Tornadoes in Florida, March 9, 1998

Name: Tornadoes in Florida, March 9, 1998
Start: 1998-03-09T01:19
End: 1998-03-09T01:35
Location: Florida

March 9, 1998 · NWS TBW · 2 events in 2 counties and zones

Ground survey indicated that a tornado initially touched down eleven miles east southeast of Wauchula along Steve Roberts Road, two miles west of County Road 671, in rural, semi-wooded swamp and grassland of eastern Hardee county. The tornado reached its maximum F1 strength and width when it touched down in the uncompleted "Sun 'n Lakes" home development on the southwest side of Avon Park.

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

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The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: $512,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 2

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.

Ground survey indicated that a tornado initially touched down eleven miles east southeast of Wauchula along Steve Roberts Road, two miles west of County Road 671, in rural, semi-wooded swamp and grassland of eastern Hardee county. The tornado produced "F0" damage in the form of downed trees, power poles and mobile home roof damage.The tornado continued to move northeast across rural, semi-wooded swamp and grassland of eastern Hardee county and crossed the county line into extreme northwest Highlands county at 124 AM EST.The tornado reached its maximum F1 strength and width when it touched down in the uncompleted "Sun 'n Lakes" home development on the southwest side of Avon Park. Hundreds of large trees were uprooted or snapped half-way up from the base in the development around 127 AM EST. A few homes received minor roof and structural damage along Columbus Boulevard west of U.S. Highway 27 in the uncompleted "Sun 'n Lakes" subdivision.The tornado crossed U.S. Highway 27 near Lake Glenada and caused minor roof and structural damage to a few homes, commercial buildings and signs.The tornado continued to skip northeast across Lake Lotela and briefly touched down and caused minor roof and structural damage to a few homes and sheds along E. Roberts Road, approximately five miles east of Avon Park. The tornado lifted and dissipated at approximately 135 AM EST.

The radar

The Tampa radar (KTBW), 78 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 06:17 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

2 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.

Tornado, Hardee

When: March 9, 1:19 AM EST to 1:24 AM EST
Where: Hardee County, Wauchula to 11 mi E of Wauchula
Rating: F0
Path length: 5 mi
Path width: 75 yd
Property damage: $75,000
Coordinates: 27.480, -81.650

Tornado, Highlands

When: March 9, 1:24 AM EST to 1:35 AM EST
Where: Highlands County, Avon Park to 5 mi E of Avon Park
Rating: F1
Path length: 10.5 mi
Path width: 250 yd
Property damage: $437,000
Coordinates: 27.550, -81.570

What these are

Tornado: A violently rotating column of air in contact with the ground and extending from a thunderstorm, filed with its path, width and Fujita or Enhanced Fujita rating from the damage survey.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Florida in 1998 Every state in 1998 This day in weather history The tornado archive for Florida, 1998 Warnings in Florida, March 1998

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: 5649351, 5649352.