Alert archive / Florida / Special Weather Statements in 2018
Special Weather Statement, NWS Key West, FL
NWS Key West, FL issued this special weather statement at Dec 20, 2018, 3:38 PM EST. It was in force for 52 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
- Dec 20, 2018, 3:38 PM EST (20:38 UTC)
- Expired
- Dec 20, 2018, 4:30 PM EST
- In force
- 52 min
- Issued by
- NWS Key West, FL
The radar
The Key West radar (KBYX), 32 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 20:42 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
Miami, FL (KMFL), launched 12:00Z, 8.6 hours before the alert went out and 168 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.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 343 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -14 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 787 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 55 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 262 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 271 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.6
- Supercell composite
- 4.1
The text
As transmitted.
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</html>What forecasters said that day
The local office's own words before this special weather statement went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Key West, FL wrote its last area forecast discussion before this special weather statement went out at Dec 20, 11:40 AM EST, 3 hours 58 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Dec 20, 11:40 AM EST, 3 hours 58 minutes before
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</html>Hazardous weather outlook, Dec 20, 5:19 AM EST, 10 hours 19 minutes before
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Key West FL 519 AM EST Thu Dec 20 2018 FLZ076>078-GMZ031>035-042>044-052>055-072>075-211030- Monroe Upper Keys-Monroe Middle Keys-Monroe Lower Keys- Florida Bay including Barnes Sound, Blackwater Sound, and Buttonwood Sound- Bayside and Gulf side from Craig Key to west end of Seven Mile Bridge- Gulf waters from East Cape Sable to Chokoloskee 20 to 60 NM out and beyond 5 fathoms- Gulf of Mexico including Dry Tortugas and Rebecca Shoal Channel- Gulf of Mexico from west end of Seven Mile Bridge to Halfmoon Shoal out to 5 Fathoms- Hawk Channel from Ocean Reef to Craig Key out to the reef- Hawk Channel from Craig Key to west end of Seven Mile Bridge out to the reef- Hawk Channel from west end of Seven Mile Bridge to Halfmoon Shoal out to the reef- Straits of Florida from Ocean Reef to Craig Key out 20 NM- Straits of Florida from Craig Key to west end of Seven Mile Bridge out 20 NM- Straits of Florida from west end of Seven Mile Bridge to south of Halfmoon Shoal out 20 NM- Straits of Florida from Halfmoon Shoal to 20 NM west of Dry Tortugas out 20 NM- Straits of Florida from Ocean Reef to Craig Key 20 to 60 NM out- Straits of Florida from Craig Key to west end of Seven Mile Bridge 20 to 60 NM out- Straits of Florida from west end of Seven Mile Bridge to south of Halfmoon Shoal 20 to 60 NM out- Straits of Florida from Halfmoon Shoal to 20 NM west of Dry Tortugas 20 to 60 NM out- 519 AM EST Thu Dec 20 2018 ...STRONG COLD FRONT WILL IMPACT THE KEYS TODAY THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT... This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for the Florida Keys and adjacent coastal waters. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT A strong cold front is expected to blast through the Florida Keys and adjacent coastal waters during the afternoon and evening hours. This front is expected to bring multiple weather hazards to the Keys for today through Friday evening, including strong to severe thunderstorms, strong winds on land with gales likely on the coastal waters, and possible coastal flooding on the Gulf and Bayside. The potential for strong to severe thunderstorms ahead of the cold front will be highest across the Keys this afternoon and tonight. These thunderstorms are expected to organize into a squall line which is forecast to move through the Keys during the late afternoon or evening hours. The primary hazards with any thunderstorms will be strong, gusty and shifting winds along with lightning strikes. Some of the thunderstorms, either embedded within the squall line or developing out ahead of the line, could become severe with damaging winds and large hail. Isolated waterspouts will also be possible, and there is a slight risk for tornadoes as well. The Storm Prediction Center continues to include all of South Florida and the Keys within a severe thunderstorm risk area for today into tonight. On land, gusty south to southwest winds will increase to 20 to 30 mph today, then shift toward the west and increase to 25 to 30 mph tonight. This will probably require a Wind Advisory to be issued later today or tonight. These persistent and strong westerly winds will cause Coastal Flooding impacts from the north side of the Lower Keys through the Gulf side and Bayside communities of the Middle and Upper Keys beginning late tonight. See the latest Coastal Flood Statement for additional details. A Gale Warning has been issued for all of the Keys coastal waters, and SMALL CRAFT SHOULD REMAIN IN PORT today through Friday. Weather will change rapidly today into tonight. South to southwest winds will increase today with frequent gusts to near gale force becoming likely, then full on westerly gales are expected tonight. An intense squall line likely will move through Keys coastal waters during the afternoon and evening, with a slight risk for a few severe thunderstorms. Very large seas are also expected during this event. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY Strong sustained west winds around 30 mph with gusts near 40 mph are expected along the Keys island chain on Friday. This will require a Wind Advisory to be issued. The strong westerly winds will cause Coastal Flooding impacts to continue from the north side of the Lower Keys through the Gulf side and Bayside communities of the Middle and Upper Keys Friday and Friday night. Total water levels may reach 3 to 4.5 feet above mean sea level for the Bayside communities of the eastern Middle Keys and the Upper Keys Friday and Friday night. The maximum water levels likely will occur within Buttonwood Sound, Tarpon Basin, and Blackwater Sound, around the times of high tide. Water levels will begin to slowly subside on Saturday. See the latest Coastal Flood Statement for additional details. A Coastal Flood Warning may be required for the Middle and Upper Keys. SMALL CRAFT SHOULD REMAIN IN PORT on Friday, when westerly gale conditions are expected. Very large seas will peak on Friday at 11 to 19 feet across the Straits of Florida and deep waters of the southeastern Gulf of Mexico, 5 to 8 feet across Hawk Channel inside the reef, and 4 to 8 feet across the Gulf waters inside five fathoms. Winds should drop below Small Craft Advisory levels on the Keys coastal waters Saturday morning, but lingering high seas will remain above 7 feet over the Florida Straits and deep waters of the southeastern Gulf of Mexico through Saturday afternoon or evening. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Weather spotters and emergency management officials are encouraged to report severe thunderstorms, waterspouts, strong winds, heavy rainfall, hail or coastal flooding to the National Weather Service Forecast Office in Key West.
In the hours before
Special weather statement, Dec 20, 3:38 PM EST, 0 minutes before
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</html>The office that day
Everything else NWS Key West, FL issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 20, 3:10 AM EST | Special Marine Warning | KEY | 50 min | |
| Dec 20, 4:14 AM EST | Gale Warning | KEY | 42 hr | |
| Dec 20, 5:19 AM EST | Coastal Flood Statement | KEY | Monroe | 43 hr |
| Dec 20, 6:28 AM EST | Special Marine Warning | KEY | 47 min | |
| Dec 20, 11:58 AM EST | Special Marine Warning | KEY | 2 hr | |
| Dec 20, 12:45 PM EST | Special Marine Warning | KEY | 60 min | |
| Dec 20, 1:27 PM EST | Special Marine Warning | KEY | 93 min | |
| Dec 20, 2:56 PM EST | Special Marine Warning | KEY | 94 min | |
| Dec 20, 3:45 PM EST | Coastal Flood Advisory | KEY | Monroe | 43 hr |
| Dec 20, 4:16 PM EST | Special Marine Warning | KEY | 89 min | |
| Dec 20, 6:10 PM EST | Special Marine Warning | KEY | 50 min | |
| Dec 20, 6:55 PM EST | Special Weather Statement | KEY | 50 min | |
| Dec 20, 6:56 PM EST | Special Marine Warning | KEY | 64 min |
Nearby
Special Weather Statements in Florida, 2018Every special weather statement in 2018
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.