1 tornado, 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 Jacksonville, FL wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Mar 20, 9:25 AM EST, 4 hours 50 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSONVILLE FL
925 AM EST THU MAR 20 2003
PUBLIC...WILL KEEP THIS BRIEF AS STRONG TO SVR STORMS NOW MOVING
INTO NW CWA (COUNTY WARNING AREA). TOR WATCH NUMBER 65 IN EFFECT TIL
3 PM FOR ALL OF SE GA ZONES. STORMS CONTINUE TO MOVE NE ALONG SQUALL
LINE WITH GOOD ROTATIONAL SIGNATURES (SOME ELEVATED). UPDATED ZONES
WITH NEW WATCH INFO...AS WELL AS INCREASES IN GA CLOUDS AND POPS AND
MINOR ADJUSTMENTS ELSEWHERE. 12Z SOUNDING SHOWS THAT REMAINDER OF
AREA COULD BECOME ACTIVE THIS AFTN...EVEN AS DYNAMIC ENERGY
SUPPORTING SQUALL LINE WANES. GOOD DRY AIR ALOFT...STRONG LOW-LEVEL
WINDS...LOW WET-BULB ZERO...AND MODERATE TO STRONG SHEAR POINT TO
SCATTERED STRONG TO SEVERE STORMS LATER TODAY.
MARINE...TOR WATCH INFO NOT ADDED TO MARINE FCST AS BOX DOESNT
COVER COASTAL WATERS IN OUR AREA. WILL BEEF UP WINDS IN MORNING
UPDATE OVER FL WATERS.
.JAX...
FL...SCA FERNANDINA BCH TO FLAGLER BCH OUT 60 NM.
GA...TORNADO WATCH #65 THRU 3 PM ALL ZONES.
SCA ALTAMAHA SOUND TO FERNANDINA BCH OUT 60 NM.
CARROLL/BROYLES/WELSH/KEEGAN/BOONEFLZ020>025-030>033-035>038-040-GAZ132>136-149>154-162>166-202000- HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSONVILLE FL 910 AM EST THU MAR 20 2003 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHEAST FLORIDA AND SOUTHEAST GEORGIA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT... ...A TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 3 PM FOR ALL OF SOUTHEAST GEORGIA... ...TORNADOES...LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING WINDS AND LOCALIZED FLOODING POSSIBLE... SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING WIND GUSTS AND TORNADOES ARE POSSIBLE IN THE WATCH AREA. ELSEWHERE SCATTERED STRONG AND ISOLATED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP TODAY AND CONTINUE THROUGH THE NIGHT. STORMS WILL MOVE TOWARD THE NORTHEAST. LOCALIZED FLOODING IS ALSO POSSIBLE TODAY. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY... THE POTENTIAL FOR SCATTERED STRONG AND ISOLATED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS EXISTS THROUGH FRIDAY ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA. LOCALIZED HEAVY RAINFALL IS ALSO POSSIBLE. AREA RIVERS WILL LIKELY CONTINUE NEAR OR ABOVE FLOOD STAGE THROUGH THE PERIOD. NO OTHER HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... STORM SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS REQUESTED FOR SOUTHEAST GEORGIA COUNTIES. IN ADDITION...NORTHEAST FLORIDA SPOTTERS ARE REQUESTED TO SELF-ACTIVATE IF WARNINGS ARE ISSUED LATER TODAY. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION...VISIT THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN JACKSONVILLE WEBSITE ON THE INTERNET AT WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/JAX. CARROLL
GAZ133>135-201500- SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSONVILLE FL 922 AM EST THU MAR 20 2003 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL IMPACT APPLING...JEFF DAVIS...AND BACON COUNTIES THROUGH 1000 AM... AT 922 AM EST NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS 10 MILES SOUTHWEST OF GRAHAM...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH. THIS CLUSTER OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL ALSO AFFECT AREAS AROUND GRAHAM...PINE GROVE AND BAXLEY THROUGH 1000 AM EST. INTERESTS ON AND NEAR HIGHWAY 23 NORTH OF ALMA SHOULD ALSO BE PREPARED FOR THE STRONG STORMS. 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. PLEASE SEEK SHELTER IF LIGHTNING IS IN YOUR AREA. BROYLES
GAZ132-149-201515- SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSONVILLE FL 926 AM EST THU MAR 20 2003 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL IMPACT ATKINSON COUNTY THROUGH 1015 AM... AT 926 AM EST NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS 4 MILES NORTH OF WILLACOOCHEE...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH. THIS CLUSTER OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT AREAS NORTH OF WILLACOOCHEE THROUGH 1015 AM EST. 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. IF LIGHTNING IS IN YOUR AREA...PLEASE SEEK SHELTER. BROYLES
GAZ134-135-201600- SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSONVILLE FL 956 AM EST THU MAR 20 2003 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL IMPACT APPLING AND BACON COUNTIES THROUGH 11 AM... AT 956 AM EST NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS 6 MILES NORTHWEST OF ALMA...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 20 MPH. THIS LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL ALSO AFFECT AREAS AROUND ALMA...NEW LACY...BAXLEY AND SURRENCY THROUGH 1100 AM EST. 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. PLEASE SEEK SHELTER IF LIGHTNING IS IN YOUR AREA. BROYLES
GAZ150-201600- SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSONVILLE FL 1019 AM EST THU MAR 20 2003 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL IMPACT WARE COUNTY THROUGH 11 AM... AT 1019 AM EST NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CENTERED 7 MILES NORTHEAST OF BICKLEY...OR ABOUT 7 MILES SOUTH OF ALMA...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 25 MPH. THIS LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL ALSO AFFECT AREAS AROUND BEACH AND DIXIE UNION THROUGH 1100 AM EST. 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. PLEASE SEEK SHELTER IF LIGHTNING IS IN YOUR AREA. BROYLES
GAZ133>135-201845- SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSONVILLE FL 1255 PM EST THU MAR 20 2003 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL IMPACT BACON...JEFF DAVIS...AND APPLING THROUGH 145 PM... AT 1255 PM EST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORMS NEAR ROCKINGHAM...MOVING NORTH AT 35 MPH. ANOTHER...STRONGER STORM WILL MOVE OUT OF COFFEE COUNTY INTO BACON AND JEFF DAVIS COUNTY. THESE STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL ALSO AFFECT AREAS AROUND SURRENCY...PINE GROVE AND BAXLEY THROUGH 145 PM EST. 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. CARROLL
GAZ136-201830- SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSONVILLE FL 104 PM EST THU MAR 20 2003 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL IMPACT WESTERN WAYNE COUNTY THROUGH 130 PM... AT 104 PM EST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM CENTERED 6 MILES NORTHWEST OF ODUM...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH. ANOTHER STORM WILL MOVE OUT OF APPLING COUNTY AS WELL. 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. CARROLL
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.
Brief touchdown. Abandoned chicken house near State Road 135 and Bee Scott Rd. destroyed.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Georgia in 2003Every state in 2003This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Georgia, 2003Warnings in Georgia, March 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: 5338834.