1 funnel cloud, 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 Melbourne, FL wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at May 22, 2:47 PM EST, 2 hours 3 minutes earlier.
EAST CENTRAL FLORIDA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MELBOURNE FL --- PM EDT THU MAY 22 2003 ...STORMY PATTERN TONIGHT AND FRIDAY...SOME IMPROVEMENT THIS WEEKEND... CURRENT WEATHER...A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM CONTINUES TO DEVELOP/DEEPEN AND MOVE EAST NORTHEAST ACROSS THE NORTHERN GULF OF MEXICO. RADAR MOSIAC SHOWS A LARGE AREA OF THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE NORTHEAST GULF OF MEXICO AND A PREFRONTAL LINE OF STORMS EXTENDING FROM AROUND CEDAR KEY TO WEST OF MANATEE COUNTY. SATELLITE IMAGERY WAS SHOWING A VORT MAX ROTATING INTO THE BASE OF THE LOW PRESSURE TROUGH ALOFT AND SOME GOOD UPPER LEVEL DIVERGENCE AS THE RIGHT READ QUAD OF A JETLET MOVES AWAY FROM THE LOW AND THE LEFT FRONT QUAD OF ANOTHER JETLET APPROACHES THE BASE OF THE LOW PRESSURE TROUGH. SOUTHERLY WIND FLOW WILL CONTINUE TO FEED MOISTURE RICH CARIBBEAN AIR INTO THE WARM SECTOR OF THE SYSTEM. OFFSHORE WEATHER BUOYS WERE RECORDING A BIT OF A LULL IN WINDS...BUOY 009 WAS ESE AT 2 KNOTS WHILE BUOY 010 WAS SE AT 16 KNOTS. BOTH BUOYS WERE RECORDING 5 FOOT SEAS. TONIGHT...THE LOW KEEPS MOVING SLOWLY ACROSS THE NORTHEAST GULF OF MEXICO AND NORTHERN FLORIDA. ANOTHER VORT MAX ROTATING O THE BASE OF THE TROUGH LATER TONIGHT AND THE RIGHT REAR QUAD OF A JETLET MOVING ACROSS THE AREA SHOULD GENERATE WIDESPREAD STORMS AND SHOWERS. COOLING TEMPERATURES ALOFT AND INCREASING LOW LEVEL WIND SHEAR AS THE PRE FRONT TROUGH APPROACHES THE FLORIDA EAST COAST SHOULD BE ENOUGH FOR A FEW STRONG STORMS TONIGHT. FRIDAY...EAST CENTRAL FLORIDA REMAINS IN THE WARM SECTOR OF THE SYSTEM. SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST WINDS CONTINUE TO PUMP MOISTURE LADEN AIR INTO THE AREA SO LIKELY POPS REMAINS A GOOD CALL. FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY...AS THE FRONT SLOWLY MOVES DOWN THE PENINSULA OVERNIGHT FRIDAY AND SATURDAY...PROGS ARE SHOWING A BROAD AREA OF MID LEVEL TROUGHING DEVELOPING OVER THE SOUTHEAST STATES. THIS SHOULD KEEP THE AREA IN AN UNSETTLED WEATHER PATTERN WITH 30 AND 20 POPS SATURDAY AND SUNDAY. MEMORIAL DAY THROUGH THURSDAY...BROAD MID LEVEL TROUGHING CONTINUES. AT THE SURFACE A WEAK WEST TO EAST WIND FLOW SETS UP AS A BROAD RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE BECOMES ESTABLISHED FROM THE BAHAMAS TO THE CENTREAL GULF OF MEXICO. COULD SEE SOME SEA BREEZES IF SKIES CLEAR OUT ENOUGH. MARINE ZONES...INCREASING SOUTH...VEERING TO SOUTHWEST WINDS NEXT 2 OR 3 PERIODS AS COLD FRONT APPROACHES AND MOVES DOWN THE PENINSULA. WILL KEEP WINDS AND SEAS JUST BELOW SCA. CONDITIONS OVER THE WATERS IMPROVE FOR THE HOLIDAY WEEKEND AS THE PRESSURE GRADIENT RELAXES AS THE LOW PULLS NORTHEAST AND AWAY. MIA...THANKS FOR COORDINATION CALL. .PRELIM CCF DAB TT 072/086 069/086 071 862 MCO TT 072/086 069/089 070 862 MLB TT 073/086 071/087 073 763 .MLB...NONE. PUBLIC/MARINE...WIMMER AVIATION/FIRE...HIRSCH/KELLY
AMZ550-555-570-575-FLZ041-044>047-053-054-058-059-064-141-144-147- 222000- EAST CENTRAL FLORIDA HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MELBOURNE FL 607 AM EDT THU MAY 22 2003 .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT: LOW PRESSURE DEVELOPING NEAR THE ALABAMA COAST THIS MORNING IS FORECAST TO MOVE ACROSS SOUTH GEORGIA TONIGHT. THE ATMOSPHERE WILL DESTABILIZE TODAY AS SOUTHERLY FLOW AND PARTIAL BREAKS OF SUNSHINE ALLOW TEMPERATURES TO CLIMB INTO THE MID TO UPPER 80S. WIND FIELDS AND SHEAR VALUES WILL BE STRONG FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR IN CENTRAL FLORIDA. STORM COVERAGE AND INTENSITY IS EXPECTED TO BE HIGHEST DURING THE LATE AFTERNOON AND EVENING HOURS...AND AN ORGANIZED LINE OF STORMS MAY DEVELOP AND MOVE ACROSS CENTRAL FLORIDA. THE POTENTIAL EXISTS FOR A FEW STORMS TO BECOME SEVERE LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT...PRODUCING WIND GUSTS NEAR 60 MPH AND LARGE HAIL. THE SEVERE STORM POTENTIAL WILL BE HIGHEST FROM AROUND THE ORLANDO METRO AREA AND CAPE CANAVERAL NORTHWARD. THE POTENTIAL ALSO EXISTS FOR A FEW TORNADOES THIS EVENING...ESPECIALLY AS THE STORMS APPROACH THE EAST COAST...WHERE SHEAR VALUES WILL BE GREATEST. ADDITIONALLY...A DEEP FETCH OF MOISTURE AND STRONG SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST FLOW MAY ALSO BRING SOME PERSISTENT AND HEAVY RAINS. LOCALIZED HEAVY RAIN AMOUNTS OF TWO TO THREE INCHES MAY FALL IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME...LEADING TO FLOODING OF ROADS AND OTHER POOR DRAINAGE AREAS. ALSO...SOUTH TO SOUTHEAST WINDS OF 15 TO 20 KNOTS WILL RESULT IN A NORTHWARD FLOWING LONG SHORE CURRENT NEAR THE BEACHES TODAY. A LONG SHORE CURRENT FLOWS PARALLEL TO THE BEACH AND CAN BE STRONG ENOUGH TO KNOCK YOU OFF A SAND BAR AND INTO DEEP WATER. NEVER TRY TO SWIM DIRECTLY AGAINST THE CURRENT...AND ALWAYS SWIM WITHIN SIGHT OF A LIFE GUARD. SMALL CRAFT SHOULD EXERCISE CAUTION TODAY. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY: SHOWERS AND STORMS WILL BE LIKELY FRIDAY...WITH A FEW STRONG STORMS AND HEAVY RAINFALL POSSIBLE. THE LOW PRESSURE AREA WILL ACCELERATE UP THE EASTERN SEABOARD SATURDAY...WITH SOME DRIER AIR WORKING INTO CENTRAL FLORIDA. AS THIS OCCURS...STORM COVERAGE WILL DECREASE OVER THE HOLIDAY WEEKEND. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SKYWARN SPOTTERS SHOULD BE READY TO SELF ACTIVATE IF A WARNING IS ISSUED FOR THEIR AREA. FOR A GRAPHICAL VERSION OF THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...GO TO WWW.WEATHER.GOV AND CLICK ON EAST CENTRAL FLORIDA. GLITTO
FLZ041-044-222045- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT FOR WIND GUSTS UP TO 45 MPH NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MELBOURNE FL 407 PM EDT THU MAY 22 2003 ...STRONG STORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING WIND GUSTS UP TO 45 MPH OVER EASTERN LAKE COUNTY...MOVING TOWARD SOUTHWEST VOLUSIA COUNTY... AT 405 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING STRONG WIND GUSTS OVER CASSIA...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 10 MPH. DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED HEAVY RAIN ASSOCIATED WITH THIS CELL PRODUCING ONE INCH IN THE LAST HOUR BETWEEN MOUNT PLYMOUTH AND CASSIA. LOCATIONS IN THE PATH OF THE STORM WHICH MAY EXPERIENCE STRONG WINDS INCLUDE DE BARY AND DELAND. IF THE STORM BECOMES SEVERE...A WARNING WILL BE ISSUED. 28
FLZ045-053-222215- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT FOR WIND GUSTS UP TO 55 MPH NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MELBOURNE FL 524 PM EDT THU MAY 22 2003 ...STRONG STORMS PRODUCING FUNNEL CLOUDS... AT 520 PM EDT...WEATHER RADAR INDICATED STRONG STORMS IN THE KISSIMMEE AND SAINT CLOUD AREA OF NORTH OSCEOLA COUNTY. AT THAT TIME SPOTTER REPORTS WERE ALSO RECEIVED OF FUNNEL CLOUDS ASSOCIATED WITH THESE STORMS. THE STORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 15 TO 20 MPH. WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH AND CONTINUED FUNNEL CLOUD DEVELOPMENT ARE VERY LIKELY OVER SOUTHEASTERN ORANGE COUNTY...AND NORTH CENTRAL OSCEOLA COUNTY THROUGH 615 PM. IF THESE STORMS BECOME SEVERE...WARNINGS WILL BE ISSUED. BE SURE TO REPORT ANY DAMAGE TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MELBOURNE.
The Melbourne radar (KMLB), 49 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:51 UTC.
1 funnel cloud. Local standard time, as filed.
An Osceola County official reported a funnel over East Lake Tohopekali.
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, May 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: 5357409.