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 Tampa Bay, FL wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jul 11, 12:35 PM EST, 4 hours 9 minutes earlier.
WEST CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST FLORIDA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL 135 PM EDT SUN JUL 11 2004 .SHORT TERM...(TONIGHT THROUGH TUE NIGHT)...A TUTT LIKE FEATURE TRACKS WESTWARD ACROSS CUBA AS A H5 CENTER MOVES ALONG THE GULF COAST INTO THE SOUTHERN PLAINS...IN RESPONSE TO AN UPPER TROUGH FORMING ALONG THE EASTERN SEA BOARD. THESE FEATURES WILL KEEP A MOIST/ PRECIPITABLE WATER 1.8-2.2 IN/ NORTHERLY...BUT BECOMING MORE EASTERLY...MID AND UPPER FLOW THROUGH THE PERIOD. A SURFACE RIDGE WILL SHIFT FROM CENTRAL TO SOUTH FL TONIGHT AND THEN WEAKEN SOME OVER SOUTH FL OR THE STRAITS THROUGH TUE AS A SURFACE BUILDS OVER THE WESTERN GULF...PROVIDING A GENERALLY WEST TO SOUTHWEST LOW LEVEL FLOW ACROSS THE CWFA. GIVEN ALL THIS...WILL KEEP POPS SCATTERED IN THE RANGE OF 40 TO 50 % WITH THE HIGHEST IN THE AFTERNOONS ACROSS THE INTERIOR. HOWEVER...WILL GRADUALLY SHIFT THE BEGINNING TIME FROM AFTERNOON TO LATE MORNING DURING THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS AS THE WEST-SOUTHWEST FLOW BUILDS IN. .LONG TERM (TUE NGT-SUN)...MODELS CONTINUE TO DEPICT DEVELOPING TROUGH OVER EASTERN U.S. THROUGH THE PERIOD WITH SERIES OF SHORT WAVES MOVING THROUGH IT. ASSOCIATED SURFACE FRONT EXPECTED TO MOVE SLOWLY SOUTH REACHING NORTH FLORIDA THURSDAY AND THEN BECOMING NEARLY STATIONARY INTO NEXT WEEKEND. THIS WILL SETUP A DEEP WEST SOUTHWEST FLOW OF MOIST AIR ACROSS THE REGION AND WILL LIKELY SEE SOME DECENT RAINFALL ACROSS SOME PORTION OF THE FORECAST AREA LATE IN THE WEEK. EXACT LOCATION AND TIMING REMAINS UNCERTAIN...BUT APPEARS THAT BEST CHANCES FOR HEAVY RAIN WILL OCCUR THURSDAY NIGHT INTO SATURDAY. HOWEVER...STILL A FEW DAYS AWAY SO WILL CONTINUE WITH SCATTERED POPS AT THIS TIME. MAXIMUM TEMPERATURES EXPECTED TO BE NEAR NORMAL THROUGH THE PERIOD WITH MINIMUMS SLIGHTLY ABOVE NORMAL THANKS TO WINDS OFF GULF OF MEXICO. && .MARINE...OTHER THAN THUNDERSTORMS NO PROBLEMS AS SOME WHAT VARIABLE WINDS BECOME WEST AND SOUTHWEST THROUGH THE PERIOD AT 10KTS OR LESS. && .FIRE WEATHER...NO HIGHLIGHTS. && .PRELIMINARY NUMBERS... TPA 77 89 77 89 / 30 50 30 50 FMY 74 90 74 91 / 30 50 30 50 GIF 75 92 75 92 / 20 50 30 50 SRQ 75 89 75 89 / 30 40 20 40 BKV 73 90 73 90 / 30 50 30 50 && .TBW WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...NONE. && SHORT TERM RKR LONG TERM PRC
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL 532 AM EDT SUN JUL 11 2004 FLZ039-042-043-048>052-055>057-060>062-065-111600- CHARLOTTE-CITRUS-DE SOTO-HARDEE-HERNANDO-HIGHLANDS-HILLSBOROUGH-LEE- LEVY-MANATEE-PASCO-PINELLAS-POLK-SARASOTA-SUMTER- 532 AM EDT SUN JUL 11 2004 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR WEST CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST FLORIDA. .DAY ONE...TODAY: WIDESPREAD THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED ACROSS THE AREA LATE THIS MORNING THROUGH THIS EVENING. DAMAGING WIND WILL BE THE MAIN THREAT. TREES...POWER LINES...AND POORLY CONSTRUCTED BUILDINGS WILL BE MOST AT RISK. THE STORMS WILL MOVE SLOWLY SO LOCALLY VERY HEAVY RAIN IS POSSIBLE. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR LOCAL MEDIA OUTLETS FOR POSSIBLE WATCHES OR WARNINGS. DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY: SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS CAN BE EXPECTED EVERY AFTERNOON THROUGH THE PERIOD. SOME MAY BECOME STRONG. SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL 345 PM EDT SUN JUL 11 2004 FLZ051-112030- HILLSBOROUGH- 345 PM EDT SUN JUL 11 2004 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT CENTRAL HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY... ...THESE STORMS ARE DRIFTING SOUTH AT 5 MPH AND WILL AFFECT PALM RIVER...CLAIR MEL...AND GIBSONTON...UNTIL 430 PM EDT. GUSTY WINDS UP TO 40 MPH WILL OCCUR. EXCESSIVE CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IS EXPECTED IF OUTSIDE...CROUCH DOWN IN A LOW SPOT...AWAY FROM TALL OBJECTS. IF INDOORS...REFRAIN FROM USING ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES. THIS STORM WILL PRODUCE PEA SIZE HAIL. TORRENTIAL RAINS WILL REDUCE VISIBILITY TO NEAR ZERO AT TIMES. MOTORISTS MAY WANT TO DELAY TRAVEL. SHARP
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL 414 PM EDT SUN JUL 11 2004 FLZ055-112100- MANATEE- 414 PM EDT SUN JUL 11 2004 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT NORTHEAST SARASOTA AND CENTRAL MANATEE COUNTIES... ...THESE THUNDERSTORMS ARE MOVING EAST AT 10 MPH...AND WILL AFFECT AREAS WEST OF MYAKKA CITY...UNTIL 500 PM EDT. GUSTY WINDS 40 TO 50 MPH MAY CAUSE LOOSE OBJECTS TO BLOW AROUND. MINOR DAMAGE TO TREE LIMBS AND WIRES IS POSSIBLE. THIS STORM WILL PRODUCE PEA SIZE HAIL. TORRENTIAL RAINS WILL REDUCE VISIBILITY TO NEAR ZERO AT TIMES. MOTORISTS MAY WANT TO DELAY TRAVEL. SHARP
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL 418 PM EDT SUN JUL 11 2004 FLZ052-112100- POLK- 418 PM EDT SUN JUL 11 2004 ...STRONG WINDS WILL AFFECT CENTRAL POLK COUNTY... ...GUSTY WINDS 40 TO 50 MPH MAY CAUSE LOOSE OBJECTS TO BLOW AROUND IN ASSOCIATION WITH THUNDERSTORMS MOVING SOUTH AT 15 MPH OVER CENTRAL POLK COUNTY. THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT LAKE ALFRED...HAINES CITY...WINTER HAVEN AND INWOOD...UNTIL 500 PM EDT. MINOR DAMAGE TO TREE LIMBS AND WIRES IS POSSIBLE. FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IS EXPECTED. IF CAUGHT OUTSIDE...CROUCH DOWN IN A LOW SPOT...AWAY FROM TALL OBJECTS. RAINFALL RATES OF 1 TO 2 INCHES PER HOUR WILL OCCUR. MOTORISTS CAN EXPECT PONDING OF WATER ON ROADS...AND MINOR FLOODING OF POOR DRAINAGE AREAS. SHARP
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL 454 PM EDT SUN JUL 11 2004 FLZ039-112145- LEVY- 454 PM EDT SUN JUL 11 2004 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT EASTERN LEVY COUNTY... ...THESE STORMS ARE MOVING SOUTH AT 5 MPH...AND WILL AFFECT RURAL EASTERN LEVY COUNTY NEAR MORRISTON...UNTIL 545 PM EDT. GUSTY WINDS 40 TO 50 MPH MAY CAUSE LOOSE OBJECTS TO BLOW AROUND. MINOR DAMAGE TO TREE LIMBS AND WIRES IS POSSIBLE. FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IS EXPECTED. IF CAUGHT OUTSIDE...CROUCH DOWN IN A LOW SPOT...AWAY FROM TALL OBJECTS. THIS STORM WILL PRODUCE PEA SIZE HAIL. TORRENTIAL RAINS WILL REDUCE VISIBILITY TO NEAR ZERO AT TIMES. MOTORISTS MAY WANT TO DELAY TRAVEL. SHARP
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL 458 PM EDT SUN JUL 11 2004 FLZ057-112145- HIGHLANDS- 458 PM EDT SUN JUL 11 2004 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT SOUTHERN HIGHLANDS COUNTY... ...THESE STORMS ARE MOVING SOUTHWEST AT 10 MPH...AND WILL AFFECT VENUS...UNTIL 545 PM EDT. GUSTY WINDS 40 TO 50 MPH MAY CAUSE LOOSE OBJECTS TO BLOW AROUND. MINOR DAMAGE TO TREE LIMBS AND WIRES IS POSSIBLE. FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IS EXPECTED. IF CAUGHT OUTSIDE...CROUCH DOWN IN A LOW SPOT...AWAY FROM TALL OBJECTS. THIS STORM WILL PRODUCE PEA SIZE HAIL. RAINFALL RATES OF 1 TO 2 INCHES PER HOUR WILL OCCUR. MOTORISTS CAN EXPECT PONDING OF WATER ON ROADS...AND MINOR FLOODING OF POOR DRAINAGE AREAS. SHARP
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL 527 PM EDT SUN JUL 11 2004 FLZ056-061-112215- DE SOTO-HARDEE- 527 PM EDT SUN JUL 11 2004 ...STRONG WINDS WILL AFFECT SOUTHERN HARDEE AND NORTHERN DESOTO COUNTIES... ...AN OUTFLOW BOUNDARY...MOVING EAST AT 10 MPH...WILL AFFECT LILY AND PINE LEVEL...UNTIL 615 PM EDT. GUSTY WINDS 40 TO 50 MPH MAY CAUSE LOOSE OBJECTS TO BLOW AROUND. MINOR DAMAGE TO TREE LIMBS AND WIRES IS POSSIBLE. EXCESSIVE CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IS EXPECTED IF OUTSIDE...CROUCH DOWN IN A LOW SPOT...AWAY FROM TALL OBJECTS. IF INDOORS...REFRAIN FROM USING ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES. RAINFALL RATES OF 1 TO 2 INCHES PER HOUR WILL OCCUR. MOTORISTS CAN EXPECT PONDING OF WATER ON ROADS...AND MINOR FLOODING OF POOR DRAINAGE AREAS. SHARP
The Tampa radar (KTBW), 156 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:42 UTC.
1 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.
An eye witness saw two tornadoes rotating around each other. Several power lines were down in the area, trees were snapped in half, and two pole barns were destroyed.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Florida in 2004Every state in 2004This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Florida, 2004Warnings in Florida, July 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: 5412056.