Alert archive / Florida / Tornado Warnings in 2009

Tornado Warning 7, NWS Tampa Bay, FL

May 21, 2009Charlotte County, DeSoto County, Florida

NWS Tampa Bay, FL issued this tornado warning at May 21, 2009, 3:24 PM EDT for Charlotte County, DeSoto County, Florida. It was in force for 21 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 21, 2009, 3:24 PM EDT (19:24 UTC)
Expired: May 21, 2009, 3:45 PM EDT
In force: 21 min
Issued by: NWS Tampa Bay, FL
Area: Storm-based polygon

Counties Charlotte County, FL, DeSoto County, FL

The radar

The Tampa radar (KTBW), 99 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 19:24 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, 7.4 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-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: 1089 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -6 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 457 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 16 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 63 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 95 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 KTBW 211924 CCA
TORTBW
FLC015-027-211945-
/O.NEW.KTBW.TO.W.0007.090521T1924Z-090521T1945Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL
324 PM EDT THU MAY 21 2009

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN RUSKIN HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  SOUTHERN DESOTO COUNTY IN FLORIDA.
  EASTERN CHARLOTTE COUNTY IN FLORIDA.

* UNTIL 345 PM EDT

* AT 322 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED   
  A TORNADO 5 MILES NORTHWEST OF TUCKERS CORNER...OR 19 MILES EAST   
  OF PUNTA GORDA...MOVING NORTHWEST AT 20 MPH.

* THE TORNADO WILL BE NEAR...
  BABCOCK RANCH.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF THE TORNADO GO TO A SMALL INTERIOR ROOM IN
A STRONG AND WELL CONSTRUCTED BUILDING. CARS AND MOBILE HOMES ARE NOT
SAFE IF NO SHELTER IS AVAILABLE...LIE FLAT IN A DITCH OR CULVERT AND
COVER YOUR HEAD WITH YOUR HANDS.

TO REPORT SEVERE WEATHER TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PLEASE CALL
813-645-2323.

&&

LAT...LON 2699 8203 2716 8185 2688 8162 2677 8177
TIME...MOT...LOC 1922Z 140DEG 17KT 2689 8176

$$

2 follow-up statements

000 
WWUS52 KTBW 211936
SVSTBW

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL
336 PM EDT THU MAY 21 2009

FLC015-027-211945-
/O.CON.KTBW.TO.W.0007.000000T0000Z-090521T1945Z/
DESOTO FL-CHARLOTTE FL-
336 PM EDT THU MAY 21 2009

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 345 PM EDT FOR EASTERN
CHARLOTTE AND SOUTHERN DESOTO COUNTIES...

AT 335 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO
INDICATE A TORNADO.   LOCATED 9 MILES NORTHEAST OF HARBOUR HEIGHTS...
OR 11 MILES SOUTH OF ARCADIA...MOVING NORTHWEST AT 20 MPH.

THE TORNADO WILL BE NEAR...
  FORT OGDEN.
  HARBOUR HEIGHTS.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF THE TORNADO GO TO A SMALL INTERIOR ROOM IN
A STRONG AND WELL CONSTRUCTED BUILDING. CARS AND MOBILE HOMES ARE NOT
SAFE IF NO SHELTER IS AVAILABLE...LIE FLAT IN A DITCH OR CULVERT AND
COVER YOUR HEAD WITH YOUR HANDS.

&&

LAT...LON 2699 8203 2716 8185 2688 8162 2677 8177
TIME...MOT...LOC 1936Z 140DEG 17KT 2706 8188

$$

000 
WWUS52 KTBW 211943
SVSTBW

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL
343 PM EDT THU MAY 21 2009

FLC015-027-211952-
/O.EXP.KTBW.TO.W.0007.000000T0000Z-090521T1945Z/
DESOTO FL-CHARLOTTE FL-
343 PM EDT THU MAY 21 2009

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR EASTERN CHARLOTTE AND SOUTHERN DESOTO
COUNTIES WILL EXPIRE AT 345 PM EDT...

THE TORNADO HAS DISSIPATED...HOWEVER THE STORM WILL CONTINUE TO 
PRODUCE STRONG GUSTY WINDS...HEAVY RAIN...AND SMALL HAIL.

LAT...LON 2699 8203 2716 8185 2688 8162 2677 8177
TIME...MOT...LOC 1942Z 140DEG 17KT 2709 8191

$$

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 21, 1:12 PM EDT, 2 hours 12 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 21, 1:12 PM EDT, 2 hours 12 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY RUSKIN FL
112 PM EDT THU MAY 21 2009

.SHORT TERM (TONIGHT-SATURDAY)...THE LARGE CUT-OFF LOW CONTINUES
TO SPIN JUST TO THE WEST OF FLORIDA. BANDS OF CONVECTION HAVE BEEN
WRAPPING AROUND THE PARENT LOW THROUGHOUT THE DAY...WITH MORE
EXPECTED OVERNIGHT AND FRIDAY. THE AIRMASS OVER FLORIDA REMAINS
MOIST AND UNSTABLE WITH STORMS BEGINNING TO FIRE OVER THE INTERIOR
AS SUNSHINE PEAKS THROUGH. EXPECT THESE STORMS TO INCREASE IN
COVERAGE AND INTENSITY AS THE AFTERNOON WEARS ON. LOW LEVEL WINDS
OF 15 KNOTS WILL HELP MOVE THE STORMS FAIRLY QUICKLY FROM
SOUTHEAST TO NORTHWEST. THE MAIN THREATS WITH THE STORMS WILL BE
LIGHTNING AND HEAVY RAINFALL.

THE FORECAST REMAINS COMPLICATED THROUGH SATURDAY AS THE LOW
PRESSURE AREA SLOWLY SLIDES TO THE WEST. FORECAST MODELS TYPICALLY
HAVE A DIFFICULT TIME RESOLVING THE MOTION OF CUT-OFF LOWS...SO
THE MOVEMENT OF THE LOW COMES WITH A FAIR AMOUNT OF UNCERTAINTY.
AT THIS POINT WILL FAVOR THE MODEL SOLUTIONS OF THE GFS AND ECMWF
WHICH MOVE THE LOW OVER SOUTHERN LOUISIANA AND MISSISSIPPI BY
EARLY SATURDAY. AS THE LOW MIGRATES TO THE WEST THE DEEP FETCH OF
MOISTURE FROM THE CARIBBEAN WILL BE GRADUALLY CUT-OFF...AND WITH
SURFACE WINDS SLACKENING...DAILY SEA BREEZES WILL AGAIN BEGIN TO
FORM WITH CONVECTION SATURDAY FAVORING COASTAL AREAS WHERE THE SEA
BREEZE COLLISION IS MOST LIKELY.

TEMPERATURES THROUGH THE PERIOD WILL BE SLIGHTLY BELOW AVERAGE.

.LONG TERM (SATURDAY NIGHT - THURSDAY)...NOT MUCH CHANGE HAS
OCCURRED WITH MODEL GUIDANCE SINCE YESTERDAY. THE LARGE AREA OF LOW
PRESSURE OVER THE GULF OF MEXICO SHOULD BE MOVING SLOWLY NORTHWARD
INTO LOUISIANA SATURDAY NIGHT...FINALLY RELEASING ITS GRIP ON MOST
OF FLORIDA. STILL...WE WILL BE SLOW TO TRANSITION BACK TO A NORMAL
PATTERN SINCE THERE IS NOTHING TO REALLY PUSH THE DEEPER TROPICAL
MOISTURE AWAY. THERE IS A STRONG RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE THAT WILL
EXTEND FROM NEAR BERMUDA WESTWARD TO THE MID-ATLANTIC REGION...BUT
THIS WILL BE TOO FAR NORTH AND EAST TO HAVE A BIG IMPACT ON OUR
WEATHER. WHAT WE ARE LEFT WITH IS A CONTINUED MOIST SOUTHEASTERLY
FLOW ON SUNDAY...THEN LIGHTER WINDS AS THE PRESSURE GRADIENT BREAKS
DOWN FOR THE MIDDLE OF THE WEEK. WITH LIGHT WINDS IN PLACE MONDAY
THROUGH THURSDAY...AFTERNOON CONVECTION WILL FOCUS MAINLY ALONG SEA
BREEZE BOUNDARIES. THIS WILL PUSH THE BEST RAIN CHANCES EASTWARD
AWAY FROM THE GULF COAST...WITH HIGHEST POPS OVER THE INTERIOR.

TEMPERATURES WILL BE RECOVERING BACK TO NEAR AVERAGE...WITH HIGHS IN
THE UPPER 80S AND LOWER 90S...AND LOWS IN THE UPPER 60S TO LOWER
70S.

&&

.AVIATION...BAND OF RAIN WITH EMBEDDED THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE ACROSS
SRQ AND INTO FMY AND RSW THROUGH THE NEXT COUPLE OF HOURS. SHOWERS
AND STORMS DEVELOPING OVER THE LAND MASS WILL IMPACT TPA AND PIE
THIS AFTERNOON. EXPECT MVFR CONDITIONS WITH TEMPO IFR IN THE HEAVIER
SHOWERS THIS AFTERNOON.

&&

.MARINE...GUSTY WINDS AND ROUGH SEAS WILL CONTINUE TO AFFECT OFF-
SHORE ZONES WITH CHOPPY AREAS THROUGHOUT. AS THE LOW MOVES
WESTWARD THE PRESSURE GRADIENT IS EXPECTED TO SLACKEN BEGINNING
LATE FRIDAY. THIS WILL ALLOW FOR A DECREASE IN WIND...WITH SEAS
SLOWLY FOLLOWING SUIT. HIGH PRESSURE WILL TRY TO RETURN BY EARLY
NEXT WEEK.

&&

.FIRE WEATHER...ABUNDANT MOISTURE OVER FLORIDA ADDS UP TO NO FIRE
WEATHER CONCERNS.

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
TPA  70  84  71  86 /  40  60  40  60
FMY  69  87  70  88 /  40  60  40  60
GIF  69  84  70  86 /  50  60  40  50
SRQ  69  85  70  87 /  50  60  40  60
BKV  68  84  68  86 /  40  60  40  60
SPG  72  84  73  85 /  50  60  40  60

&&

.TBW WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
FL...NONE.
GULF WATERS...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 2 PM EDT FRIDAY FOR ENGLEWOOD TO
     TARPON SPRINGS OUT 20 TO 60 NM-TARPON SPRINGS TO SUWANNEE
     RIVER OUT 20 TO 60 NM.

&&

SHORT TERM/MARINE/FIRE WEATHER...05/CANTIN
LONG TERM/AVIATION...63/JILLSON

Hazardous weather outlook, May 21, 5:31 AM EDT, 9 hours 53 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY RUSKIN FL
531 AM EDT THU MAY 21 2009

FLZ039-042-043-048>052-055>057-060>062-065-211615-
LEVY-CITRUS-SUMTER-HERNANDO-PASCO-PINELLAS-HILLSBOROUGH-POLK-
MANATEE-HARDEE-HIGHLANDS-SARASOTA-DE SOTO-CHARLOTTE-LEE-
531 AM EDT THU MAY 21 2009

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

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT.

...THUNDERSTORM IMPACT...
NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP ACROSS
WEST CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST FLORIDA AGAIN TODAY. A FEW OF THESE
STORMS COULD BECOME STRONG AND CONTAIN SMALL HAIL...GUSTY WINDS...
FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND LOCALLY HEAVY DOWNPOURS. IN ADDITION...
BRIEF WATERSPOUTS WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE WITH STORMS NEAR THE
COAST.

...WIND AND SEA IMPACT...
EAST TO SOUTHEAST WINDS WILL CONTINUE IN THE 15 TO 25 KNOT RANGE
OVER THE COASTAL WATERS TODAY AND TONIGHT. THE STRONGEST WINDS
WILL BE OVER THE OFFSHORE WATERS WHERE SMALL CRAFT ADVISORIES ARE
IN EFFECT THROUGH TONIGHT. CLOSER TO THE COAST SMALL CRAFT SHOULD
EXERCISE CAUTION THROUGH EARLY TONIGHT. MARINERS MAY WANT TO
POSTPONE BOATING PLANS DURING THESE HAZARDOUS CONDITIONS.

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

...THUNDERSTORM IMPACT...
SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE EACH DAY THROUGH THE
PERIOD. THESE STORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING LOCALLY HEAVY
RAINS...GUSTY WINDS AND FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING
STRIKES.

...WIND AND SEA IMPACT...
EAST TO SOUTHEAST WINDS WILL CONTINUE BETWEEN 15 TO 20 KNOTS OVER
THE GULF WATERS FRIDAY. MARINERS MAY WANT TO POSTPONE BOATING
PLANS UNTIL WINDS SUBSIDE THIS WEEKEND.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTERS SHOULD MONITOR THE WEATHER AND SELF ACTIVATE IF NEEDED.

PRC

In the hours before

Special weather statement, May 21, 2:00 PM EDT, 1 hour 24 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL
200 PM EDT THU MAY 21 2009

FLZ051-055-056-060-061-211945-
DE SOTO-HARDEE-MANATEE-SARASOTA-HILLSBOROUGH-
200 PM EDT THU MAY 21 2009

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT SOUTHERN HILLSBOROUGH...EASTERN
SARASOTA...MANATEE...WESTERN HARDEE AND WESTERN DESOTO COUNTIES...

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATES A LINE OF
THUNDERSTORMS...MOVING NORTHWEST AT 20 MPH...WILL AFFECT THE
MENTIONED AREA INCLUDING DUETTE...PARRISH...WIMAUMA...MYAKKA
HEAD...PINE LEVEL AND SUN CITY CENTER...UNTIL 345 PM EDT.

GUSTY WINDS UP TO 40 MPH WILL OCCUR. FREQUENT LIGHTNING IS EXPECTED.
TO BE SAFE GO INDOORS IMMEDIATELY IF CAUGHT OUTSIDE...FIND A LOW
SPOT...AND STAY AWAY FROM TALL OBJECTS. THESE STORMS MAY PRODUCE PEA
SIZE HAIL. WHEN DRIVING THROUGH HEAVY RAIN...SLOW DOWN. ALWAYS LEAVE
A SAFE DISTANCE BETWEEN YOU AND OTHER VEHICLES.

LAT...LON 2777 8242 2778 8211 2764 8207 2763 8191
      2743 8187 2705 8185 2704 8214 2722 8220
      2738 8222 2746 8237 2765 8256
TIME...MOT...LOC 1858Z 140DEG 16KT 2757 8224

Local storm report, May 21, 2:01 PM EDT, 1 hour 23 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL
201 PM EDT THU MAY 21 2009

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

0255 PM     TSTM WND DMG     2 N SEBRING             27.52N 81.45W
05/20/2009                   HIGHLANDS          FL   EMERGENCY MNGR

            2 MOBILE HOMES BADLY DAMAGED...OTHERS SUFFERED MINOR
            DAMAGE. TREES DOWN IN ORANGE GROVE.

&&

JILLSON

Special weather statement, May 21, 2:19 PM EDT, 1 hour 5 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL
219 PM EDT THU MAY 21 2009

FLZ052-211900-
POLK-
219 PM EDT THU MAY 21 2009

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT CENTRAL POLK COUNTY...

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATES THUNDERSTORMS
MOVING NORTHWEST AT 20 MPH...WILL AFFECT LAKE WALES...WAHNETA...
CYPRESS GARDENS...AUBURNDALE....POLK CITY...AND WINTER HAVEN...UNTIL
300 PM EDT.

GUSTY WINDS UP TO 40 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE. FREQUENT LIGHTNING IS
EXPECTED. TO BE SAFE GO INDOORS IMMEDIATELY IF CAUGHT
OUTSIDE...FIND A LOW SPOT...AND STAY AWAY FROM TALL OBJECTS. THIS
STORM WILL PRODUCE PEA SIZE HAIL. WHEN DRIVING THROUGH HEAVY
RAIN...SLOW DOWN. ALWAYS LEAVE A SAFE DISTANCE BETWEEN YOU AND OTHER
VEHICLES.

LAT...LON 2812 8204 2827 8181 2791 8155 2780 8171
TIME...MOT...LOC 1817Z 143DEG 17KT 2793 8169

Special weather statement, May 21, 3:05 PM EDT, 19 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL
305 PM EDT THU MAY 21 2009

FLZ062-065-211945-
CHARLOTTE-LEE-
305 PM EDT THU MAY 21 2009

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT NORTHERN LEE AND CENTRAL
CHARLOTTE COUNTIES...

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATES THUNDERSTORMS...
MOVING NORTHWEST AT 20 MPH...WILL AFFECT FORT MYERS SHORES...TUCKERS
CORNER AND CLEVELAND...UNTIL 345 PM EDT.

GUSTY WINDS UP TO 40 MPH WILL OCCUR. FREQUENT LIGHTNING IS EXPECTED.
TO BE SAFE GO INDOORS IMMEDIATELY IF CAUGHT OUTSIDE...FIND A LOW
SPOT...AND STAY AWAY FROM TALL OBJECTS. THIS STORM WILL PRODUCE PEA
SIZE HAIL. WHEN DRIVING THROUGH HEAVY RAIN...SLOW DOWN. ALWAYS LEAVE
A SAFE DISTANCE BETWEEN YOU AND OTHER VEHICLES.

LAT...LON 2668 8174 2698 8212 2700 8202 2702 8185
      2681 8160
TIME...MOT...LOC 1905Z 136DEG 19KT 2681 8174

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
May 21, 3:25 AM EDT	Special Weather Statement	TBW	Highlands	50 min
May 21, 2:00 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	TBW	Manatee	105 min
May 21, 2:19 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	TBW	Polk	41 min
May 21, 3:05 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	TBW	Charlotte	40 min
May 21, 3:13 PM EDT	Special Marine Warning	TBW		62 min
May 21, 3:22 PM EDT	Tornado Warning	TBW	Charlotte, DeSoto	23 min
May 21, 3:37 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	TBW	Hillsborough, Pinellas	53 min
May 21, 3:51 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TBW	Pinellas	24 min
May 21, 4:20 PM EDT	Special Marine Warning	TBW		55 min
May 21, 5:01 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	TBW	Hardee	44 min
May 21, 5:03 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	TBW	Hillsborough, Polk	117 min
May 21, 5:45 PM EDT	Areal Flood Advisory	TBW	Hillsborough	60 min
May 21, 6:13 PM EDT	Areal Flood Advisory	TBW	Hillsborough, Pasco, Pinellas	62 min
May 21, 7:38 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	TBW	Highlands	37 min

Nearby

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