1 thunderstorm wind, as filed by the National Weather Service.
Every event with a place to put it. 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 16, 12:52 PM EST, 3 hours 23 minutes earlier.
WEST CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST FLORIDA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL 152 PM EDT WED JUL 16 2003 CURRENTLY...VISIBLE SATELLITE LOOP DEPICTS WELL DEVELOPED EAST COAST SEA BREEZE AND EXPANDING AREA OF CONVECTION ALONG IT VIA 88D RETURNS FROM THE CAPE SOUTH...WITH THE WEST COAST BOUNDARY JUST GETTING UNDERWAY WITH ADDITIONAL CONVECTION FIRING ALONG IT FROM SOUTHERN PINELLAS COUNTY NORTH TO BROOKSVILLE...AND IN THE VICINITY OF NAPLES. LAPS SOUNDING DATA SHOWS AMPLE MOISTURE AND INSTABILITY ACROSS THE FA...SO AM EXPECTING AN INCREASE IN AREAL COVERAGE OF STORMS THE REST OF THE AFTERNOON. WITH WATER VAPOR LOOP SHOWING DRIER MID LEVEL AIR MOVING NWWD ACROSS SOUTHERN MOST ZONES...SOME STORMS COULD BECOME QUITE STRONG OR EVEN SEVERE THROUGH THE EVENING HOURS BEFORE FINALLY WINDING DOWN AFTER SUNSET. GIVEN THIS WILL INCLUDE WORDING FOR SOME STORMS POSSIBLY STRONG IN THE 5PM ZONE RELEASE FOR THE EVENING HOURS. SHORT TERM(THURS-FRI)...LITTLE OVERALL CHANGE IN SYNOPTIC SCALE PATTERN OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS WITH MODELS AGAIN FAIRLY SIMILAR WITH THEIR INDIVIDUAL SOLUTIONS. THE FORECAST AREA WILL CONTINUE TO BE SANDWICHED IN BETWEEN DEEP LAYERED RIDGING TO OUR SOUTH AND EAST AND TO THE NORTHWEST...WHILE WEAK UPPER TROUGHINESS AND 50H SHEAR AXIS PERSISTS ACROSS THE SERN STATES AND NRN PENINSULA. SUBTLE DIFFERENCES IN MODELS WITH RESPECT TO MOISTURE LEVELS WITH THE GFS CONTINUING TO DEPICT SLIGHTLY LESS MOISTURE AND CONTINUED LOWER POPS...WHILE THE NGM/ETA CONTINUE TO BE SOMEWHAT WETTER LOOKING. GIVEN THE 50H SHEAR AXIS TO THE NORTH...VERY WEAK TO NON-EXISTENT 1000-500MB FLOW SUPPORTING EAST/WEST SEA BREEZES...AM INCLINED TO FAVOR THE HIGHER POP SOLUTION ADVERTISED BY BOTH ETA/FWC. GIVEN THIS PLAN TO ADVERTISE AROUND CLIMO-LEVEL POPS (50%) DURING THE DAYLIGHT HOURS ON THURSDAY AND FRIDAY...AND 20-30% RANGE FOR THE EVENING TIME FRAMES. GUIDANCE TEMPERATURES AGAIN FAIRLY SIMILAR AND ACCEPTED... BUT PREFER BLEND OF HIGHER FWC/MET POPS VS LOWER MAV NUMBERS. EXTENDED(SAT-WED)... LATEST LONG RANGE MODELS CONTINUE TO SHOW WEAK SFC RIDGE MEANDERING OVER THE FL PENINSULA IN WARM MOIST ENVIRONMENT. EXPECT TYPICAL SUMMERTIME MAINLY DIURNAL CONVECTION WITH NEAR CLIMO TEMPS AND POPS. MARINE...SURFACE RIDGE AXIS PROGD TO MEANDER ABOUT OVER THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN WATERS THROUGH THE PERIOD. THIS WILL FAVOR A SE-SLY FLOW ALONG AND SOUTH OF THE RIDGE AXIS...WITH A SOUTH TO SWLY FLOW TO THE NORTH. NON-EXISTENT GRADIENT WILL FAVOR ONSHORE SEA BREEZES EACH AFTERNOON. NO HIGHLIGHTS EXPECTED. FIRE WEATHER...NO CONCERNS. PRELIMINARY #S BKV 070/091 070/090 2525 TPA 074/090 075/090 2525 SRQ 075/089 073/089 2525 GIF 073/091 075/092 3535 FMY 073/092 074/092 3535 .TBW...NONE. JCM
FLZ039-042-043-048>052-055>057-060>062-065-161500- WEST CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST FLORIDA HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL 555 AM EDT WED JUL 16 2003 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR WEST CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST FLORIDA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT: ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP BETWEEN 11 AM AND 1 PM ALONG THE GULF COAST SEA BREEZE AND WHERE THE SEA BREEZE AND BAY BREEZES INTERSECT AROUND TAMPA AND SAINT PETERSBURG. THESE STORMS WILL CONTAIN OCCASIONAL CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING...A BRIEF DOWNPOUR...AND WIND GUSTS TO 25 MPH. SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP BETWEEN 1 AND 4 PM...AND SHOULD BECOME MOST NUMEROUS NORTH OF A TAMPA BAY TO LAKELAND LINE. THE STORMS WILL CONTINUE IN SOME AREAS UNTIL SUNSET...THEN FADE TO SHOWERS. VERY LIGHT STEERING FLOW WILL ALLOW STORMS TO FORM JUST ABOUT ANYWHERE THIS AFTERNOON. STRONGER STORMS THIS AFTERNOON WILL PRODUCE FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING...LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL WHICH MAY PRODUCE URBAN FLOODING IN POOR DRAINAGE AREAS...AND WIND GUSTS TO 40 MPH. A POCKET OF COOL AIR WELL ABOVE THE SURFACE MAY ALLOW A FEW STORMS TO REACH SEVERE LIMITS...WITH THE MAIN THREATS BEING PENNY SIZE HAIL AND DAMAGING WIND GUSTS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY: SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED EACH DAY. LIGHT SOUTHWEST STEERING FLOW MAY HELP INITIATE A FEW EARLY MORNING STORMS NEAR THE SUNCOAST GENERALLY FROM PINELLAS COUNTY NORTHWARD...ESPECIALLY FROM FRIDAY ON. OTHERWISE...STORMS WILL TEND TO OCCUR BETWEEN NOON AND SUNSET. .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
FLZ050-161900- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL 215 PM EDT WED JUL 16 2003 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT SOUTHERN PINELLAS COUNTY THROUGH 3 PM EDT... A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEARLY STATIONARY...WILL AFFECT SAINT PETE BEACH...GULFPORT...SAINT PETERSBURG AND LEALMAN...UNTIL 300 PM EDT. 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. AT 208 PM EDT A FUNNEL CLOUD WAS OBSERVED AT 5TH AVENUE AND 20TH STREET IN SAINT PETERSBURG WITH THIS THUNDERSTORM. MCMICHAEL
FLZ049-161945- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL 300 PM EDT WED JUL 16 2003 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT CENTRAL PASCO COUNTY... A STRONG THUNDERSTORM...NEARLY STATIONARY...WILL AFFECT MOON LAKE ESTATES AND LAND O LAKES...UNTIL 345 PM EDT. GUSTY WINDS 40 TO 50 MPH MAY CAUSE LOOSE OBJECTS TO BLOW AROUND. MINOR 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 EXPECTED. TORRENTIAL RAINS WILL CAUSE PONDING OF WATER ON ROADS...AND MINOR FLOODING OF POOR DRAINAGE AREAS.
FLZ065-162030- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL 400 PM EDT WED JUL 16 2003 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT EASTERN LEE COUNTY... A THUNDERSTORM MOVING NORTHWEST AT 10 MPH...WILL AFFECT RURAL EASTERN LEE COUNTY...10 MILES SOUTHEAST OF LEHIGH ACRES...UNTIL 430 PM EDT. GUSTY WINDS UP TO 40 MPH AND FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IS EXPECTED. IF CAUGHT OUTSIDE...CROUCH DOWN IN A LOW SPOT...AWAY FROM TALL OBJECTS. THIS STORM MAY PRODUCE PEA SIZE HAIL. TORRENTIAL RAINS WILL CAUSE PONDING OF WATER ON ROADS...AND MINOR FLOODING OF POOR DRAINAGE AREAS.
FLZ065-162115- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL 430 PM EDT WED JUL 16 2003 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT SOUTH LEE COUNTY... THUNDERSTORMS...MOVING WEST AT 10 MPH...WILL AFFECT ESTERO AND AREAS NEAR SOUTHWEST INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT...UNTIL 515 PM EDT. GUSTY WINDS 40 TO 50 MPH MAY CAUSE LOOSE OBJECTS TO BLOW AROUND. 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 POSSIBLE. TORRENTIAL RAINS WILL CAUSE PONDING OF WATER ON ROADS...AND MINOR FLOODING OF POOR DRAINAGE AREAS.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Thunderstorm winds downed trees and blew the roof off a mobile home.
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: 5366685.