Alert archive / Florida / Tornado Warnings in 2011

Tornado Warning 21, NWS Tampa Bay, FL

March 31, 2011Polk County, Florida

NWS Tampa Bay, FL issued this tornado warning at Mar 31, 2011, 9:29 AM EDT for Polk County, Florida. It was in force for 19 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
Mar 31, 2011, 9:29 AM EDT (13:29 UTC)
Expired
Mar 31, 2011, 9:48 AM EDT
In force
19 min
Issued by
NWS Tampa Bay, FL
Area
Storm-based polygon

County Polk County, FL

The radar

The Tampa radar (KTBW), 86 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 13:32 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 watch it was issued in

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

IssuedProductOfficeLasted
Mar 31, 6:00 AM EDTTornado WatchSPC7 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Tampa Bay, FL (KTBW), launched 12:00Z, 1.5 hours before the alert went out and 86 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 2011-03-31Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 728 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 2011-03-31The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 543 square meters per square second.1939587897Sfc1 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
728 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-58 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
787 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
69 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
543 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
606 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
8.9

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

036 
WFUS52 KTBW 311329
TORTBW
FLC105-311415-
/O.NEW.KTBW.TO.W.0021.110331T1329Z-110331T1415Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL
929 AM EDT THU MAR 31 2011

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN RUSKIN HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  NORTHERN POLK COUNTY IN FLORIDA.

* UNTIL 1015 AM EDT

* AT 927 AM EDT...THE PUBLIC REPORTED A TORNADO NEAR GIBSONIA...OR 7
  MILES NORTH OF LAKELAND...MOVING EAST AT 40 MPH.

* THE TORNADO WILL BE NEAR...
  GIBSONIA.
  POLK CITY.
  LAKE ALFRED.
  HAINES CITY.

THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS REPORTS OF A TORNADO ON THE GROUND IN 
NORTHERN HILLSBOROUGH AND NORTH OF THE TOWN OF KATHLEEN IN POLK 
COUNTY.

THIS INCLUDES INTERSTATE 4 BETWEEN EXITS 27 AND 55.

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.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 100 PM EDT THURSDAY AFTERNOON
FOR WESTERN FLORIDA.

&&

LAT...LON 2806 8152 2803 8204 2822 8204 2827 8164
      2827 8157 2822 8153
TIME...MOT...LOC 1329Z 266DEG 34KT 2814 8197

$$

JOHNSON
2 follow-up statements
416 
WWUS52 KTBW 311340
SVSTBW

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL
940 AM EDT THU MAR 31 2011

FLC105-311415-
/O.CON.KTBW.TO.W.0021.000000T0000Z-110331T1415Z/
POLK FL-
940 AM EDT THU MAR 31 2011

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1015 AM EDT FOR NORTHERN
POLK COUNTY...

AT 937 AM EDT...THE PUBLIC REPORTED A TORNADO.   LOCATED NEAR POLK
CITY...OR 7 MILES NORTHWEST OF AUBURNDALE...MOVING EAST AT 40 MPH.

THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS REPORTS OF A TORNADO ON THE GROUND ACROSS 
NORTHERN HILLSBOROUGH AND NORTHWESTERN POLK COUNTY THIS MORNING.

THE TORNADO WILL BE NEAR...
  POLK CITY.
  LAKE ALFRED.
  HAINES CITY.
  DAVENPORT.

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.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 100 PM EDT THURSDAY AFTERNOON
FOR WESTERN FLORIDA.

&&

LAT...LON 2806 8152 2809 8195 2821 8196 2827 8164
      2827 8157 2822 8153
TIME...MOT...LOC 1340Z 266DEG 34KT 2815 8185

$$

JOHNSON
696 
WWUS52 KTBW 311348
SVSTBW

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL
948 AM EDT THU MAR 31 2011

FLC105-311358-
/O.CAN.KTBW.TO.W.0021.000000T0000Z-110331T1415Z/
POLK FL-
948 AM EDT THU MAR 31 2011

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR NORTHERN POLK COUNTY IS CANCELLED...

THE STORM THAT PRODUCED THE TORNADO HAS NOW WEAKENED AND IS NO LONGER
CAPABLE OF PRODUCING SEVERE WEATHER.

PLEASE CONTINUE TO RELAY REPORTS OF SEVERE WEATHER TO THE NATIONAL 
WEATHER SERVICE IN RUSKIN.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 100 PM EDT THURSDAY AFTERNOON
FOR WESTERN FLORIDA.

LAT...LON 2806 8152 2809 8195 2821 8196 2827 8164
      2827 8157 2822 8153
TIME...MOT...LOC 1348Z 266DEG 34KT 2815 8176

$$

JOHNSON

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Mar 30, 8:57 PM EDTSpecial Marine WarningTBW63 min
Mar 31, 1:06 AM EDTSpecial Marine WarningTBW54 min
Mar 31, 4:50 AM EDTSmall Craft AdvisoryTBW17 hr
Mar 31, 5:47 AM EDTSpecial Marine WarningTBW58 min
Mar 31, 6:10 AM EDTTornado WarningTBWHernando, Pasco50 min
Mar 31, 6:23 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTBWHillsborough, Pasco, Pinellas52 min
Mar 31, 6:43 AM EDTSpecial Marine WarningTBW62 min
Mar 31, 7:15 AM EDTSpecial Weather StatementTBWPolk45 min
Mar 31, 7:30 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTBWPolk45 min
Mar 31, 7:49 AM EDTSpecial Marine WarningTBW26 min
Mar 31, 7:53 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTBWHillsborough, Pasco, Pinellas52 min
Mar 31, 8:24 AM EDTTornado WarningTBWHillsborough, Pasco, Pinellas51 min
Mar 31, 8:38 AM EDTSpecial Weather StatementTBWLevy52 min
Mar 31, 8:47 AM EDTSpecial Marine WarningTBW58 min
Mar 31, 8:57 AM EDTTornado WarningTBWHillsborough, Pasco, Polk33 min
Mar 31, 9:13 AM EDTSpecial Marine WarningTBW92 min
Mar 31, 9:14 AM EDTSpecial Weather StatementTBWCitrus, Hernando46 min
Mar 31, 9:26 AM EDTSpecial Marine WarningTBW94 min
Mar 31, 9:36 AM EDTSpecial Weather StatementTBWHernando, Sumter39 min
Mar 31, 9:37 AM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryTBWCitrus, Hernando, Pasco, Polk, Sumter113 min
Mar 31, 9:39 AM EDTSpecial Weather StatementTBWLevy51 min
Mar 31, 9:44 AM EDTTornado WarningTBWCitrus, Hernando, Sumter31 min
Mar 31, 10:09 AM EDTSpecial Marine WarningTBW51 min
Mar 31, 10:14 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTBWHernando, Sumter31 min
Mar 31, 10:29 AM EDTTornado WarningTBWPinellas61 min
Mar 31, 10:37 AM EDTSpecial Weather StatementTBWCitrus38 min
Mar 31, 10:52 AM EDTSpecial Marine WarningTBW23 min
Mar 31, 11:09 AM EDTSpecial Marine WarningTBW66 min
Mar 31, 11:14 AM EDTTornado WarningTBWHillsborough, Pinellas46 min
Mar 31, 11:22 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTBWHillsborough, Manatee, Pinellas38 min
Mar 31, 11:35 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTBWHillsborough, Polk40 min
Mar 31, 11:47 AM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryTBWHillsborough, Pinellas88 min
Mar 31, 11:51 AM EDTTornado WarningTBWHillsborough, Polk39 min
Mar 31, 11:57 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTBWHillsborough, Polk33 min
Mar 31, 12:01 PM EDTSpecial Marine WarningTBW59 min
Mar 31, 12:01 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTBWManatee44 min
Mar 31, 12:10 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementTBWPinellas50 min
Mar 31, 12:13 PM EDTTornado WarningTBWPolk32 min
Mar 31, 12:16 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningTBWPolk59 min
Mar 31, 12:23 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTBWPolk22 min
Mar 31, 12:25 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTBWHillsborough, Manatee, Pinellas35 min
Mar 31, 12:27 PM EDTSpecial Marine WarningTBW63 min
Mar 31, 12:53 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementTBWPolk52 min
Mar 31, 1:02 PM EDTSpecial Marine WarningTBW118 min
Mar 31, 1:25 PM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryTBWHillsborough, Manatee, Pinellas, Polk2 hr
Mar 31, 1:29 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTBWHillsborough, Manatee31 min
Mar 31, 1:34 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementTBWHillsborough, Pinellas41 min
Mar 31, 2:01 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementTBWManatee44 min
Mar 31, 2:29 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementTBWManatee, Sarasota46 min
Mar 31, 2:33 PM EDTSpecial Marine WarningTBW57 min
Mar 31, 3:13 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementTBWHernando, Sumter47 min
Mar 31, 3:16 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementTBWPinellas44 min
Mar 31, 3:18 PM EDTSpecial Marine WarningTBW12 min
Mar 31, 3:21 PM EDTRiver Flood WarningTBWPasco7 days
Mar 31, 3:21 PM EDTRiver Flood WarningTBWHillsborough3 days
Mar 31, 3:35 PM EDTSpecial Marine WarningTBW115 min
Mar 31, 4:27 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementTBWManatee, Polk63 min
Mar 31, 4:39 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTBWHardee, Hillsborough, Manatee, Sarasota36 min
Mar 31, 4:51 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTBWManatee, Sarasota24 min
Mar 31, 5:18 PM EDTSpecial Marine WarningTBW57 min
Mar 31, 5:22 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementTBWDeSoto, Hardee, Highlands, Sarasota53 min
Mar 31, 6:03 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTBWHillsborough, Pasco, Pinellas29 min
Mar 31, 6:14 PM EDTSpecial Marine WarningTBW61 min
Mar 31, 7:47 PM EDTSpecial Marine WarningTBW58 min
Mar 31, 7:55 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementTBWCharlotte50 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Florida, 2011Every tornado warning in 2011Tornadoes 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; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.