES.
MOVE INDOORS...AND STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS.

LAT...LON 2900 8270 2785 8287 2652 8225 2648 8158
      2700 8153 2722 8090 2827 8155 2841 8190
      2901 8186

25

Local storm report, Aug 14, 2:43 PM EDT, 11 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL
243 PM EDT SAT AUG 14 2004

..TIME...   ...EVENT...     ...CITY LOCATION...      ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....     ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

1205 PM     TORNADO          BROOKSVILLE             28.55N 82.39W
08/14/2004                   HERNANDO           FL   EMERGENCY MNGR

            THREE SEPERATE TORNADOES TOUCHED DOWN NEAR LAKE LINDSEY
            ROAD AND BROAD STREET BETWEEN 1205 TO 1210 PM.

0210 PM     TORNADO          NEW PORT RICHEY         28.25N 82.72W
08/14/2004                   PASCO              FL   EMERGENCY MNGR

            TORNADO NEAR OSCEOLA DRIVE AND MASSACHUSITS. NO DAMAGE
            YET.

0230 PM     HEAVY RAIN       JASMINE ESTATES         28.29N 82.69W
08/14/2004  0.00 INCH        PASCO              FL   TRAINED SPOTTER

            MULTIPLE ROADS UNDER WATER IN THE JASMINE LAKES AREA.
            ONGOING. RAIN FALL AMOUNT UNKNOWN.

&&

NOAH

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Aug 14, 1:14 PM EDT	Tornado Warning	TBW	Manatee	31 min
Aug 14, 1:23 PM EDT	Tornado Warning	TBW	Sumter	37 min
Aug 14, 1:29 PM EDT	Special Marine Warning	TBW		31 min
Aug 14, 1:48 PM EDT	Special Marine Warning	TBW		57 min
Aug 14, 1:54 PM EDT	Tornado Warning	TBW	Pasco	36 min
Aug 14, 2:18 PM EDT	Tornado Warning	TBW	Polk	27 min
Aug 14, 2:22 PM EDT	Tornado Warning	TBW	Manatee	23 min
Aug 14, 2:43 PM EDT	Special Marine Warning	TBW		47 min
Aug 14, 2:48 PM EDT	Tornado Warning	TBW	Manatee	27 min
Aug 14, 2:50 PM EDT	Tornado Warning	TBW	Hardee	25 min
Aug 14, 3:00 PM EDT	Tornado Warning	TBW	Pasco	30 min
Aug 14, 3:10 PM EDT	Special Marine Warning	TBW		65 min
Aug 14, 3:17 PM EDT	Tornado Warning	TBW	Pinellas	13 min
Aug 14, 4:10 PM EDT	Flash Flood Warning	TBW	Pasco	65 min
Aug 14, 4:29 PM EDT	Special Marine Warning	TBW		61 min
Aug 14, 4:36 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TBW	Highlands	24 min
Aug 14, 4:54 PM EDT	Tornado Warning	TBW	Levy	21 min
Aug 14, 4:58 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TBW	Highlands	32 min
Aug 14, 5:33 PM EDT	Tornado Warning	TBW	Levy	27 min
Aug 14, 5:36 PM EDT	Special Marine Warning	TBW		54 min
Aug 14, 6:26 PM EDT	Special Marine Warning	TBW		64 min
Aug 14, 6:32 PM EDT	Tornado Warning	TBW	Pinellas	28 min
Aug 14, 7:13 PM EDT	Tornado Warning	TBW	Hillsborough	32 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Florida, 2004 Every tornado warning in 2004 Tornadoes in 2004

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.