An unusually strong pressure gradient developed between small scale high and low pressure systems across central and southern Florida. The high pressure area was caused by a cold pool of air formed from early morning thunderstorms.
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 episode as NWS TBW wrote it up.
An unusually strong pressure gradient developed between small scale high and low pressure systems across central and southern Florida. The high pressure area was caused by a cold pool of air formed from early morning thunderstorms. The low, called a "wake low", formed behind the cold pool. Strong sustained winds over 30 knots lasted for nearly two hours along the shore in Sarasota county. The strong sustained winds were confined to within 30 miles of shore.
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 Apr 12, 8:35 AM EST, 2 hours 10 minutes earlier.
WEST CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST FLORIDA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL 935 AM EDT MON APR 12 2004 ...MORE RAIN ON THE WAY LATER TODAY... .CURRENTLY...LINE OF STRONGEST CONVECTION HAS MOVED SOUTH AND EAST OF OUR FA. CLOUD TOPS OVER THE AREA HAVE WARMED SIGNIFICANTLY...BUT ANOTHER ROUND OF CONVECTIONS IS ON ITS WAY. MODELS STILL DISAGREE ON TIMING AND LOCATIONS...BUT THEY ALL AGREE ON ANOTHER ROUND COMING WITH THE FRONT EXPECTED TO CLEAR THE AREA ON TUE. STRENGTH OF THE LINE COMING IN WILL DEPEND ON IF WE GET ANY INSOLATION OVER THE AREA AND ON UPPER DYNAMICS. LATEST GFS HAS US IN THE RRQ OF A MID TO UPPER LEVEL JET STARTING THIS AFTN AND CONTINUING THRU FRONTAL PASSAGE. CURRENT ZONES ARE HANDLING THIS WELL WITH NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS OVERNIGHT. WILL WAIT ON SPC UPDATE THIS AFTERNOON BEFORE INCLUDING WORDING ABOUT INTENSITY. WIND FORECAST IS A BIT TRICKY WITH THE MESO HIGH CURRENTLY BEING ANALYZED BEHIND THE SQUALL LINE. EXPECT WINDS TO SWING BACK AROUND TO SRLY BY THIS AFTERNOON SO WILL MAKE NO CHANGES IN THE ZONES THERE. && .MARINE...WINDS AT THE PORTS PICKED UP BRIEFLY BEHIND THE SQUALL LINE...BUT HAVE BACKED OFF. WILL KEEP UP THE SMALL CRAFT EXERCISE CAUTION FOR THE NEXT PACKAGE...AND KEEP UP THE WORDING FOR NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND TSTMS LATER TODAY WITH WINDS AND SEAS HIGHER IN THOSE STORMS. && .TBW WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... SMALL CRAFT EXERCISE CAUTION BONITA BEACH TO SUWANNEE RIVER OUT TO 60 NM INCLUDING TAMPA BAY. RJS
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL 440 AM EDT MON APR 12 2004 FLZ039-042-043-048-121500- CITRUS-HERNANDO-LEVY-SUMTER- 440 AM EDT MON APR 12 2004 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR FLORIDAS NATURE COAST. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT: THIS MORNING: A FEW THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED. THESE STORMS WILL PRODUCE OCCASIONAL CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING AND POSSIBLE WIND GUSTS UP TO 30 MPH ALONG WITH SOME HEAVY RAINS. TONIGHT: SCATTERED TO POSSIBLY NUMEROUS THUNDERSTORMS WILL REDEVELOP AS A COLD FRONT APPROACHES. STRONGER STORMS MAY PRODUCE WIND GUSTS OF 40 MPH OR MORE...FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING...AND BRIEF TORRENTIAL RAINS. IF STORMS APPROACH...SEEK SAFETY INDOORS. IF THERE IS TIME...UNPLUG APPLIANCES AND ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT. WAIT UNTIL THE STORM ENDS BEFORE USING THE TELEPHONE OR RUNNING WATER. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR LOCAL MEDIA OUTLETS FOR UPDATES. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY: ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE EARLY TUESDAY...OTHERWISE NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED THROUGH THE PERIOD. .SPOTTER CALL TO ACTION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE NEEDED. && FOR ADDITIONAL WEATHER INFORMATION...CHECK OUR WEB SITE AT HTTP://WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/TBW (LOWER CASE) FLZ049>052-055>057-060>062-065-121500- CHARLOTTE-DE SOTO-HARDEE-HIGHLANDS-HILLSBOROUGH-LEE-MANATEE-PASCO- PINELLAS-POLK-SARASOTA- 440 AM EDT MON APR 12 2004 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE TAMPA BAY AREA TO LAKELAND AND POINTS SOUTH. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT: ...LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS FOR THIS MORNINGS COMMUTE... ...MORE THUNDERSTORMS EXPECTED TONIGHT... A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE ONSHORE BETWEEN 530 AND 7 AM...THEN CONTINUE QUICKLY THROUGH INTERIOR COUNTIES BY 8 AM. RESIDENTS WILL EXPERIENCE UP TO AN HOUR OF TORRENTIAL RAINS AND FREQUENT LIGHTNING AS THE STORMS PASS. STRONGER STORMS MAY PRODUCE WIND GUSTS IN EXCESS OF 40 MPH AS WELL AS EXCESSIVE CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING. CONDITIONS WILL IMPROVE LATER THIS MORNING IN ALL AREAS...THOUGH ADDITIONAL SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS MAY DEVELOP IN CHARLOTTE...LEE...DESOTO...AND HIGHLANDS COUNTIES THIS AFTERNOON. BY TONIGHT...ADDITIONAL THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED AS A COLD FRONT APPROACHES. STRONGER STORMS OVERNIGHT MAY PRODUCE WIND GUSTS TO 40 MPH...FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING...AND BRIEF TORRENTIAL RAINS. IF STORMS APPROACH...SEEK SAFETY INDOORS. IF THERE IS TIME...UNPLUG APPLIANCES AND ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT. WAIT UNTIL THE STORM ENDS BEFORE USING THE TELEPHONE OR RUNNING WATER. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR LOCAL MEDIA OUTLETS FOR POSSIBLE WARNINGS AND ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY: ISOLATED TO SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS MAY CONTINUE THROUGH EARLY AFTERNOON ESPECIALLY OVER SOUTHWEST FLORIDA. BY TUESDAY NIGHT...GUSTY WEST TO NORTHWEST WINDS OVER THE GULF MAY PRODUCE LOCALLY ROUGH SURF AND HIGH SEAS ALONG THE BARRIER ISLAND BEACHES FROM PINELLAS THROUGH LEE COUNTIES. THESE CONDITIONS MAY PERSIST INTO EARLY WEDNESDAY BEFORE SUBSIDING. THEREAFTER...NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED. .SPOTTER CALL TO ACTION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE REQUIRED THROUGH MID MORNING TODAY AND POSSIBLY OVERNIGHT. && FOR ADDITIONAL WEATHER INFORMATION...CHECK OUR WEB SITE AT HTTP://WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/TBW (LOWER CASE) BSG
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL
559 AM EDT MON APR 12 2004
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0544 AM TSTM WND GST SARASOTA BRADENTON AIRP 27.40N 82.55W
04/12/2004 67 MPH MANATEE FL OFFICIAL NWS OBS
&&
JLCPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL
630 AM EDT MON APR 12 2004
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0605 AM MARINE TSTM WIND 8 N ELLENTON 27.64N 82.55W
04/12/2004 43 MPH MANATEE FL UNKNOWN
REPORTED AT P.O.R.T.S SITE AT PORT MANATEE
0553 AM MARINE TSTM WIND SARASOTA BRADENTON AIRP 27.40N 82.55W
04/12/2004 63 MPH MANATEE FL OFFICIAL NWS OBS
0545 AM MARINE TSTM WIND MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE 27.85N 82.50W
04/12/2004 40 MPH HILLSBOROUGH FL UNKNOWN
RECORDED AT OBSERVATION SITE
&&
BSGSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL 643 AM EDT MON APR 12 2004 FLZ052-056-057-061-121130- DE SOTO-HARDEE-HIGHLANDS-POLK- 643 AM EDT MON APR 12 2004 ...STRONG STORMS RACING INTO INTERIOR WEST CENTRAL FLORIDA... ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH CONTINUES... A BAND OF STORMS...CONTAINING WIND GUSTS IN EXCESS OF 40 MPH AND TORRENTIAL RAINS...WILL CONTINUE THROUGH HARDEE AND DESOTO COUNTIES BY 7 AM...AND RACE THROUGH SOUTHERN POLK COUNTY AND NORTHERN HIGHLANDS COUNTY BY 730 AM. STRONGER CELLS MAY PRODUCE WIND GUSTS UP TO 60 MPH. AS THIS AREA MOVED ONSHORE IN SARASOTA AND MANATEE COUNTIES JUST BEFORE 6 AM...WIND GUSTS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH WERE REPORTED AT THE SARASOTA BRADENTON AIRPORT. COMMUTERS ARE URGED TO ALLOW EXTRA TIME TO REACH THEIR DESTINATIONS...OR POSTPONE THE DRIVE UNTIL CONDITIONS IMPROVE AFTER SUNRISE. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR LOCAL MEDIA OUTLETS FOR UPDATES. && FOR ADDITIONAL WEATHER INFORMATION, CHECK OUR WEB SITE AT HTTP://WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/TBW
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL 756 AM EDT MON APR 12 2004 FLZ052-055>057-060>062-065-121215- CHARLOTTE-DE SOTO-HARDEE-HIGHLANDS-LEE-MANATEE-POLK-SARASOTA- 756 AM EDT MON APR 12 2004 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH NUMBER 69 THAT WAS IN EFFECT FOR... SARASOTA...POLK...HIGHLANDS...HARDEE...DE SOTO...LEE...CHARLOTTE AND MANATEE COUNTIES ...HAS BEEN CANCELLED. THE THREAT FOR SEVERE WEATHER OVER THE AREA HAS ENDED THIS MORNING. RAIN WILL CONTINUE TO TAPER OFF THROUGH MID MORNING...BUT ANOTHER ROUND OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS IS POSSIBLE LATER TODAY. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR LOCAL MEDIA OUTLETS FOR ANY FUTURE UPDATES TODAY. && FOR ADDITIONAL WEATHER INFORMATION, CHECK OUR WEB SITE AT HTTP://WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/TBW (LOWER CASE) RJS
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL
901 AM EDT MON APR 12 2004
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0505 AM TORNADO 1 S ENGLEWOOD 26.94N 82.35W
04/12/2004 F0 CHARLOTTE FL EMERGENCY MNGR
6 MOBILE HOMES WITH MINOR STRUCTURAL DAMAGE. PATH 20
YARDS WIDE. POWER LINES DOWN
0524 AM TSTM WND DMG FORT MYERS 26.63N 81.85W
04/12/2004 LEE FL EMERGENCY MNGR
MULTIPLE REPORTS OF POWER LINES BLOWN DOWN ACROSS WESTERN
LEE COUNTY.
&&
XXXPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT ... CORRECTION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL
921 AM EDT MON APR 12 2004
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0624 AM TSTM WND DMG FORT MYERS 26.63N 81.85W
04/12/2004 LEE FL EMERGENCY MNGR
MULTIPLE REPORTS OF POWER LINES BLOWN DOWN ACROSS WESTERN
LEE COUNTY.
0605 AM TORNADO 2 S ENGLEWOOD 26.93N 82.35W
04/12/2004 F0 CHARLOTTE FL EMERGENCY MNGR
6 MOBILE HOMES WITH MINOR STRUCTURAL DAMAGE. PATH 20
YARDS WIDE. POWER LINES DOWN
&&
DSThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
4 strong wind, 1 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A 41 knot wind gust was recorded at the Charlotte County Airport at Punta Gorda at 10:45 AM EST.
A wind gust of 49 knots was measured at Port Manatee at 1248 PM EST. The Sarasota/Bradenton International Airport recorded a 35 knot wind gust at 11:29 EST.
Strong sustained winds around 45 mph with gusts near 59 mph over an extended period of time damaged a four story beach resort in Venice. Power lines were knocked down around the hotel, the shingles were ripped from the roof, and the resort's sign was destroyed. A small parked airplane was overturned at the Venice. Two mobile homes received minor roof damage 2 miles northwest of the Sarasota/Bradenton International Airport.
A wind gust of 49 knots was measured at Port Manatee at 1248 PM EST. At 12:37 PM EST, a 44 knot wind gust was measured at Albert Whitted Airport in Saint Petersburg. The Sarasota/Bradenton International Airport recorded a 35 knot wind gust at 11:29 EST. A 41 knot wind gust was recorded at the Charlotte County Airport at Punta Gorda at 10:45 AM EST. In Hillsborough County, five construction workers across from Lithia Springs Elementary in Valrico received minor injuries when the roof they were framing collapsed. The strong winds left 125,000 residents without power for a short time in Lee County.
The wind gust was measured at the Tampa International Airport. Five construction workers across from Lithia Springs Elementary in Valrico received minor injuries when the roof they were framing collapsed.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Florida in 2004Every state in 2004This day in weather historyWarnings in Florida, April 2004
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: 5393931, 5394017, 5393932, 5394018, 5394019.