Hail in Florida, May 18, 2003

Name: Hail in Florida, May 18, 2003
Start: 2003-05-18T18:35
End: 2003-05-18T18:35
Location: Florida

May 18, 2003 · NWS JAX · 1 event in 1 county or zone

1 hail, 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: 1

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 Jacksonville, FL wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at May 18, 2:00 PM EST, 4 hours 35 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 18, 2:00 PM EST, 4 hours 35 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSONVILLE FL
300 PM EDT SUN MAY 18 2003

PUBLIC...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT FOR WHOLE CWA UNTIL
8 PM. AS UPPER LOW DROPS SOUTH TO THE GULF...IMPRESSIVE UPPER
DIVERGENT PATTERN COUPLED WITH IMPRESSIVE INSTABILITY PARAMETERS
TO RESULT IN A GOOD CHANCE OF STRONG TO SEVERE STORMS THIS EVENING.
MAIN CONCERN WILL BE PULSE TYPE SEVERE. GOOD AREA OF CONVERGENCE
BETWEEN HIGHWAY 301 AND I-75 WHERE MOST STORMS ARE FIRING UP.
HIGHEST POPS WILL BE ACROSS THIS AREA (50 TO 60 PCT) THIS EVE.
A FEW STORMS MAY LINGER OVERNITE ACROSS INLAND GA. MONDAY...SIMILAR
PATTERN AS TODAY WITH UPPER LOW ENTERING GULF AND STRONG UPPER
DIVERGENT PATTERN AND GOOD LOW LEVEL MOISTURE FROM THE SOUTHEAST.
HIGHEST POPS INLAND (60 PCT) AND SLIGHTLY LOWER TOWARDS THE COAST.
TUESDAY...HAVE LEANED TOWARDS ETA MODEL WHICH KEEPS WEDGE JUST NORTH
OF THE AREA...BUT MOIST SE FLOW RESULTING IN A CHC POPS MOST AREAS.
WEDNESDAY...COLD APPROACHES FROM THE NW RESULTING IN A CHANCE OF
THUNDERSTORMS LATE WEDNESDAY INTO WEDNESDAY NIGHT.

EXTENDED...AS AN UPPER TROUGH DIGS SOUTHEAST FROM THE GREAT LAKES TO
THE GULF OF MEXICO...FRONTAL BOUNDARY SAGS SOUTHEAST ACROSS THE CWA
THURSDAY AND STALLS OVER NORTH FLORIDA FRIDAY. MRF DEVELOPS WAVE
ALONG FRONT WHICH MAY ENHANCE PRECIP. NOT SURE TO BUY INTO THAT THIS
EARLY...HOWEVER WITH FRONTAL SYSTEM IN THE AREA...WILL GO WITH A
CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS BOTH THURSDAY AND FRIDAY. AS AN
UPPER LOW CLOSES OFF IN THE EASTERN U.S. DURING THE WEEKEND THE COLD
FRONT PUSHES THROUGH WITH DRIER AIR MOVING IN. HAVE GONE WITH LOW
POPS FOR SATURDAY AND A 10 PERCENT POP (SILENT) FOR SUNDAY.

MARINE...NO HEADLINES.

FIRE WX...NO CONCERNS.

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...

AMG 68 86 66 80 / 60 60 20 50
SSI 71 82 71 79 / 40 50 20 30
JAX 70 86 70 80 / 40 50 20 50
SGJ 72 84 73 80 / 30 40 20 40
GNV 69 90 68 85 / 30 50 30 50
OCF 69 92 68 87 / 30 40 20 50

.JAX...
FL...NONE.
GA...NONE.

PP/JH

Hazardous weather outlook, May 18, 12:49 PM EST, 5 hours 46 minutes before

FLZ020>025-030>033-035>038-040-GAZ132>136-149>154-162>166-190000-

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSONVILLE FL
149 PM EDT SUN MAY 18 2003

UPDATED TO INCLUDE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH NUMBER 413

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHEAST FLORIDA AND SOUTHEAST
GEORGIA.

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT...

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM...

...RISK OF RIP CURRENTS AT THE BEACHES ABOVE NORMAL...

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH NUMBER 413 IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM THIS
EVENING. THIS WATCH INCLUDES ALL COUNTIES IN NORTHEAST FLORIDA AND
SOUTHEAST GEORGIA AND THE ADJACENT COASTAL WATERS.

AN UPPER LEVEL SYSTEM COMBINED WITH THE SEA BREEZE BOUNDARY AND A
COLD FRONT JUST TO THE NORTH WILL RESULT IN SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS
ACROSS ALL OF NORTHEAST FLORIDA AND SOUTHEAST GEORGIA THIS AFTERNOON
AND EVENING. THE BEST CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE FROM NEAR THE
HIGHWAY 301 CORRIDOR WEST TO THE I-75 CORRIDOR. STORMS MAY BECOME
SEVERE WITH LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING WINDS...AND FREQUENT CLOUD TO
GROUND LIGHTNING THE MAIN CONCERNS.

THE RISK OF RIP CURRENTS AT THE BEACHES WILL BE ABOVE NORMAL.
PLEASE REFER TO THE SURF ZONE FORECAST.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TOMORROW THROUGH SATURDAY...
A COLD FRONT IS EXPECTED TO MOVE INTO THE REGION THURSDAY AND FRIDAY
INCREASING THE CHANCES OF THUNDERSTORMS BOTH THURSDAY AND FRIDAY.
NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED NEXT WEEKEND.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...
SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS REQUESTED AT THIS TIME.

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION...VISIT THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN
JACKSONVILLE WEBSITE ON THE INTERNET AT WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/JAX.

PP/HESS

In the hours before

Special weather statement, May 18, 5:30 PM EST, 1 hour 5 minutes before

FLZ024-182315-

SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSONVILLE FL
630 PM EDT SUN MAY 18 2003

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL IMPACT WESTERN NASSAU COUNTY THROUGH
715 PM...

AT 623 PM EDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
CLUSTER OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ABOUT 9 MILES WEST OF CALLAHAN...
MOVING NORTHEAST AT 5 MPH. THIS CLUSTER OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL
ALSO AFFECT AREAS AROUND HILLIARD AND BOULOUGNE THROUGH 715 PM EDT.
HAIL UP TO ONE HALF INCH IN DIAMETER...EXCESSIVE CLOUD-TO-GROUND
LIGHTNING AND GUSTY WINDS OF 45 TO 55 MPH CAN BE EXPECTED ALONG WITH
POSSIBLE MINOR DAMAGE. TAKE SHELTER IF LIGHTNING IS IN YOUR AREA.

BROYLES

Local storm report, May 18, 5:32 PM EST, 1 hour 3 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSONVILLE, FL
632 PM EDT SUN MAY 18 2003

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

0520 PM    JASPER                    FL   WIND DAMAGE
05/18/03   HAMILTON                       LARGE TREES DOWN AND
                                          POWERLINES DOWN NEAR
                                          HIGHWAY 41 AND 129.
                                          REPORTED BY 911.

0530 PM    TAYLOR                    FL   WIND DAMAGE
05/18/03   BAKER                          LARGE TREES DOWN REPORTED
                                          BY 911

0345 PM    BAXLEY                    GA   WIND DAMAGE
05/18/03   APPLING                        TREES AND POWERLINES DOWN
                                          NEAR CHURCH REPORTED BY 911

0500 PM    10 N LAKE CITY            FL   WIND DAMAGE
05/18/03   COLUMBIA                       NUMEROUS TREES DOWN ALONG
                                          HIGHWAY 441 REPORTED BY 911

0600 PM    FOLKSTON                  GA   WIND DAMAGE
05/18/03   CHARLTON                       NUMEROUS LARGE TREE LIMBS
                                          DOWN REPORTED BY 911

PP

Special weather statement, May 18, 5:39 PM EST, 56 minutes before

GAZ152-182345-

SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSONVILLE FL
639 PM EDT SUN MAY 18 2003

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL IMPACT BRANTLEY COUNTY THROUGH 745 PM...

AT 639 PM EDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
CLUSTER OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CENTERED 3 MILES SOUTHWEST OF
HICKOX...OR ABOUT 7 MILES SOUTHWEST OF NAHUNTA...MOVING NORTHEAST AT
10 MPH. THIS CLUSTER OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL ALSO AFFECT AREAS
AROUND HICKOX...NAHUNTA...RAYBON...HORTENSE AND ATKINSON THROUGH 745
PM EDT. HAIL UP TO ONE HALF INCH IN DIAMETER...EXCESSIVE
CLOUD-TO-GROUND LIGHTNING AND GUSTY WINDS OF 45 TO 55 MPH CAN BE
EXPECTED ALONG WITH POSSIBLE MINOR DAMAGE.

BROYLES

Special weather statement, May 18, 5:50 PM EST, 45 minutes before

FLZ024-GAZ165-166-182330-

SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSONVILLE FL
650 PM EDT SUN MAY 18 2003

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL IMPACT NASSAU AND CAMDEN COUNTIES
THROUGH 730 PM EDT...

AT 648 PM EDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
CLUSTER OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CENTERED OVER KINGS FERRY...OR ABOUT
8 MILES NORTHEAST OF HILLIARD...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 20 MPH. THIS
CLUSTER OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL ALSO AFFECT AREAS AROUND KINGS
FERRY...HILLIARD...COLESBURG...WOODBINE AND DOVER BLUFF THROUGH 730
PM EDT. HAIL UP TO ONE HALF INCH IN DIAMETER...FREQUENT CLOUD TO
GROUND LIGHTNING AND GUSTY WINDS OF 45 TO 55 MPH CAN BE EXPECTED
ALONG WITH POSSIBLE MINOR DAMAGE.

PETERSON

Local storm report, May 18, 6:03 PM EST, 32 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSONVILLE, FL
703 PM EDT SUN MAY 18 2003

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

0520 PM    JASPER                    FL   WIND DAMAGE
05/18/03   HAMILTON                       LARGE TREES DOWN AND
                                          POWERLINES DOWN NEAR
                                          HIGHWAY 41 AND 129.
                                          REPORTED BY 911.

0530 PM    TAYLOR                    FL   WIND DAMAGE
05/18/03   BAKER                          LARGE TREES DOWN REPORTED
                                          BY 911

0345 PM    BAXLEY                    GA   WIND DAMAGE
05/18/03   APPLING                        TREES AND POWERLINES DOWN
                                          NEAR CHURCH REPORTED BY 911

0500 PM    10 N LAKE CITY            FL   WIND DAMAGE
05/18/03   COLUMBIA                       NUMEROUS TREES DOWN ALONG
                                          HIGHWAY 441 REPORTED BY 911

0600 PM    FOLKSTON                  GA   WIND DAMAGE
05/18/03   CHARLTON                       NUMEROUS LARGE TREE LIMBS
                                          DOWN REPORTED BY 911

0644 PM    HICKOX                    GA   WIND DAMAGE
05/18/03   BRANTLEY                       POWERLINES DOWN REPORTED
                                          BY GENERAL PUBLIC

PP

Special weather statement, May 18, 6:09 PM EST, 26 minutes before

GAZ153-154-165-166-190000-

SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSONVILLE FL
709 PM EDT SUN MAY 18 2003

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL IMPACT CAMDEN AND GLYNN COUNTIES
THROUGH 8 PM EDT...

AT 709 PM EDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
CLUSTER OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CENTERED OVER COLESBURG...OR ABOUT
OVER WOODBINE...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 20 MPH. THIS CLUSTER OF STRONG
THUNDERSTORMS WILL ALSO AFFECT AREAS AROUND WOODBINE...COLESBURG...
DOVER BLUFF...JEKYLL ISLAND...BRUNSWICK...DOCK JUNCTION...ST. SIMONS
AND SEA ISLAND THROUGH 800 PM EDT. HAIL UP TO ONE HALF INCH IN
DIAMETER...CLOUD-TO-GROUND LIGHTNING AND GUSTY WINDS OF 45 TO 55 MPH
CAN BE EXPECTED ALONG WITH POSSIBLE MINOR DAMAGE.

PETERSON

The radar

The Jacksonville radar (KJAX), 138 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 23:34 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Gilchrist

When: May 18, 6:35 PM EST
Where: Gilchrist County, 5 mi E of Trenton
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 29.617, -82.733

Reported as golfball sized hail.

What these are

Hail: Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Florida in 2003 Every state in 2003 This day in weather history Warnings in Florida, May 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: 5354940.