Alert archive / Florida / Tornado Warnings in 2009

Tornado Warning 14, NWS Melbourne, FL

May 20, 2009Indian River County, Okeechobee County, Saint Lucie County, Florida

NWS Melbourne, FL issued this tornado warning at May 20, 2009, 5:49 PM EDT for Indian River County, Okeechobee County, Saint Lucie County, Florida. It was in force for 41 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, 5:49 PM EDT (21:49 UTC)
Expired
May 20, 2009, 6:30 PM EDT
In force
41 min
Issued by
NWS Melbourne, FL
Area
Storm-based polygon

Counties Indian River County, FL, Okeechobee County, FL, Saint Lucie County, FL

The radar

The Melbourne radar (KMLB), 67 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 21:52 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

Tampa Bay, FL (KTBW), launched 12:00Z, 9.8 hours before the alert went out and 176 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 2009-05-20Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 538 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 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 2009-05-20The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 60 square meters per square second.193958Sfc1 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
538 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-19 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
546 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
19 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
60 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
76 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.

000 
WFUS52 KMLB 202149
TORMLB
FLC061-093-111-202230-
/O.NEW.KMLB.TO.W.0014.090520T2149Z-090520T2230Z/

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

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MELBOURNE HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  SOUTH CENTRAL INDIAN RIVER COUNTY IN FLORIDA...
  EAST CENTRAL OKEECHOBEE COUNTY IN FLORIDA...
  THIS INCLUDES THE CITY OF FORT DRUM...
  NORTHERN ST. LUCIE COUNTY IN FLORIDA...

* UNTIL 630 PM EDT.

* AT 548 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A 
  DEVELOPING TORNADO 24 MILES EAST OF FORT DRUM...OR 6 MILES         
  NORTHWEST OF WHITE CITY...MOVING NORTHWEST AT 25 MPH.

* THE TORNADO WILL BE NEAR...
  RURAL NORTHERN ST. LUCIE COUNTY AT 600 PM EDT
  RURAL NORTHWESTERN ST. LUCIE COUNTY AT 620 PM EDT
  RURAL SOUTHERN INDIAN RIVER COUNTY AT 630 PM EDT

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.

THE SAFEST PLACE TO BE DURING A TORNADO IS IN A STRONG BUILDING ON
THE LOWEST FLOOR...IN AN INTERIOR ROOM SUCH AS A BATHROOM OR CLOSET.
KEEP AWAY FROM WINDOWS. GET UNDER A WORKBENCH OR OTHER PIECE OF
STURDY FURNITURE. USE BLANKETS OR PILLOWS TO COVER YOUR BODY.

EVACUATE MOBILE HOMES OR VEHICLES FOR MORE SUBSTANTIAL SHELTER. IF NO
SHELTER IS AVAILABLE...LIE FLAT IN THE NEAREST DITCH OR OTHER LOW
SPOT AND COVER YOUR HEAD WITH YOUR HANDS. ABANDON YOUR VEHICLE IF THE
TORNADO IS NEARBY.

&&

LAT...LON 2751 8084 2772 8070 2746 8035 2737 8042
TIME...MOT...LOC 2148Z 121DEG 20KT 2743 8042

$$


KELLY
2 follow-up statements
000 
WWUS52 KMLB 202221
SVSMLB

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MELBOURNE FL
621 PM EDT WED MAY 20 2009

FLC061-202230-
/O.CAN.KMLB.TO.W.0014.000000T0000Z-090520T2230Z/
INDIAN RIVER-
621 PM EDT WED MAY 20 2009

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR SOUTH CENTRAL INDIAN RIVER COUNTY IS
CANCELLED...

LAT...LON 2740 8050 2751 8084 2756 8067 2750 8047
TIME...MOT...LOC 2220Z 116DEG 16KT 2748 8056

$$

FLC093-111-202230-
/O.CON.KMLB.TO.W.0014.000000T0000Z-090520T2230Z/
OKEECHOBEE-ST. LUCIE-
621 PM EDT WED MAY 20 2009

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 630 PM EDT FOR
NORTHWESTERN ST. LUCIE AND EAST CENTRAL OKEECHOBEE COUNTIES...

AT 620 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO
INDICATE A TORNADO.  THIS TORNADO WAS LOCATED OVER NORTH CENTRAL ST.
LUCIE COUNTY...OR 13 MILES SOUTHWEST OF VERO BEACH SOUTH...MOVING
NORTHWEST AT 20 MPH.

THE TORNADO WILL BE OVER...
  RURAL NORTHWESTERN ST. LUCIE COUNTY THROUGH 630 PM EDT

LAT...LON 2740 8050 2751 8084 2756 8067 2750 8047
TIME...MOT...LOC 2220Z 116DEG 16KT 2748 8056

$$


KELLY
000 
WWUS52 KMLB 202232
SVSMLB

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MELBOURNE FL
632 PM EDT WED MAY 20 2009

FLC093-111-202241-
/O.EXP.KMLB.TO.W.0014.000000T0000Z-090520T2230Z/
OKEECHOBEE-ST. LUCIE-
632 PM EDT WED MAY 20 2009

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR NORTHWESTERN ST. LUCIE AND EAST CENTRAL
OKEECHOBEE COUNTIES HAS EXPIRED...

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED THE SEVERE STORM AND
TORNADO THAT PROMPTED THE WARNING HAD WEAKENED AND NO LONGER APPEARED
CAPABLE OF PRODUCING TORNADOES OR OTHER SEVERE WEATHER...THUS THE 
WARNING HAS BEEN ALLOWED TO EXPIRE. HOWEVER...HEAVY RAIN GUSTY WINDS 
AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING STRIKES WILL CONTINUE TO BE POSSIBLE OVER 
WESTERN SAINT LUCIE COUNTY THROUGH 7 PM. THESE STORMS WILL BE MOVING 
INTO OKEECHOBEE COUNTY. RESIDENTS SHOULD REMAIN ALERT FOR POSSIBLE 
WARNINGS.

LAT...LON 2740 8050 2751 8084 2756 8067 2750 8047
TIME...MOT...LOC 2221Z 116DEG 16KT 2748 8057

$$


KELLY

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, 1:26 AM EDTTornado WarningMLBLake, Seminole, Volusia34 min
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, 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.