Alert archive / Florida / Tornado Warnings in 2011

Tornado Warning 8, NWS Jacksonville, FL

March 30, 2011Columbia County, Suwannee County, Florida

NWS Jacksonville, FL issued this tornado warning at Mar 30, 2011, 2:52 PM EDT for Columbia County, Suwannee County, Florida. It was in force for 38 min. 1 report came from inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued, with what was reported inside it.

The facts

Issued: Mar 30, 2011, 2:52 PM EDT (18:52 UTC)
Expired: Mar 30, 2011, 3:30 PM EDT
In force: 38 min
Issued by: NWS Jacksonville, FL
Area: Storm-based polygon

Counties Columbia County, FL, Suwannee County, FL

What was reported inside it

Time	Report	Where	Remark
Mar 30, 3:06 PM EDT	TSTM WND DMG	2 S Obrien, FL	EMERGENCY MANAGER REPORTED TREES DOWN AND A POLE BARN DAMAGED NEAR STATE ROAD 129 AND 240TH STREET IN THE OBRIEN VICINITY. TIME IS ESTIMATED BASED ON RADAR.

Local storm reports filed while the alert was in force, from inside its polygon or its counties.

The watch it was issued in

The SPC watch in force over the same counties when this warning went out.

Issued	Product	Office	Lasted
Mar 30, 11:10 AM EDT	Tornado Watch	SPC	8 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Jacksonville, FL (KJAX), launched 12:00Z, 6.9 hours before the alert went out and 111 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: 559 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -89 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 569 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 45 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 222 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 277 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.0
Supercell composite: 3.9

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

587 
WFUS52 KJAX 301852
TORJAX
FLC023-121-301930-
/O.NEW.KJAX.TO.W.0008.110330T1852Z-110330T1930Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSONVILLE FL
252 PM EDT WED MAR 30 2011

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN JACKSONVILLE HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  SOUTHERN SUWANNEE COUNTY IN NORTHERN FLORIDA
  CENTRAL COLUMBIA COUNTY IN NORTHERN FLORIDA

* UNTIL 330 PM EDT

* AT 252 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS WERE
  TRACKING A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO 9
  MILES WEST OF OBRIEN...OR 6 MILES SOUTHEAST OF MAYO...MOVING EAST
  AT 45 MPH.

* OTHER LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO
  OBRIEN...MCALPIN...COLUMBIA...WINFIELD...LAKE CITY...WATERTOWN AND
  LULU.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

WHEN A TORNADO WARNING IS ISSUED BASED ON DOPPLER RADAR...IT MEANS
THAT STRONG ROTATION HAS BEEN DETECTED IN THE STORM. A TORNADO MAY
ALREADY BE ON THE GROUND...OR IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP SHORTLY. IF YOU
ARE IN THE PATH OF THIS DANGEROUS STORM...MOVE INDOORS AND TO THE
LOWEST LEVEL OF THE BUILDING. STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS. IF DRIVING...DO
NOT SEEK SHELTER UNDER A HIGHWAY OVERPASS.

HEAVY RAINFALL MAY OBSCURE THIS TORNADO. TAKE COVER NOW! IF YOU WAIT
TO SEE OR HEAR IT COMING...IT MAY BE TOO LATE TO GET TO A SAFE PLACE.

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.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 800 PM EDT WEDNESDAY EVENING
FOR NORTHEASTERN FLORIDA.

&&

LAT...LON 3038 8247 3011 8245 3008 8252 3003 8254
      3001 8257 2998 8256 2995 8294 3000 8297
      3000 8299 3006 8304 3010 8311 3011 8311
TIME...MOT...LOC 1852Z 253DEG 40KT 3003 8304

$$

HESS

3 follow-up statements

019 
WWUS52 KJAX 301907
SVSJAX

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSONVILLE FL
307 PM EDT WED MAR 30 2011

FLC023-121-301930-
/O.CON.KJAX.TO.W.0008.000000T0000Z-110330T1930Z/
SUWANNEE FL-COLUMBIA FL-
307 PM EDT WED MAR 30 2011

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 330 PM EDT FOR CENTRAL
COLUMBIA AND SOUTHEASTERN SUWANNEE COUNTIES...

AT 307 PM EDT...WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO INDICATE A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WITH STRONG ROTATION.  THIS TORNADO WAS LOCATED 7
MILES SOUTHEAST OF MCALPIN...OR 10 MILES NORTHWEST OF ICHETUCKNEE
SPRINGS STATE PARK...MOVING EAST AT 45 MPH.

OTHER LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO
WELLBORN...COLUMBIA...WINFIELD...LAKE CITY...FIVE POINTS...WATERTOWN
AND LULU.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

WHEN A TORNADO WARNING IS ISSUED BASED ON DOPPLER RADAR...IT MEANS
THAT STRONG ROTATION HAS BEEN DETECTED IN THE STORM. A TORNADO MAY
ALREADY BE ON THE GROUND...OR IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP SHORTLY. IF YOU
ARE IN THE PATH OF THIS DANGEROUS STORM...MOVE INDOORS AND TO THE
LOWEST LEVEL OF THE BUILDING. STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS. IF DRIVING...DO
NOT SEEK SHELTER UNDER A HIGHWAY OVERPASS.

HEAVY RAINFALL MAY OBSCURE THIS TORNADO. TAKE COVER NOW! IF YOU WAIT
TO SEE OR HEAR IT COMING...IT MAY BE TOO LATE TO GET TO A SAFE PLACE.

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.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 800 PM EDT WEDNESDAY EVENING
FOR NORTHEASTERN FLORIDA.

&&

LAT...LON 3038 8247 3011 8246 3008 8252 3003 8254
      3001 8257 2998 8256 2996 8291 3007 8295
      3017 8296
TIME...MOT...LOC 1907Z 253DEG 40KT 3006 8286

$$

HESS

122 
WWUS52 KJAX 301921
SVSJAX

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSONVILLE FL
321 PM EDT WED MAR 30 2011

FLC121-301931-
/O.CAN.KJAX.TO.W.0008.000000T0000Z-110330T1930Z/
SUWANNEE FL-
321 PM EDT WED MAR 30 2011

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR SOUTHEASTERN SUWANNEE COUNTY IS
CANCELLED...

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 800 PM EDT WEDNESDAY EVENING
FOR NORTHEASTERN FLORIDA.

LAT...LON 3038 8247 3012 8247 3008 8252 3003 8254
      3001 8257 2998 8256 2997 8276 2998 8276
      2999 8279 3024 8279
TIME...MOT...LOC 1921Z 253DEG 40KT 3010 8269

$$

FLC023-301930-
/O.CON.KJAX.TO.W.0008.000000T0000Z-110330T1930Z/
COLUMBIA FL-
321 PM EDT WED MAR 30 2011

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 330 PM EDT FOR CENTRAL
COLUMBIA COUNTY...

AT 321 PM EDT...WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO INDICATE A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WITH STRONG ROTATION.  THIS TORNADO WAS LOCATED
NEAR COLUMBIA...OR 7 MILES SOUTHWEST OF LAKE CITY...MOVING EAST AT 45
MPH.

OTHER LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO
WINFIELD...LAKE CITY...FIVE POINTS...WATERTOWN AND LULU.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

WHEN A TORNADO WARNING IS ISSUED BASED ON DOPPLER RADAR...IT MEANS
THAT STRONG ROTATION HAS BEEN DETECTED IN THE STORM. A TORNADO MAY
ALREADY BE ON THE GROUND...OR IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP SHORTLY. IF YOU
ARE IN THE PATH OF THIS DANGEROUS STORM...MOVE INDOORS AND TO THE
LOWEST LEVEL OF THE BUILDING. STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS. IF DRIVING...DO
NOT SEEK SHELTER UNDER A HIGHWAY OVERPASS.

HEAVY RAINFALL MAY OBSCURE THIS TORNADO. TAKE COVER NOW! IF YOU WAIT
TO SEE OR HEAR IT COMING...IT MAY BE TOO LATE TO GET TO A SAFE PLACE.

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.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 800 PM EDT WEDNESDAY EVENING
FOR NORTHEASTERN FLORIDA.

&&

LAT...LON 3038 8247 3012 8247 3008 8252 3003 8254
      3001 8257 2998 8256 2997 8276 2998 8276
      2999 8279 3024 8279
TIME...MOT...LOC 1921Z 253DEG 40KT 3010 8269

$$

HESS

916 
WWUS52 KJAX 301929
SVSJAX

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSONVILLE FL
329 PM EDT WED MAR 30 2011

FLC023-301938-
/O.EXP.KJAX.TO.W.0008.000000T0000Z-110330T1930Z/
COLUMBIA FL-
329 PM EDT WED MAR 30 2011

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR CENTRAL COLUMBIA COUNTY WILL EXPIRE AT 330
PM EDT...

THIS TORNADO WARNING HAS BEEN REPLACED BY ANOTHER TORNADO WARNING 
WHICH STILL INCLUDES CENTRAL AND EASTERN COLUMBIA COUNTY.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 800 PM EDT WEDNESDAY EVENING
FOR NORTHEASTERN FLORIDA.

LAT...LON 3038 8247 3012 8247 3008 8252 3003 8254
      3001 8257 2998 8256 2997 8276 2998 8276
      2999 8279 3024 8279
TIME...MOT...LOC 1928Z 253DEG 40KT 3012 8260

$$

HESS

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Mar 30, 2:17 PM EDT	Special Marine Warning	JAX		118 min
Mar 30, 2:42 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	JAX	Columbia, Gilchrist	63 min
Mar 30, 3:23 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	JAX	Alachua, Marion	52 min
Mar 30, 3:27 PM EDT	Tornado Warning	JAX	Baker, Columbia, Union	48 min
Mar 30, 3:47 PM EDT	Tornado Warning	JAX	Marion	58 min
Mar 30, 4:02 PM EDT	Special Marine Warning	JAX		118 min
Mar 30, 4:06 PM EDT	Tornado Warning	JAX	Flagler, Putnam, Saint Johns	39 min
Mar 30, 4:06 PM EDT	Tornado Warning	JAX	Bradford, Clay, Duval, Nassau, Saint Johns	54 min
Mar 30, 4:15 PM EDT	Special Marine Warning	JAX		2 hr
Mar 30, 4:37 PM EDT	Tornado Warning	JAX	Flagler	23 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Florida, 2011 Every tornado warning in 2011 Tornadoes in 2011

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; local storm reports from the same archive; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.