1 lightning, as filed by the National Weather Service.
Every event with a place to put it; 1 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
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.
The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Tampa Bay, FL wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Aug 15, 1:00 PM EST, 4 hours 15 minutes earlier.
WEST CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST FLORIDA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL 200 PM EDT FRI AUG 15 2003 CURRENTLY...AREA OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS FROM EASTERN LEVY COUNTY TO LAKE OKEECHOBEE WILL SPREAD SOUTHWEST THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE AFTERNOON. MOST OF THE CWA WILL SEE RAINFALL THIS AFTERNOON...MOVING ACROSS THE INTERIOR THROUGH MID AFTERNOON... SPREADING OVER THE COASTAL COUNTIES AROUND 4 TO 5 PM...JUST IN TIME FOR RUSH HOUR. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL PUSH OFFSHORE AND BEGIN TO DISSIPATE THIS EVENING. SHORT TERM (SAT-SUN)...DRIER AIR ALOFT WILL ADVECT OVER THE AREA TONIGHT AND SATURDAY WITH DECREASED AREAL COVERAGE OF AFTERNOON SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS SATURDAY AFTERNOON. SUNDAY WILL BE A TRANSITION DAY AS AN U/L TROUGH DIGS OVER THE SOUTHEAST U.S. WITH BOUNDARY LAYER FLOW SHIFTING SOUTHEAST...ADVECTING DEEPER LAYER MOISTURE BACK OVER THE FA. EXTENDED (MON-FRI)...THE UPPER LEVEL TROUGH WILL AGAIN SET UP OVER THE EASTERN UNITED STATES...WHICH WILL KEEP THE RIDGE SUPPRESSED TO THE SOUTH. THIS WILL AGAIN BRING SOUTHWEST FLOW OVER THE AREA. MORNING CONVECTION OVER THE GULF WATERS WILL MOVE INLAND WITH THE SEABREEZE THROUGH THE END OF THE FORECAST PERIOD. MORNING LOW TEMPERATURES WILL BE SLIGHTLY ABOVE NORMAL AND DAYTIME HIGHS WILL BE SLIGHTLY BELOW NORMAL WITH THIS WIND PATTERN. MARINE...WINDS WILL CONTINUE TO DECREASE TONIGHT AS THE GRADIENT RELAXES OVER THE AREA AS HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS OVER THE EASTERN GULF OF MEXICO. PRELIMINARY #S TPA 075/089 075/089 2524 FMY 074/090 074/090 2524 GIF 074/091 073/092 2524 SRQ 076/088 075/087 2524 BKV 072/090 073/089 2524 .TBW...NONE. EO
FLZ039-042-043-048>052-055>057-060>062-065-151400- WEST CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST FLORIDA HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL FL 600 AM EDT FRI AUG 15 2003 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR WEST CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST FLORIDA. .DAY ONE...TODAY: AN UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE WILL MOVE OVER THE AREA FROM THE NORTH TODAY AND COMBINE WITH DAYTIME HEATING IN A MOIST AND UNSTABLE ATMOSPHERE TO GENERATE NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS OVER WEST CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST FLORIDA TODAY INTO THIS EVENING. THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN OVER NORTHERN AND NORTHERN INTERIOR AREAS LATE THIS MORNING AS THE UPPER LEVEL ENERGY MOVES OVERHEAD THEN SHIFT SOUTH AND SOUTHWESTWARD BEING ENHANCED BY OUTFLOW BOUNDARIES AND A LATE AFTERNOON WEST COAST SEA BREEZE. SOME STORMS MAY BE STRONG WITH THE PRIMARY THREATS BEING STRONG GUSTY WINDS...SMALL HAIL... HEAVY RAINFALL AND FREQUENT DEADLY LIGHTING. ANY ADDITIONAL RAINFALL COULD PRODUCE FLOODING PROBLEMS IN POORLY DRAINED...LOW LYING AREAS...AS WELL AS WORSEN ANY ONGOING FLOODING ON AREA RIVERS AND STREAMS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY: A WEAK RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE WILL SET AND MIGRATE OVER THE AREA BRINGING A CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS EACH DAY. .SPOTTER CALL TO ACTION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED TODAY...
FLZ039-151930- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL 244 PM EDT FRI AUG 15 2003 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MOVING SOUTHWEST TOWARD THE LEVY COUNTY COAST... A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS...MOVING SOUTHWEST AT 10 MPH...WILL AFFECT CHIEFLAND...UNTIL 330 PM EDT. GUSTY WINDS UP TO 40 MPH WILL OCCUR. FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IS EXPECTED. IF CAUGHT OUTSIDE...CROUCH DOWN IN A LOW SPOT...AWAY FROM TALL OBJECTS. TORRENTIAL RAINS WILL CAUSE PONDING OF WATER ON ROADS...AND MINOR FLOODING OF POOR DRAINAGE AREAS. GOLDSMITH
FLZ060-152115- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL 448 PM EDT FRI AUG 15 2003 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORM AFFECTING RURAL SARASOTA COUNTY... A THUNDERSTORM...MOVING SOUTHWEST AT 15 MPH...WILL AFFECT MYAKKA RIVER STATE PARK...VAMO...SOUTH GATE RIDGE AND NOKOMIS...UNTIL 515 PM EDT. GUSTY WINDS 40 TO 50 MPH MAY CAUSE LOOSE OBJECTS TO BLOW AROUND. MINOR DAMAGE TO TREE LIMBS AND WIRES IS POSSIBLE. FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IS EXPECTED. IF CAUGHT OUTSIDE...CROUCH DOWN IN A LOW SPOT...AWAY FROM TALL OBJECTS. HAIL UP TO ONE HALF INCH IN DIAMETER IS EXPECTED. TORRENTIAL RAINS WILL REDUCE VISIBILITY TO NEAR ZERO AT TIMES. MOTORISTS MAY WANT TO DELAY TRAVEL. && THIS STORM MAY BECOME SEVERE...WITH DAMAGING WINDS AND PENNY HAIL...AT ANY TIME. A WARNING MAY BE REQUIRED AROUND 5 PM. GOLDSMITH
FLZ055-152145- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL 518 PM EDT FRI AUG 15 2003 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT BRADENTON... A THUNDERSTORM...MOVING WEST AT 5 MPH...WILL ALSO AFFECT ELLENTON...WEST SAMOSET...PALMETTO AND SAMOSET...UNTIL 545 PM EDT. GUSTY WINDS 40 TO 50 MPH MAY CAUSE LOOSE OBJECTS TO BLOW AROUND. MINOR DAMAGE TO TREE LIMBS AND WIRES IS POSSIBLE. FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IS EXPECTED. IF CAUGHT OUTSIDE...CROUCH DOWN IN A LOW SPOT...AWAY FROM TALL OBJECTS. HAIL UP TO ONE HALF INCH IN DIAMETER IS EXPECTED. TORRENTIAL RAINS WILL REDUCE VISIBILITY TO NEAR ZERO AT TIMES. && MOTORISTS MAY WANT TO DELAY TRAVEL UNTIL THE STORM PASSES. GOLDSMITH
FLZ050-152200- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL 525 PM EDT FRI AUG 15 2003 ...TORRENTIAL RAINS FOR THE MID EVENING COMMUTE IN CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN PINELLAS... A THUNDERSTORM...MOVING SOUTHWEST AT 15 MPH...WILL AFFECT SAFETY HARBOR...CLEARWATER...HIGHPOINT AND PINELLAS PARK...UNTIL 600 PM EDT. TORRENTIAL RAINS WILL REDUCE VISIBILITY TO NEAR ZERO AT TIMES. GUSTY WINDS 40 TO 50 MPH MAY CAUSE LOOSE OBJECTS TO BLOW AROUND. MINOR DAMAGE TO TREE LIMBS AND WIRES IS POSSIBLE. FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IS EXPECTED. IF CAUGHT OUTSIDE...CROUCH DOWN IN A LOW SPOT...AWAY FROM TALL OBJECTS. THIS STORM WILL PRODUCE PEA SIZE HAIL. && MOTORISTS MAY WANT TO DELAY TRAVEL. GOLDSMITH
FLZ055-060-152230- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL 554 PM EDT FRI AUG 15 2003 ...TORRENTIAL RAINS AND INTENSE LIGHTNING RACKING MANATEE AND SARASOTA COASTLINE... A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS...MOVING SOUTHWEST AT 15 MPH...WILL THE IMMEDIATE SHORELINE FROM ANNA MARIA ISLAND THROUGH NOKOMIS UNTIL 630 PM. RAINFALL RATES OF 1 TO 2 INCHES PER HOUR WILL OCCUR. MOTORISTS CAN EXPECT PONDING OF WATER ON ROADS...AND MINOR FLOODING OF POOR DRAINAGE AREAS. EXCESSIVE CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IS EXPECTED IF OUTSIDE...CROUCH DOWN IN A LOW SPOT...AWAY FROM TALL OBJECTS. IF INDOORS...REFRAIN FROM USING ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES. GUSTY WINDS 40 TO 50 MPH MAY CAUSE LOOSE OBJECTS TO BLOW AROUND. MINOR DAMAGE TO TREE LIMBS AND WIRES IS POSSIBLE. GOLDSMITH
FLZ050-152215- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL 604 PM EDT FRI AUG 15 2003 ...TORRENTIAL RAINS WILL SOON END ALONG THE PINELLAS COAST... A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS...MOVING WEST AT 10 MPH...WILL AFFECT DUNEDIN...LARGO...SEMINOLE AND CLEARWATER...UNTIL 615 PM EDT. ADDITIONAL RAINFALL OF UP TO 1 INCH WILL CREATE BRIEF MINOR FLOODING OF POOR DRAINAGE AREAS. SOME AREAS WILL RECEIVE 3 INCHES BEFORE THE STORM TAPERS OFF AROUND 630 PM. FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IS EXPECTED. IF CAUGHT OUTSIDE...CROUCH DOWN IN A LOW SPOT...AWAY FROM TALL OBJECTS. && MOTORISTS NEAR THE COAST FROM HIGHWAY 19 WEST SHOULD DELAY TRAVEL UNTIL CONDITIONS IMPROVE. GOLDSMITH
The Tampa radar (KTBW), 40 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 22:15 UTC.
1 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.
The lightning came through the phone line at the office but the person felt fine and went home. Later that evening the person felt sick and called 911 and was transported to the hospital.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Florida in 2003Every state in 2003This day in weather historyWarnings in Florida, August 2003
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: 5377558.