Thunderstorm Wind, Polk
- When
- March 30, 3:35 PM EST to 3:45 PM EST
- Where
- Polk County, Lake Wales
- Property damage
- $180,000
- Coordinates
- 27.900, -81.580
Damaging Wind in Florida, March 30, 1996
Thunderstorm winds overturned a large portion of a canopy covered athletic bleacher near the shores of Lake Wales. A football scoreboard at the Lake Wales ball field complex on North Lakeshore Boulevard was downed along with extensive glass damage to the press box.
Where it happened
Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.
- Tornadoes
- Tropical storms and surge
- Floods
- Wind
- Hail
- Winter weather
- Heat and drought
- Cold
- Fire, smoke and dust
- Marine and coastal
- Other
The toll
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- $180,000
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 1
Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.
What happened
The episode as NWS TBW wrote it up.
Thunderstorm winds overturned a large portion of a canopy covered athletic bleacher near the shores of Lake Wales. A football scoreboard at the Lake Wales ball field complex on North Lakeshore Boulevard was downed along with extensive glass damage to the press box. Thunderstorm winds also severely damaged several roofs of homes and businesses in the city of Lake Wales.
The radar
The Tampa radar (KTBW), 84 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 20:35 UTC.
Event by event
1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
What these are
- Thunderstorm Wind
- Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
The same day elsewhere
- Tornado in Florida, March 30, 1996
- Hail in Florida, March 30, 1996
- Hail in Florida, March 30, 1996
- Hail in Florida, March 30, 1996
- Damaging Wind in Florida, March 30, 1996
- Hail in Florida, March 30, 1996
- Hail in Florida, March 30, 1996
- Hail in Florida, March 30, 1996
- Hail in Arkansas, March 30, 1996
- Hail in Florida, March 30, 1996
- Hail in Florida, March 30, 1996
- Hail in Florida, March 30, 1996
More
Every storm in Florida in 1996Every state in 1996This day in weather historyWarnings in Florida, March 1996
Sources
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5575245.