Alert archive / Florida / Tornado Warnings in 2005

Tornado Warning 5, NWS Tampa Bay, FL

May 3, 2005DeSoto County, Sarasota County, Florida

NWS Tampa Bay, FL issued this tornado warning at May 3, 2005, 3:37 PM EDT for DeSoto County, Sarasota County, Florida. It was in force for 53 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
May 3, 2005, 3:37 PM EDT (19:37 UTC)
Expired
May 3, 2005, 4:30 PM EDT
In force
53 min
Issued by
NWS Tampa Bay, FL
Area
Counties, with a storm outline in the text

Counties DeSoto County, FL, Sarasota County, FL

The radar

The Tampa radar (KTBW), 71 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 19:39 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 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, 7.6 hours before the alert went out and 71 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 2005-05-03Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 0 joules per kilogram.LCL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Tampa Bay, FL at 12:00Z on 2005-05-03The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 16 square meters per square second.19395878Sfc1 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
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL
1254 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
42 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
16 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
244 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
2.2

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
WFUS52 KTBW 031938
TORTBW
FLC027-115-032030-
/O.NEW.KTBW.TO.W.0005.050503T1937Z-050503T2030Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL
337 PM EDT TUE MAY 3 2005

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN RUSKIN HAS ISSUED A

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

* UNTIL 430 PM EDT

* AT 337 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  TORNADO 15 MILES WEST OF ARCADIA...MOVING EAST AT 10 MPH.

* THE TORNADO WILL AFFECT...
  EASTERN RURAL SARASOTA.
  WEST RURAL HARDEE.
  ARCADIA.

THIS IS A DANGEROUS STORM MOVE INTO THE INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST
FLOOR OF A STURDY BUILDING...AWAY FROM WINDOWS. COVER YOUR HEAD AND
BODY WITH PILLOWS OR BLANKETS.

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 2718 8217 2710 8216 2708 8185 2723 8185

$$

25
4 follow-up statements
000 
WWUS52 KTBW 031943
SVSTBW

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL
343 PM EDT TUE MAY 3 2005

FLC027-115-032030-
/O.CON.KTBW.TO.W.0005.000000T0000Z-050503T2030Z/
DESOTO-SARASOTA-
343 PM EDT TUE MAY 3 2005

...A TORNADO WARNING CONTINUES FOR EASTERN SARASOTA AND WESTERN 
DESOTO COUNTIES UNTIL 430 PM EDT...

AT 343 PM EDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
TORNADO 9 MILES NORTHEAST OF NORTH PORT...MOVING EAST AT 5 MPH.

THE TORNADO WILL AFFECT...
  EASTERN RURAL SARASOTA.
  WEST RURAL DESOTO.
  ARCADIA.
  NOCATEE.

THIS IS A DANGEROUS STORM ACT QUICKLY. GO TO A SMALL INTERIOR ROOM
ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF A STURDY BUILDING...AWAY FROM WINDOWS. COVER
YOUR HEAD WITH PILLOWS OR BLANKETS.

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

&&

LAT...LON 2718 8217 2710 8216 2708 8185 2723 8185

$$

25
000 
WWUS52 KTBW 031956
SVSTBW

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL
355 PM EDT TUE MAY 3 2005

FLC115-032005-
/O.CAN.KTBW.TO.W.0005.000000T0000Z-050503T2030Z/
SARASOTA-
355 PM EDT TUE MAY 3 2005

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR SARASOTA COUNTY IS CANCELLED...

THE STORM HAS MOVED EAST OF THE COUNTY LINE JUST SOUTH OF HIGHWAY 72.
&&

LAT...LON 2720 8206 2710 8205 2709 8186 2722 8186

$$

FLC027-032030-
/O.CON.KTBW.TO.W.0005.000000T0000Z-050503T2030Z/
DESOTO-
355 PM EDT TUE MAY 3 2005

...A TORNADO WARNING CONTINUES FOR WESTERN DESOTO COUNTY UNTIL 430 PM
EDT...

AT 349 PM EDT...A SKYWARN SPOTTER REPORTED GOLFBALL SIZE HAIL 
COVERING THE GROUND JUST EAST OF THE SARASOTA DESOTO COUNTY LINE 
ALONG HIGHWAY 72...ALONG WITH VERY GUSTY WINDS.

DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A TORNADO...ALONG WITH CONTINUING LARGE 
HAIL..MOVING THROUGH RURAL WESTERN DESOTO COUNTY ALONG AND JUST 
SOUTH OF HIGHWAY 72 AT AROUND 15 MPH.

THE TORNADO WILL AFFECT...
  NOCATEE BY 430 PM EDT.

THIS IS A DANGEROUS STORM ACT QUICKLY. GO TO A SMALL INTERIOR ROOM
ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF A STURDY BUILDING...AWAY FROM WINDOWS. COVER
YOUR HEAD WITH PILLOWS OR BLANKETS.

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

&&

LAT...LON 2720 8206 2710 8205 2709 8186 2722 8186

$$

88
000 
WWUS52 KTBW 032005
SVSTBW

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL
404 PM EDT TUE MAY 3 2005

FLC027-032030-
/O.CON.KTBW.TO.W.0005.000000T0000Z-050503T2030Z/
DESOTO-
404 PM EDT TUE MAY 3 2005

...A TORNADO WARNING CONTINUES FOR WESTERN DESOTO COUNTY UNTIL 430 PM
EDT...

THE STORM CURRENTLY IS APPROACHING FORT OGDEN..NOCATEE... AND ALONG 
HIGHWAY 17. GOLF BALL SIZE HAIL THAT COVERED THE GROUND HAS BEEN 
REPORTED WITH THIS STORM 15 MINUTES AGO.

THIS IS A DANGEROUS STORM ACT QUICKLY. GO TO A SMALL INTERIOR ROOM
ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF A STURDY BUILDING...AWAY FROM WINDOWS. COVER
YOUR HEAD WITH PILLOWS OR BLANKETS.

&&

LAT...LON 2720 8206 2710 8205 2705 8187 2722 8186

$$
000 
WWUS52 KTBW 032019
SVSTBW

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL
419 PM EDT TUE MAY 3 2005

FLC027-032030-
/O.CON.KTBW.TO.W.0005.000000T0000Z-050503T2030Z/
DESOTO-
419 PM EDT TUE MAY 3 2005

...A TORNADO WARNING CONTINUES FOR SOUTHERN DESOTO COUNTY UNTIL 430
PM EDT...

BETWEEN 345 AND 410 PM...SKYWARN SPOTTERS REPORTED GOLFBALL TO 
BASEBALL SIZE HAIL BETWEEN THE SARASOTA DESOTO COUNTY LINE AND THE 
VICINITY OF FORT OGDEN.  

THIS STORM REMAINS POTENT AND WILL PRODUCE ADDITIONAL GOLFBALL SIZE 
HAIL ALONG AND EAST OF HIGHWAY 17 EAST OF FORT OGDEN THROUGH 430 PM.

THE TORNADO WILL AFFECT...
  FORT OGDEN AND POINTS EAST THROUGH 430 PM.

THIS IS A DANGEROUS STORM ACT QUICKLY. GO TO A SMALL INTERIOR ROOM
ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF A STURDY BUILDING...AWAY FROM WINDOWS. COVER
YOUR HEAD WITH PILLOWS OR BLANKETS.

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

&&

LAT...LON 2717 8191 2704 8196 2703 8181 2712 8177

$$

88

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 May 3, 1:45 PM EDT, 1 hour 52 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 3, 1:45 PM EDT, 1 hour 52 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL
145 PM EDT TUE MAY 3 2005

.SHORT TERM(TNGT-THURS)...MODELS ARE INDICATING SIMILAR OVERALL
SYNOPTIC SCALE FEATURES OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS...BUT THE
DETAILS REMAIN RATHER INCONSISTENT.  STILL APPEARS THAT LINGERING
FRONTAL BOUNDARY WILL BE FOCUS OF PRECIPITATION ACTIVITY NEXT COUPLE
OF DAYS AS UPPER LEVEL ENERGY MOVES EAST IN NEARLY ZONAL FLOW ALOFT.
WEAK SURFACE LOW COULD DEVELOP IN EASTERN GULF OF MEXICO ALONG OLD
BOUNDARY AND THIS ALONG WITH DEEP MOISTURE SPREADING FURTHER NORTH
ACROSS THE ENTIRE AREA AS SHORT WAVE APPROACHES WILL LEAD TO
SCATTERED SHOWERS AND A FEW THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH THE PERIOD.
MOS GUIDANCE POPS HAVE COME IN BETWEEN 50 AND 70 PERCENT FOR
TONIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT WHICH LOOKS REASONABLE GIVEN DECENT
ISENTROPIC LIFT AND INCREASING MOISTURE IN LOWER AND MID LEVELS.
FOR NOW WILL GO WITH CHANCE POPS (30-40%) FOR TONIGHT...CHANCE TO
LIKELY ON WEDNESDAY (50-60%)...AND CHANCE WEDNESDAY NIGHT (40-50%).
ON THURSDAY NAM PUSHES DEEPEST MOISTURE QUICKLY EAST OUT INTO
ATLANTIC AS SHORT WAVE MOVES BY WHILE THE GFS DEEPENS THE TROUGH AND
HOLDS ON TO THE MOISTURE LONGER.  WILL GENERALLY LEAN TOWARD GFS
AND LEAVE HIGH CHANCE POPS IN THE FORECAST FOR THURSDAY.

&&

.LONG TERM (THU NGT-TUE)...WHILE THERE ARE STILL SOME IMPORTANT
DIFFERENCES BETWEEN MODELS AND INDIVIDUAL RUNS...WE ARE BEGINNING TO
CONVERGE ON A WEAKER MORE PROGRESSIVE SOLUTION.  WHILE THE LESS
AMPLIFIED 500 MB TROUGH IN THE NAM LOOKS MORE BELIEVABLE THAN THE
GFS CLOSED 500 MB LOW OVER NORTH FLORIDA FOR FRIDAY...THE GFS DOES
HAVE SUPPORT FROM OTHER MODELS...INCLUDING THE ECMWF.  I WILL BE
LEANING TOWARD THE OPERATIONAL GFS FOR THIS PACKAGE.

DEEP MID-LEVEL TROUGH WILL SWING INTO THE GULF OF MEXICO THURSDAY
NIGHT...FINALLY ALLOWING OUR WEAK SURFACE BOUNDARY TO BEGIN ITS TREK
TO THE EAST.  THIS WILL TAKE THE BEST DYNAMICS OUT INTO THE ATLANTIC
BY FRIDAY MORNING...BUT OUR FLOW WILL CONTINUE TO BE STRONGLY
CYCLONIC ALOFT ALONG WITH A COLD POOL OF AIR IN THE MID-LEVELS OF
THE ATMOSPHERE.

FRIDAY COULD BE AN INTERESTING DAY WITH AT LEAST SOME POTENTIAL FOR
THUNDERSTORMS WITH LARGE HAIL.  THE CORE OF THE COLD AIR ALOFT WILL
BE RIGHT OVER NORTH FLORIDA DURING THE AFTERNOON HOURS.  THE
LIMITING FACTOR WILL BE THE VERY DRY AIR THAT WILL HAVE SETTLED IN
ABOVE 700 MB.  FOR NOW...WILL INDICATE A 30 PERCENT CHANCE OF
THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE NORTHERN ZONES...BUT JUST ISOLATED SHOWERS
SOUTH WHERE DRY AIR AND SLIGHTLY WARMER MID-LEVEL TEMPERATURES
WILL EXIST.

THE WEEKEND LOOKS VERY NICE AS HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS IN BOTH SURFACE
AND ALOFT WITH VERY DRY AIR.  WINDS THIS WEEKEND WILL BE EASTERLY
EXCEPT PERHAPS FOR A SEA BREEZE EACH AFTERNOON IF THE GRADIENT FLOW
DOES NOT GET TOO STRONG.

THE TYPICAL DRY MAY WEATHER WILL CONTINUE INTO THE BEGINNING OF NEXT
WEEK WITH MOSTLY SUNNY SKIES AND WARM TEMPERATURES.

&&

.MARINE...WINDS AND SEAS SHOULD REMAIN BELOW FLAG CRITERIA THROUGH
PERIOD...BUT COULD INCREASE SOME IF LOW PRESSURE DOES DEVELOP IN
THE EASTERN GULF OF MEXICO.  OTHERWISE NO HIGHLIGHTS ANTICIPATED.

&&

.FIRE WEATHER...RH VALUES HAVE DROPPED INTO THE UPPER 30S AND
LOWER 40S ACROSS THE NORTHERN HALF OF THE FORECAST AREA AND MAY SEE
A FEW READINGS BELOW 35 PERCENT THIS AFTERNOON.  HOWEVER...DURATIONS
SHOULD REMAIN UNDER 4 HOURS SO NO PROBLEMS EXPECTED.  NO OTHER
HIGHLIGHTS EXPECTED FOR THE NEXT FEW DAYS AS LOW LEVEL MOISTURE
INCREASES KEEPING RH VALUES WELL ABOVE WATCH/WARNING CRITERIA.

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
TPA  66 82 68 82 / 40 60 50 50
FMY  68 84 68 84 / 40 60 50 50
GIF  65 83 66 83 / 40 60 50 50
SRQ  65 80 67 81 / 40 60 50 50
BKV  62 82 64 81 / 30 50 40 50

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

&&

SHORT TERM...PRC
LONG TERM....EJ
Hazardous weather outlook, May 3, 4:38 AM EDT, 10 hours 59 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL
438 AM EDT TUE MAY 3 2005

FLZ039-042-043-048>052-055>057-060>062-065-031436-
CHARLOTTE-CITRUS-DE SOTO-HARDEE-HERNANDO-HIGHLANDS-HILLSBOROUGH-LEE-
LEVY-MANATEE-PASCO-PINELLAS-POLK-SARASOTA-SUMTER-
438 AM EDT TUE MAY 3 2005

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

.DAY ONE...TODAY:
A STALLED FRONTAL BOUNDARY ACROSS THE SOUTHERN PENINSULA ALONG WITH
AMPLE MOISTURE...AND WEAK UPPER LEVEL ENERGY WILL RESULT IN SCATTERED
SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS OVER SOUTHWEST FLORIDA TODAY. FURTHER TO
THE NORTH OVER WEST CENTRAL FLORIDA...DAYTIME HEATING COMBINED WITH
THE DEVELOPMENT OF SEA BREEZE CIRCULATIONS WILL RESULT IN ADDITIONAL
SHOWER AND THUNDERSTORMS DURING THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING HOURS.

THUNDERSTORMS THAT DEVELOP TODAY WILL BE ACCOMPANIED BY GUSTY WINDS
FREQUENT LIGHTNING. A WEAK STEERING FLOW WILL MEAN SLOW MOVING
STORMS...SO LOCALLY HEAVY RAINS WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH AMOUNTS UP TO
TWO INCHES IN SOME LOCATIONS. THESE HEAVY RAINS MAY CAUSE MINOR
FLOODING OF LOW LYING AND POOR DRAINAGE AREAS AS WELL AS THE PONDING
OF WATER ON ROADWAYS. MOTORISTS TRAVELING TODAY SHOULD SLOW DOWN AND
EXERCISE CAUTION IF ENCOUNTERING ANY THUNDERSTORMS.

RESIDENTS AND TOURISTS OF WEST CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST FLORIDA PLANNING
ANY OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES TODAY SHOULD KEEP AN EYE TO THE SKY.
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...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY:
A SLOW NORTHWARD MOVING FRONTAL BOUNDARY COMBINED WITH AMPLE LOW
LEVEL MOISTURE AND ADDITIONAL UPPER LEVEL ENERGY WILL SET THE STAGE
FOR MORE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS THE ENTIRE REGION WEDNESDAY
THROUGH FRIDAY. THE PRIMARY HAZARDS FROM THE STORMS WILL BE LOCALLY
HEAVY RAINS...GUSTY WINDS AND FREQUENT LIGHTNING. HIGH PRESSURE WILL
BUILD IN OVER THE REGION SATURDAY THROUGH MONDAY WITH NO HAZARDOUS
WEATHER EXPECTED.

.SPOTTER CALL TO ACTION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE NEEDED TODAY OR TONIGHT.

&&

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

JCM

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 3, 3:17 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTBWSarasota28 min
May 3, 3:55 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTBWHardee50 min
May 3, 4:40 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTBWPolk51 min
May 3, 5:04 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTBWHighlands42 min
May 3, 5:38 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTBWLee37 min
May 3, 5:38 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTBWPolk37 min
May 3, 5:56 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTBWHardee, Manatee34 min
May 3, 6:33 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTBWHardee29 min
May 3, 7:40 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTBWHighlands50 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Florida, 2005Every tornado warning in 2005Tornadoes in 2005

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.