Alert archive / Florida / Tornado Warnings in 2009

Tornado Warning 12, NWS Melbourne, FL

May 20, 2009Lake County, Seminole County, Volusia County, Florida

NWS Melbourne, FL issued this tornado warning at May 20, 2009, 1:26 AM EDT for Lake County, Seminole County, Volusia County, Florida. It was in force for 34 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 20, 2009, 1:26 AM EDT (05:26 UTC)
Expired
May 20, 2009, 2:00 AM EDT
In force
34 min
Issued by
NWS Melbourne, FL
Area
Storm-based polygon

Counties Lake County, FL, Seminole County, FL, Volusia County, FL

The radar

The Melbourne radar (KMLB), 112 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 05:27 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.

The nearest sounding before it

Cape Canaveral, FL (KXMR), launched 00:00Z, 5.4 hours before the alert went out and 99 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, Cape Canaveral, FL at 00:00Z on 2009-05-20Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 597 joules per kilogram.LCLEL10008507005003002001001 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, Cape Canaveral, FL at 00:00Z on 2009-05-20The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 47 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
597 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
509 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
20 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
47 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
64 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.6

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
WFUS52 KMLB 200526
TORMLB
FLC069-117-127-200600-
/O.NEW.KMLB.TO.W.0012.090520T0526Z-090520T0600Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MELBOURNE FL
126 AM EDT WED MAY 20 2009

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MELBOURNE HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  EAST CENTRAL LAKE COUNTY IN FLORIDA...
  THIS INCLUDES THE CITY OF CASSIA...
 
   NORTHWESTERN SEMINOLE COUNTY IN FLORIDA...
   THIS INCLUDES AREAS AROUND SANFORD...

  SOUTH CENTRAL VOLUSIA COUNTY IN FLORIDA...
  THIS INCLUDES THE CITIES OF...OSTEEN...ORANGE CITY...LAKE MONROE...
  DELTONA...

* UNTIL 200 AM EDT.

* AT 125 AM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO NEAR OSTEEN...
  MOVING WEST AT 35 MPH.

* THE TORNADO WILL BE NEAR...
  DELTONA BY 130 AM EDT...
  LAKE MONROE AND ORANGE CITY BY 135 AM EDT...
  DE BARY BY 140 AM EDT...
  CASSIA BY 155 AM EDT...

TORNADOES ASSOCIATED WITH TROPICAL CYCLONES ARE OFTEN WRAPPED IN
HEAVY RAIN AND ARE HARD TO SEE OR HEAR UNTIL THEY ARE VERY CLOSE. DO
NOT GET CAUGHT OFFGUARD

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TORNADOES AT NIGHT ARE DIFFICULT TO SEE. WATCH FOR THE POPPING OF
ELECTRIC LINES AND TRANSFORMERS OR LISTEN FOR THE SOUND OF LOUD
RUMBLING AS THAT OF AN APPROACHING FREIGHT TRAIN.

&&

LAT...LON 2881 8156 2906 8153 2895 8116 2880 8115
TIME...MOT...LOC 0525Z 098DEG 31KT 2887 8118

$$

52
3 follow-up statements
000 
WWUS52 KMLB 200537
SVSMLB

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MELBOURNE FL
137 AM EDT WED MAY 20 2009

FLC069-117-127-200600-
/O.CON.KMLB.TO.W.0012.000000T0000Z-090520T0600Z/
SEMINOLE-LAKE-VOLUSIA-
137 AM EDT WED MAY 20 2009

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 200 AM EDT FOR SOUTH
CENTRAL VOLUSIA...EAST CENTRAL LAKE AND NORTHWESTERN SEMINOLE
COUNTIES...

AT 137 AM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO
INDICATE A TORNADO.  THIS TORNADO WAS LOCATED NEAR DE BARY...OR NEAR
LAKE MONROE...MOVING WEST AT 35 MPH.

OTHER LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO ORANGE 
CITY...HIGH BANKS...BLUE SPRING STATE PARK...HONTOON ISLAND STATE 
PARK...FOREST HILLS...CASSIA... FULLERVILLE AND LAKE KATHRYN HEIGHTS

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

IF IN MOBILE HOMES OR VEHICLES...EVACUATE THEM AND GET INSIDE A
STURDY SHELTER. IF NO SHELTER IS AVAILABLE...LIE FLAT IN THE NEAREST
DITCH OR OTHER LOW SPOT AND COVER YOUR HEAD WITH YOUR HANDS.

&&

LAT...LON 2881 8156 2906 8153 2895 8116 2880 8115
TIME...MOT...LOC 0536Z 098DEG 31KT 2888 8129

$$

52
000 
WWUS52 KMLB 200544
SVSMLB

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MELBOURNE FL
144 AM EDT WED MAY 20 2009

FLC069-117-127-200600-
/O.CON.KMLB.TO.W.0012.000000T0000Z-090520T0600Z/
SEMINOLE-LAKE-VOLUSIA-
144 AM EDT WED MAY 20 2009

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 200 AM EDT FOR SOUTH
CENTRAL VOLUSIA...EAST CENTRAL LAKE AND NORTHWESTERN SEMINOLE
COUNTIES...

AT 142 AM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO 
INDICATE A TORNADO.  THIS TORNADO WAS MOVING INTO NORTHEAST LAKE 
COUNTY NEAR HONTOON ISLAND...MOVING WEST AT 35 MPH.

OTHER LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO HONTOON
ISLAND STATE PARK...FOREST HILLS...CASSIA...FULLERVILLE...LAKE 
KATHRYN HEIGHTS AND PAISLEY.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

SEEK SHELTER ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF THE BUILDING IN AN INTERIOR
HALLWAY OR ROOM SUCH AS A CLOSET. USE BLANKETS OR PILLOWS TO COVER
YOUR BODY AND ALWAYS STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS.

IF IN MOBILE HOMES OR VEHICLES...EVACUATE THEM AND GET INSIDE A
SUBSTANTIAL SHELTER. IF NO SHELTER IS AVAILABLE...LIE FLAT IN THE
NEAREST DITCH OR OTHER LOW SPOT AND COVER YOUR HEAD WITH YOUR HANDS.

&&

LAT...LON 2881 8156 2906 8153 2895 8116 2880 8115
TIME...MOT...LOC 0542Z 098DEG 31KT 2889 8135

$$

52
000 
WWUS52 KMLB 200601
SVSMLB

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MELBOURNE FL
201 AM EDT WED MAY 20 2009

FLC069-117-127-200611-
/O.EXP.KMLB.TO.W.0012.000000T0000Z-090520T0600Z/
SEMINOLE-LAKE-VOLUSIA-
201 AM EDT WED MAY 20 2009

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR SOUTH CENTRAL VOLUSIA...EAST CENTRAL LAKE
AND NORTHWESTERN SEMINOLE COUNTIES HAS EXPIRED...

LAT...LON 2881 8156 2906 8153 2895 8116 2880 8115
TIME...MOT...LOC 0544Z 098DEG 31KT 2889 8137

$$

52

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 19, 8:05 PM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryMLBBrevard3 hr
May 19, 9:57 PM EDTGale WarningMLB12 hr
May 19, 10:30 PM EDTAreal Flood WarningMLBVolusia3 hr
May 19, 10:52 PM EDTSpecial Marine WarningMLB113 min
May 19, 11:35 PM EDTTornado WarningMLBLake, Orange, Seminole25 min
May 20, 12:05 AM EDTTornado WarningMLBBrevard, Seminole, Volusia25 min
May 20, 12:40 AM EDTSpecial Marine WarningMLB110 min
May 20, 1:11 AM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryMLBBrevard, Seminole, Volusia2 hr
May 20, 2:15 AM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryMLBVolusia2 hr
May 20, 2:32 AM EDTSpecial Marine WarningMLB118 min
May 20, 3:17 AM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryMLBBrevard, Seminole, Volusia118 min
May 20, 4:40 AM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryMLBVolusia110 min
May 20, 7:29 AM EDTSpecial Marine WarningMLB61 min
May 20, 8:41 AM EDTSpecial Marine WarningMLB49 min
May 20, 10:11 AM EDTAreal Flood WarningMLBVolusia6 hr
May 20, 11:00 AM EDTLake Wind AdvisoryMLBOrange, Seminole, Volusia9 hr
May 20, 11:54 AM EDTCoastal Flood AdvisoryMLBVolusia56 hr
May 20, 1:43 PM EDTHigh Surf AdvisoryMLBVolusia54 hr
May 20, 2:04 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMLBOkeechobee38 min
May 20, 2:41 PM EDTTornado WarningMLBOrange34 min
May 20, 4:13 PM EDTAreal Flood WarningMLBVolusia26 hr
May 20, 5:40 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMLBIndian River28 min
May 20, 5:49 PM EDTTornado WarningMLBIndian River, Okeechobee, Saint Lucie41 min
May 20, 6:25 PM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryMLBBrevard110 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Florida, 2009Every tornado warning in 2009Tornadoes in 2009

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.