Alert archive / Florida / Tornado Warnings in 2018

Tornado Warning 4, NWS Tampa Bay, FL

April 15, 2018Hillsborough County, Manatee County, Pinellas County, Florida

NWS Tampa Bay, FL issued this tornado warning at Apr 15, 2018, 2:51 PM EDT for Hillsborough County, Manatee County, Pinellas County, Florida. It was in force for 27 min. 4 reports 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: Apr 15, 2018, 2:51 PM EDT (18:51 UTC)
Expired: Apr 15, 2018, 3:18 PM EDT
In force: 27 min
Issued by: NWS Tampa Bay, FL
Area: Storm-based polygon
Tornado: Radar indicated
Hail: 0.75 in

Counties Hillsborough County, FL, Manatee County, FL, Pinellas County, FL

The radar

The Tampa radar (KTBW), 33 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 18:50 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.

What was reported inside it

Time	Report	Where	Remark
Apr 15, 3:12 PM EDT	TORNADO	1 W Saint Petersburg, FL	LARGE OAK TREE DOWN ON HOUSE CAUSING HEAVY DAMAGE NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF 14TH AVE SOUTH AND 44TH ST SOUTH. POSSIBLE TORNADO DAMAGE. TIME ESTIMATED.
Apr 15, 3:13 PM EDT	TSTM WND GST 51	1 Ese Gulfport, FL	PEAK WIND GUST AT WXFLOW STATION XCBN
Apr 15, 3:13 PM EDT	TORNADO	1 W Saint Petersburg, FL	LARGE TREE SPLIT FALLING ON HOUSE CAUSING MODERATE ROOF DAMAGE LOCATED NEAR 11TH AVE S AND 43RD ST S. POSSIBLE TORNADO DAMAGE - TIME ESTIMATED.
Apr 15, 3:18 PM EDT	TSTM WND GST 50	2 E Saint Petersburg, FL	WIND GUST OF 50MPH AT NOS STATION SAPF1

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
Apr 15, 10:12 AM EDT	Tornado Watch	SPC	8 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Tampa Bay, FL (KTBW), launched 12:00Z, 6.9 hours before the alert went out and 33 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: 686 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -59 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 825 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 35 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 201 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 220 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.5
Supercell composite: 4.9

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

698 
WFUS52 KTBW 151851
TORTBW
FLC057-081-103-151930-
/O.NEW.KTBW.TO.W.0004.180415T1851Z-180415T1930Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Tornado Warning
National Weather Service Tampa Bay Area Ruskin FL
251 PM EDT SUN APR 15 2018

The National Weather Service in Ruskin has issued a

* Tornado Warning for...
  Western Manatee County in west central Florida...
  Southeastern Pinellas County in west central Florida...
  Southwestern Hillsborough County in west central Florida...

* Until 330 PM EDT

* At 251 PM EDT, a radar indicated waterspout was located just
  offshore 7 miles west of Anna Maria, or 9 miles southwest of Fort
  Desoto Park, moving northeast at 40 mph.

  HAZARD...Tornado. 

  SOURCE...Radar indicated rotation. 

  IMPACT...Flying debris will be dangerous to those caught without 
           shelter. Mobile homes will be damaged or destroyed. 
           Damage to roofs, windows, and vehicles will occur.  Tree 
           damage is likely. 

* This tornado will be near...
  Anna Maria around 300 PM EDT. 
  Fort Desoto Park around 305 PM EDT. 
  St. Petersburg and Tierra Verde around 310 PM EDT. 
  St. Pete Beach around 315 PM EDT. 
  Saint Petersburg around 320 PM EDT. 
  Downtown Saint Petersburg around 325 PM EDT. 

Other locations impacted by this tornadic thunderstorm include
Gulfport, Albert Whitted Airport, Pass-A-Grille Beach, Lake Maggiore,
Tropicana Field, Boyd Hill Nature Preserve, Pinellas Point, South
Pasadena and Treasure Island.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TAKE COVER NOW! Move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a
sturdy building. Avoid windows. If you are outdoors, in a mobile
home, or in a vehicle, move to the closest substantial shelter and
protect yourself from flying debris.

Motorists should not take shelter under highway overpasses. If you
cannot safely drive away from the tornado, as a last resort, either
park your vehicle and stay put, or abandon your vehicle and lie down
in a low lying area and protect yourself from flying debris.

&&

LAT...LON 2781 8272 2773 8255 2754 8271 2750 8276
      2756 8281 2771 8281 2772 8282
TIME...MOT...LOC 1851Z 222DEG 33KT 2754 8286 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
HAIL...<.75IN

$$

TBW

2 follow-up statements

234 
WWUS52 KTBW 151909
SVSTBW

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Tampa Bay Area Ruskin FL
309 PM EDT SUN APR 15 2018

FLC057-081-151918-
/O.CAN.KTBW.TO.W.0004.000000T0000Z-180415T1930Z/
Manatee FL-Hillsborough FL-
309 PM EDT SUN APR 15 2018

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR WESTERN MANATEE AND SOUTHWESTERN
HILLSBOROUGH COUNTIES IS CANCELLED...
    
The tornadic thunderstorm which prompted the warning has moved out 
of the warned area. Therefore, the warning has been cancelled.

A tornado watch remains in effect until 600 PM EDT for west central
Florida.

LAT...LON 2781 8272 2774 8257 2768 8259 2759 8267
      2758 8271 2772 8282
TIME...MOT...LOC 1908Z 222DEG 33KT 2766 8274 

$$

FLC103-151930-
/O.CON.KTBW.TO.W.0004.000000T0000Z-180415T1930Z/
Pinellas FL-
309 PM EDT SUN APR 15 2018

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 330 PM EDT FOR
SOUTHEASTERN PINELLAS COUNTY...
    
At 308 PM EDT, a confirmed waterspout was located just offshore of 
Pass-A-Grille Beach and near the Skyway Bridge, moving northeast at 
40 mph.

HAZARD...Tornado. 

SOURCE...Weather spotters confirmed waterspout located near the 
         Skyway Bridge. 

IMPACT...Flying debris will be dangerous to those caught without 
         shelter. Mobile homes will be damaged or destroyed. Damage 
         to roofs, windows, and vehicles will occur.  Tree damage is 
         likely. 

This tornado will be near...
  St. Petersburg around 315 PM EDT. 
  Saint Petersburg around 320 PM EDT. 
  Downtown Saint Petersburg around 325 PM EDT. 

Other locations impacted by this tornado include Gulfport, Albert
Whitted Airport, Pass-A-Grille Beach, Lake Maggiore, Tropicana Field,
Boyd Hill Nature Preserve, Pinellas Point, South Pasadena and
Treasure Island.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

To repeat, a tornado is on the ground. TAKE COVER NOW! Move to an
interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building. Avoid
windows. If you are outdoors, in a mobile home, or in a vehicle, move
to the closest substantial shelter and protect yourself from flying
debris.

Motorists should not take shelter under highway overpasses. If you
cannot safely drive away from the tornado, as a last resort, either
park your vehicle and stay put, or abandon your vehicle and lie down
in a low lying area and protect yourself from flying debris.

&&

LAT...LON 2781 8272 2774 8257 2768 8259 2759 8267
      2758 8271 2772 8282
TIME...MOT...LOC 1908Z 222DEG 33KT 2766 8274 

TORNADO...OBSERVED
HAIL...<.75IN

$$

TBW

372 
WWUS52 KTBW 151918
SVSTBW

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Tampa Bay Area Ruskin FL
318 PM EDT SUN APR 15 2018

FLC103-151928-
/O.CAN.KTBW.TO.W.0004.000000T0000Z-180415T1930Z/
Pinellas FL-
318 PM EDT SUN APR 15 2018

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR SOUTHEASTERN PINELLAS COUNTY IS
CANCELLED...
        
The storm which prompted the warning has weakened below severe
limits, and has exited the warned area. Therefore, the warning has
been cancelled.  However gusty winds and heavy rain are still
possible with this thunderstorm.

A tornado watch remains in effect until 600 PM EDT for west central
Florida.

LAT...LON 2781 8272 2774 8257 2768 8259 2759 8267
      2758 8271 2772 8282
TIME...MOT...LOC 1916Z 222DEG 33KT 2773 8267 

$$

TBW

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Apr 15, 4:41 AM EDT	Rip Current Statement	TBW	Charlotte, Hillsborough, Lee, Manatee, Pinellas, Sarasota	60 hr
Apr 15, 8:02 AM EDT	Lake Wind Advisory	TBW	Charlotte, Citrus, DeSoto, Hardee, Hernando, Highlands and 9 more	12 hr
Apr 15, 12:05 PM EDT	Special Marine Warning	TBW		40 min
Apr 15, 12:11 PM EDT	Coastal Flood Advisory	TBW	Citrus, Hernando, Levy, Pasco, Pinellas	6 hr
Apr 15, 12:37 PM EDT	Special Marine Warning	TBW		38 min
Apr 15, 1:08 PM EDT	Special Marine Warning	TBW		52 min
Apr 15, 1:17 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	TBW	Citrus, Levy	43 min
Apr 15, 1:29 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	TBW	Hernando, Pasco, Pinellas	46 min
Apr 15, 1:54 PM EDT	Special Marine Warning	TBW		66 min
Apr 15, 1:59 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	TBW	Citrus, Levy	61 min
Apr 15, 2:10 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	TBW	Hernando, Pasco, Pinellas	50 min
Apr 15, 2:44 PM EDT	Special Marine Warning	TBW		31 min
Apr 15, 2:57 PM EDT	Special Marine Warning	TBW		63 min
Apr 15, 3:06 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	TBW	Pasco, Pinellas, Sumter	39 min
Apr 15, 3:09 PM EDT	High Surf Advisory	TBW	Charlotte, Hillsborough, Lee, Manatee, Pinellas, Sarasota	29 hr
Apr 15, 3:14 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	TBW	Hillsborough, Manatee	46 min
Apr 15, 3:27 PM EDT	Tornado Warning	TBW	Hillsborough	6 min
Apr 15, 3:46 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TBW	Hillsborough, Pasco, Polk	29 min
Apr 15, 3:50 PM EDT	Special Marine Warning	TBW		85 min
Apr 15, 3:58 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	TBW	Hillsborough, Manatee, Sarasota	47 min
Apr 15, 4:46 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	TBW	Charlotte, DeSoto, Hardee, Lee, Polk	59 min
Apr 15, 5:10 PM EDT	Special Marine Warning	TBW		35 min
Apr 15, 5:42 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	TBW	DeSoto, Highlands	63 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Florida, 2018 Every tornado warning in 2018 Tornadoes 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; local storm reports from the same archive; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.