Florida, 2003

Damaging Winds in Florida, July 30 to 31, 2003

July 30 to 31, 2003 · NWS MLB · 3 events in 3 counties and zones

3 thunderstorm wind, as filed by the National Weather Service.

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

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
3

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 forecasters said that day

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 Melbourne, FL wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jul 30, 1:52 PM EST, 3 hours 38 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 30, 1:52 PM EST, 3 hours 38 minutes before
EAST CENTRAL FLORIDA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MELBOURNE FL
252 PM EDT WED JUL 30 2003

DISCUSSION...THE WEST COAST SEA BREEZE BOUNDARY IS MUCH MORE ACTIVE
THAN YESTERDAY...WITH OUTFLOW HELPING IT MAKE FASTER PROGRESS ACROSS
THE PENINSULA. THE EAST COAST SEA BREEZE HAS DEVELOPED AND IS
PUSHING SLOWLY INLAND...A BIT SLOWER NORTH OF THE CAPE. 15Z CAPE
SOUNDING IS NOT AS UNSTABLE AS YESTERDAY BUT LAPSE RATES REMAIN
STEEP ENOUGH FOR SOME STORMS TO PRODUCE COIN SIZED HAIL AND DAMAGING
DOWNBURST WINDS. GRAPHICAL HWO NICELY DEPICTS AREA OF CONCERN.
PRIMARY BOUNDARY COLLISION SHOULD OCCUR INLAND FROM THE COAST BUT
EAST OF ORLANDO EARLY THIS EVENING. ACTIVITY SHOULD NOT LINGER AS
LATE AS LAST NIGHT SINCE ATMOSPHERE IS ALREADY GETTING WORKED OVER.
WILL WORD FOR SCATTERED EVENING COVERAGE WITH SLIGHTLY HIGHER NOS
ALONG THE COAST.

THU...RIDGE AXIS REMAINS ACROSS SRN SECTIONS AND LAKE OKEECHOBEE
WITH VERY LIGHT PRES GRADIENT AND MOISTURE IN THE VICINITY OF 2
INCHES PWAT. SHOULD SEE A LIGHT OFFSHORE WIND IN THE MORNING WITH
THE EAST COAST SEA BREEZE DEVELOPING BY MID DAY AND MOVING INLAND
INITIALLY OVER THE TREASURE AND SPACE COASTS. STEERING FLOW ALOFT
STILL PROGD FROM THE WEST NEAR 10 KNOTS ACROSS NRN SECTIONS AND
ABOUT 5 KNOTS OF WESTERLY FLOW ACROSS THE SOUTH. THIS WILL ALLOW
SLOW MOVING STORMS AND LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN PRODUCERS WITH A GENERAL
DRIFT BACK TWD THE EAST COAST DURING THE EVENING. TEMPS ALOFT DO NOT
FAVOR SEVERE WEATHER...BUT COULD STILL SEE A FEW STRONG LATE AFTN
AND EVENING STORMS WITH ENHANCEMENT DUE TO BOUNDARY COLLISIONS.

FRI...SFC RIDGE AXIS POSITION REMAINS ESSENTIALLY UNCHANGED WITH
MAYBE A SLIGHT NORTHWARD DRIFT TO CENTRAL FL. AN UPPER TROUGH MOVING
OVER THE SOUTHEAST STATES ACTS TO SLIGHTLY WEAKEN RIDGE WITH LITTLE
CHANGE IN THERMODYNAMIC CONDITIONS ALOFT WINDS ALOFT ARE VERY LIGHT.
WITH ABSENCE OF STEERING WILL REDUCE POPS SLIGHTLY TO 40 PERCENT
...HOWEVER THOSE AREAS THAT SEE RAIN COULD GET LOCALLY HEAVY AMOUNTS
DUE TO SLOW STORM MOTION.

WEEKEND...CLOSED LOW ALOFT OVER THE GREAT LAKES TO REMAIN NEARLY
STATIONARY THROUGH THE PERIOD WITH SURFACE RIDGE CORRESPONDINGLY
SUPPRESSED SOUTH OVER FL PENINSULA. WEAK WIND REGIME THROUGH A DEEP
LAYER FAVORS SCATTERED COVERAGE EACH DAY. MAYBE A HIGHER INLAND VS
COASTAL RAIN CHANCE BUT WILL LEAVE UNIFORM COVERAGE ATTM AS LATE
MORNING SHOWERS COULD STILL AFFECT COASTAL SECTIONS.

EXTENDED...AXIS OF BERMUDA HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE MAINTAINS POSITION
OVER FL PENINSULA WEST INTO THE GULF OF MEX. COVERAGE OF
PRECIPITATION WILL VARY LITTLE EACH DAY WITH LOCAL INFLUENCE TIED TO
POSITION OF AXIS ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA. SCATTERED AFTERNOON PCPN
WITH CLIMO RANGE OF TEMPS WILL BE USED.

.MARINE...EXPECT EVENING STORMS TO ONCE AGAIN MOVE TOWARD THE
INTRACOASTAL AND NEARSHORE WATERS DURING THE EVENING HOURS MAINLY
OVER THE NORTH PORTION THU AND FRI. WEEKEND...WINDS REMAIN LIGHT
WITH RIDGE AXIS NEARBY...WINDS WILL BE MORE INFLUENCED WITH DAILY
SEA BREEZE CIRCULATION FOR NEARSHORE WATERS WITH LOCALLY HIGHER
WINDS AND SEAS NEAR THUNDERSTORMS.

TKS FOR COORD MIA

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
DAB TT 071/091 073/090 074 45343
MCO TT 073/092 073/092 074 35343
MLB TT 072/091 073/090 074 45343
VRB TT 071/091 073/090 074 45343 44

.MLB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...NONE.

SHORT TERM...KELLY
LONG TERM....PENDERGRAST
Hazardous weather outlook, Jul 30, 10:00 AM EST, 7 hours 30 minutes before
AMZ550-555-570-575-FLZ041-044>047-053-054-058-059-064-141-144-147-
302000-

EAST CENTRAL FLORIDA HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MELBOURNE FL
11 AM EDT WED JUL 30 2003

.DAY ONE...TODAY:

THE EAST COAST SEA BREEZE WILL DEVELOP THIS AFTERNOON AND PUSH
SLOWLY INLAND. THE MORNING WEATHER BALLOON LAUNCHES FROM CAPE
CANAVERAL AND TAMPA BAY INDICATED THE ATMOSPHERE IS NOT QUITE AS
UNSTABLE AS YESTERDAY...WITH SLIGHTLY WARMER TEMPERATURES ALOFT.
HOWEVER...A LOCAL EXPERIMENTAL MODEL OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA SHOWS
INCREASING INSTABILITY OVER THE EAST SIDE OF THE PENINSULA THIS
AFTERNOON...JUST INLAND FROM THE COAST. THIS AREA...STRETCHING FROM
VOLUSIA COUNTY SOUTH TO LAKE OKEECHOBEE...WILL BE MOST FAVORED FOR
SEEING THE HIGHEST COVERAGE AND INTENSITY OF STORMS.

THE WEST COAST SEA BREEZE WILL PUSH INTO THE INTERIOR SECTIONS
OF CENTRAL FLORIDA BY MID AFTERNOON AND PROVIDE FOCUS FOR STORM
DEVELOPMENT. COVERAGE AND INTENSITY OF STORMS WILL INCREASE LATE THIS
AFTERNOON AND EVENING AS STORMS APPROACH THE COAST AND COLLIDE WITH
THE EAST COAST SEA BREEZE. STORMS WILL LINGER INTO THIS EVENING NEAR
THE COAST AND OVER THE ADJACENT ATLANTIC COASTAL WATERS.

A FEW STORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING COIN SIZED HAIL AND
DAMAGING WINDS. ADDITIONALLY...STORMS TODAY WILL BE CAPABLE OF
PRODUCING TORRENTIAL DOWNPOURS AND FREQUENT TO EXCESSIVE CLOUD TO
GROUND LIGHTNING. MOST LIGHTNING FATALITIES AND INJURIES OCCUR IN
OPEN FIELDS OR UNDER TREES. IF OUTDOORS...AVOID BEING THE TALLEST
OBJECT AND SEEK SHELTER IN A STURDY BUILDING OR CAR. TELEPHONE LINES
AND METAL PIPES CONDUCT ELECTRICITY SO AVOID USING THE TELEPHONE OR
TAKING A SHOWER DURING A STORM. COMPUTERS...TELEVISION SETS AND
OTHER HOME APPLIANCES ARE SUSCEPTIBLE TO POWER SURGES AND MAY BE
DAMAGED BY NEARBY LIGHTNING STRIKES. YOU CAN BE INJURED OR KILLED IF
LIGHTNING STRIKES NEARBY.

ALSO...MOTORISTS SHOULD SLOW DOWN IN HEAVY RAIN TO REDUCE THE RISK OF
HYDROPLANING. BOATERS SHOULD BE ALERT FOR STORMS MOVING OFFSHORE FROM
THE MAINLAND LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY THIS EVENING.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY:
SCATTERED AFTERNOON STORMS WILL DEVELOP AGAIN THURSDAY AND MOVE BACK
TOWARD THE EAST COAST...ESPECIALLY NORTH. THE SURFACE RIDGE WILL
DRIFT NORTH FRIDAY THROUGH SATURDAY...ALLOWING THE SEA BREEZE
COLLISION TO OCCUR FARTHER INLAND. THE RIDGE AXIS WILL DRIFT BACK
SOUTH SUNDAY AND ALLOW STORMS TO APPROACH THE EAST COAST ACROSS
NORTHERN SECTIONS THROUGH EARLY NEXT WEEK.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SKYWARN SPOTTERS ARE ASKED TO SELF ACTIVATE THIS AFTERNOON IF STRONG
STORMS DEVELOP...AND RELAY ANY SIGNIFICANT WEATHER REPORTS TO THE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MELBOURNE.

FOR A GRAPHICAL VERSION OF THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...GO TO
WWW.WEATHER.GOV AND CLICK ON EAST CENTRAL FLORIDA.

KELLY

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Jul 30, 3:38 PM EST, 1 hour 52 minutes before
FLZ045-053-302130-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MELBOURNE FL
438 PM EDT WED JUL 30 2003

...STRONG LIGHTNING STORMS EXPECTED OVER EASTERN ORANGE COUNTY AND
EASTERN OSCEOLA COUNTY...

AT 434 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR DETECTED THE
EAST COAST SEA BREEZE MERGING WITH AN OUTFLOW BOUNDARY FROM A STORM
OVER SEMINOLE COUNTY.

IN ORANGE COUNTY...THE MERGER WAS OCCURRING IN EAST ORANGE COUNTY
EAST OF CHRISTMAS AND LAKE MARY JANE.

IN OSCEOLA COUNTY...THE BOUNDARIES WERE APPROACHING EACH OTHER OVER
OSCEOLA...AND ARE EXPECTED TO MERGE IN THE VICINITY OF HOLOPAW DOWN
TO LAKE MARIAN.

AS THESE BOUNDARIES MERGE THROUGH 530 PM...STRONG STORMS ARE
EXPECTED TO FORM...MANY OF WHICH WILL PRODUCE FREQUENT TO EXCESSIVE
LIGHTNING AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH.  PEOPLE IN THIS VICINITY ARE
URGED TO SEEK SHELTER INDOORS BEFORE THE STORMS DEVELOP...AND TO
REMAIN ALERT TO RAPIDLY CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS.

BRAGAW
Local storm report, Jul 30, 4:11 PM EST, 1 hour 19 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MELBOURNE FL
511 PM EDT WED JUL 30 2003

TIME(EDT)  .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE  ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

430 PM     CASSELBERRY               FL   WIND DAMAGE
07/30/03   SEMINOLE                       TREE DOWN ON HOUSE IN
                                          CASSELBERRY. TREES ALSO
                                          DOWN IN COLLEGE PARK AND
                                          WINTER SPRINGS. REPORT
                                          FROM TV9.
Local storm report, Jul 30, 4:20 PM EST, 1 hour 10 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MELBOURNE FL
520 PM EDT WED JUL 30 2003

TIME(EDT)  .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE  ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

430 PM     SANFORD                   FL   1.75 INCH HAIL
07/30/03   SEMINOLE                       REPORT FROM TV13.
Local storm report, Jul 30, 4:33 PM EST, 57 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MELBOURNE FL
533 PM EDT WED JUL 30 2003

TIME(EDT)  .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE  ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

430 PM     COLLEGE PARK              FL   WIND DAMAGE
07/30/03   ORANGE                         TREES DOWN. REPORT FROM
                                          TV9.
Special weather statement, Jul 30, 5:05 PM EST, 25 minutes before
302245-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MELBOURNE FL
605 PM EDT WED JUL 30 2003

...STRONG STORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH OVER
CENTRAL BREVARD COUNTY.

AT 558 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING STRONG WIND GUSTS 9 MILES SOUTH OF
COCOA...MOVING EAST AT 15 MPH.

THE STORM WILL AFFECT AREAS FROM ROCKLEDGE TO NORTH MELBOURNE...THEN
MOVE ACROSS THE INTRACOASTAL WATERS AND BARRIER ISLANDS FROM COCOA
BEACH TO SATELLITE BEACH THROUGH ABOUT 645 PM.

IF THE STORM STRENGTHENS FURTHER...A WARNING WILL BE ISSUED.

RL
Special weather statement, Jul 30, 5:25 PM EST, 5 minutes before
FLZ047-302300-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MELBOURNE FL
625 PM EDT WED JUL 30 2003

...STRONG STORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH OVER
CENTRAL BREVARD COUNTY.

AT 558 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING STRONG WIND GUSTS 9 MILES SOUTH OF
COCOA...MOVING EAST AT 15 MPH.

THE STORM WILL AFFECT AREAS FROM ROCKLEDGE TO NORTH MELBOURNE...THEN
MOVE ACROSS THE INTRACOASTAL WATERS AND BARRIER ISLANDS FROM COCOA
BEACH TO SATELLITE BEACH THROUGH ABOUT 645 PM.

IF THE STORM STRENGTHENS FURTHER...A WARNING WILL BE ISSUED.

RL

The radar

The Melbourne radar (KMLB), 85 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 22:28 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

3 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Orange

When
July 30, 5:30 PM EST
Where
Orange County, Orlando
Measured
50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by
BROADCAST MEDIA
Coordinates
28.550, -81.367

Thunderstorm winds blew down trees in the College Park area.

Thunderstorm Wind, Seminole

When
July 31, 4:00 PM EST
Where
Seminole County, Altamonte Spgs
Measured
60 kt (69 mph) estimated gust
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
28.667, -81.350

The public reported lots of trees and power lines down south of Altamonte Springs.

Thunderstorm Wind, Osceola

When
July 31, 5:10 PM EST
Where
Osceola County, Kenansville
Measured
50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
27.883, -80.983

Thunderstorm winds blew down trees and power lines near Kenansville and near Lake Kissimmee.

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

More

Every storm in Florida in 2003Every state in 2003This day in weather historyWarnings in Florida, July 2003

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: 5334391, 5334393, 5334392.