2 lightning, as filed by the National Weather Service.
Every event with a place to put it; 2 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 Jul 14, 12:30 PM EST, 7 hours 30 minutes earlier.
WEST CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST FLORIDA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL 130 PM EDT MON JUL 14 2003 CURRENTLY...88D SHOWING SCT CONVECTION DEVELOPING OVER MUCH OF THE AREA...EVEN STILL OVER THE E GULF WATERS. LOW LEVEL BOUNDARIES HELPING TO KEEP CONVECTION GOING OVER THE GULF WATERS...SINCE USUALLY BY THIS TIME OF DAY ACTIVITY SHOULD BE DIMINISHING OVER THE WATER. LOOKING AT CLOUD STREETS ON THE VISIBLE LOOP AND CURRENT STORM MOTIONS...LOOKS LIKE THE STEERING IS MORE SOUTHERLY RATHER THAN SE. THUS...TOUGH TO FIGURE WHERE BEST COVERAGE WILL BE. IT MAY STILL TRY TO FOCUS MORE INLAND LATER TODAY/EVENING AS A WEAK SW WEST COAST SEA BREEZE TRIES TO PUSH/REFORM CONVECTION EASTWARD. --SHORT TERM-- WEAK LOW LEVEL FLOW PATTERN WILL CONTINUE NEXT FEW DAYS. MODELS IN GENERAL AGREEMENT WITH KEEPING A WEAK SFC RIDGE AXIS OVER THE NCENT FA TUES...THEN SAGGING SOUTHWARD ACROSS THE CENT FA/PENIN BY WED. LIGHT SSE FLOW ON TUE...BECOMING MORE SSW OVER THE N FA AND N OF THE RIDGE AXIS ON WED OVER THE N FA. SW FLOW NOT EXPECTED TO BE STRONG ENOUGH OVER THE N FA ON WED TO BOTHER TRYING TO CHANGE TIMING OF CONVECTION TO MORNING AND EARLY AFTN. WILL KEEP MAINLY AFTN AND EVENING BOTH DAYS FOR NOW. MODEL GUIDANCE TEMPS SIMILAR AND SEEM REASONABLE. --EXTENDED--(THU-MON) LATEST MODEL GUIDANCE MUCH WEAKER WITH EASTERLY WAVE AND TUTT FEATURE TO MOVE INTO THE SE THEN GULF LATE WEEK. LATEST SAT IMAGE OF THIS WAVE OVER HISPANOLA NOW WEAK AS WELL...WHICH GUIDANCE HAS NOW PICKED UP ON. SO...SE FLOW TO CONTINUE WITH SFC RIDGE OVER THE AREA INTO THE WEEKEND...WITH TYPICAL DIURNAL CONVECTIVE PATTERN WITH CLIMO TEMPS. SFC RIDGE MAY SINK SOUTH LATE IN THE PERIOD WITH FLOW BECOMING MORE S/SW. --MARINE-- THE BIGGEST CONCERN WAS POTENTIAL FOR AT LEAST A WEAK TROPICAL WAVE TO MOVE INTO THE CENT GULF WED AND THURS. HOWEVER...LATEST GFS NOW HAS NOTHING...A BIG DIFFERENCE FROM PREV RUNS. CURRENT SATELLITE SHOWS A WEAK WAVE AROUND HISPANOLA/E CUBA...AND IT APPEARS TO BE WEAKER THAN YESTERDAY THIS TIME...SO CURRENT MODELS MAY BE ON TRACK WITH NO WAVE MOVING INTO THE GULF. WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR. FOR NOW...WILL EDGE WINDS/SEAS BACK DOWN AGAIN FOR WED/THURS. PRELIM #S: BKV 071/090 071/090 3635 TPA 074/090 075/090 3535 GIF 074/092 074/092 3635 SRQ 072/090 073/089 3535 FMY 074/091 074/091 3535= .TBW...NONE. MORALES
FLZ039-042-043-048>052-055>057-060>062-065-141500- WEST CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST FLORIDA HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL 555 AM EDT MON JUL 14 2003 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR WEST CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST FLORIDA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT: ...NUMEROUS THUNDERSTORMS LATER THIS AFTERNOON MAINLY FROM TAMPA BAY NORTHWARD... SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP BETWEEN 1 PM AND 4 PM...MAINLY ACROSS THE COASTAL COUNTIES ALONG THE GULF COAST SEA BREEZE AND WHERE STORM OUTFLOWS AND SEA OR BAY BREEZES INTERSECT. THESE INITIAL STORMS WILL CONTAIN BRIEF DOWNPOURS...WIND GUSTS TO 25 MPH...AND OCCASIONAL LIGHTNING. STORMS WILL BECOME MORE NUMEROUS AFTER 4 PM...ESPECIALLY NORTH OF A TAMPA TO WINTER HAVEN LINE. STRONGER CELLS WILL CONTAIN FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING...TORRENTIAL RAINS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING URBAN FLOODING IN POOR DRAINAGE AREAS...AND WIND GUSTS TO 40 MPH. ONE OR TWO STORMS MAY BECOME SEVERE AGAIN TODAY...WITH DAMAGING WIND THE PRIMARY THREAT. STORMS WILL BEGIN TO WEAKEN AFTER SUNSET...BUT OCCASIONAL LIGHTNING AND LOCALLY HEAVY RAINS MAY CONTINUE UNTIL MIDNIGHT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY: FOR TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY...UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCES COMBINED WITH AMPLE MOISTURE WILL CONTINUE THE LIKELIHOOD OF AFTERNOON AND EVENING THUNDERSTORMS...ESPECIALLY ALONG AND NORTH OF A TAMPA TO LAKELAND LINE. STRONGER CELLS WILL CONTAIN LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL...FREQUENT LIGHTNING...AND GUSTY WINDS. ONE OR TWO STORMS MAY BECOME SEVERE. FOR THURSDAY THROUGH SUNDAY...ONLY SCATTERED AFTERNOON AND EVENING THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED AS SLIGHTLY DRIER AIR MOVES INTO THE AREA. .SPOTTER CALL TO ACTION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE NEEDED TODAY. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR LOCAL MEDIA OUTLETS FOR UPDATES...INCLUDING POSSIBLE WARNINGS OR ADVISORIES...LATER TODAY. FOR ADDITIONAL WEATHER INFORMATION, CHECK OUR WEB SITE AT HTTP://WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/TBW BSG
FLZ048-049-142015- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL 334 PM EDT MON JUL 14 2003 ...EXCESSIVE LIGHTNING WILL AFFECT BROOKSVILLE... A THUNDERSTORM...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 20 MPH...WILL AFFECT SPRING HILL...MASARYKTOWN AND BROOKSVILLE...UNTIL 415 PM EDT. GUSTY WINDS UP TO 40 MPH WILL OCCUR. HAIL UP TO ONE HALF INCH IN DIAMETER IS EXPECTED. 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.
FLZ051-142200- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL 512 PM EDT MON JUL 14 2003 ...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT NORTHEAST HILLSBOROUGH... A THUNDERSTORM...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 10 MPH...WILL AFFECT RURAL NORTHEASTERN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY...UNTIL 600 PM EDT. GUSTY WINDS UP TO 40 MPH WILL OCCUR. 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. 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. JILLSON
FLZ052-142230- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL 552 PM EDT MON JUL 14 2003 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT EASTERN POLK COUNTY... THUNDERSTORMS...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 15 MPH...WILL AFFECT HAINES CITY...UNTIL 630 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. THIS STORM WILL PRODUCE PEA SIZE HAIL. 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.
FLZ051-142330- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL 648 PM EDT MON JUL 14 2003 ...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT EASTERN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY... A THUNDERSTORM...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 5 TO 10 MPH...WILL AFFECT RURAL EASTERN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY...UNTIL 730 PM EDT. GUSTY WINDS UP TO 50 MPH MAY CAUSE LOOSE OBJECTS TO BLOW AROUND. SOME DAMAGE TO TREE LIMBS AND WIRES IS POSSIBLE. 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. HAIL UP TO ONE HALF INCH IN DIAMETER IS POSSIBLE. 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. JILLSON
FLZ042-043-048-150115- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL 824 PM EDT MON JUL 14 2003 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT NORTHEASTERN HERNANDO COUNTY AND SOUTHERN CITRUS .STRONG WINDS OF 40 MPH...MOVING EAST AT 5 MPH...WILL AFFECT BROOKSVILLE AND HOMOSASSA SPRINGS...UNTIL 915 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. LOEPER
FLZ050-150145- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL 856 PM EDT MON JUL 14 2003 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT CLEARWATER... A STRONG THUNDERSTORM...DRIFTING WEST...WILL AFFECT CLEARWATER...UNTIL 945 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. HEAVY RAIN IN EXCESS OF 2 INCHES PER HOUR WILL CAUSE SOME LOCAL STREET FLOODING.
The Tampa radar (KTBW), 40 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 00:59 UTC.
2 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.
A 1.3 million dollar home just off Enterprise Road in Safety Harbor was struck by lightning. The resulting two alarm fire took 50 firefighters from six departments to put out.
Lightning struck a home on Bay Hills Boulevard and ignited a blaze in the attic.
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, July 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: 5369111, 5369112.