Flooding in Florida, September 6 to 14, 2004

Name: Flooding in Florida, September 6 to 14, 2004
Start: 2004-09-06T12:00
End: 2004-09-14T12:00
Location: Florida

September 6 to 14, 2004 · NWS TBW · 6 events in 6 counties and zones

Widespread heavy rain associated with Hurricane Frances across west central Florida lead to record flooding on many of the rivers. 44 feet on the 7th.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 3 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. 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: 6

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 happened

The episode as NWS TBW wrote it up.

Widespread heavy rain associated with Hurricane Frances across west central Florida lead to record flooding on many of the rivers. In Pasco County, Cypress Creek at Worthington Gardens (flood stage 8 feet) reached it's all time high of 13.78 feet on the 11th and the Anclote River at Elfers (flood stage 20 feet) reached the 7th highest stage ever at 24.44 feet on the 7th. In Hillsborough County, The Hillsborough River at the Morris Bridge (flood stage 32 feet) reached it's all time high of 34.38 feet on the 8th, the Alafia River at Lithia (flood stage 13 feet) reached the 5th highest stage at 22.33 feet on the 7th, and the Little Manatee River at Wiamauma (flood stage 11 feet) reach 17.09 feet on the 7th. The Peace River at Bartow in Polk County (flood stage 8 feet) reached it's all time high of 17.21 feet on the 11th. The Peace River in Zolfo Springs in Hardee County (flood stage 16 feet) reached the 5th highest stage of 22.42 feet on the 8th. Finally, the Manatee River at Myakka Head in Manatee County (flood stage 11 feet) reached 15.94 feet on the 11th. Damage estimates were included in the hurricane report because it was not possible to extract the flood damage information from the available data.

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 Tampa Bay, FL wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Sep 6, 9:15 AM EST, 2 hours 45 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Sep 6, 9:15 AM EST, 2 hours 45 minutes before

WEST CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST FLORIDA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL
1015 AM EDT MON SEP 6 2004

.UPDATE...AFTER COORDINATION WITH TPC...WILL DOWNGRADE HURRICANE
WARNING FROM SUWANNEE RIVER TO ANNA MARIA ISLAND TO A TROPICAL
STORM WARNING AT 1100 AM. WILL EXPAND HIGH SURF ADVISORY NWRD TO ANNA
MARIA TO COVER THE REST OF THE COASTAL WATERS AS WELL.

PREVIOUS DISCUSSIONS FOLLOW

810 AM EDT MON SEP 6 2004
.UPDATE...HAVE COORDINATED WITH SPC TO ISSUE A TORNADO WATCH FOR THE
ENTIRE FA. LOTS OF ROTATION SEEN IN THE FRINGE BAND OF FRANCES FROM
WRN LEE COUNTY TO SE POLK. THE ROTATIONS ARE MOVING VERY FAST AND
ARE SHORTLIVED...SO SOME TORNADOES MAY DROP DOWN WITH LITTLE OR NO
ADVANCE WARNING. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO AND LOCAL MEDIA
OUTLETS FOR UPDATED INFORMATION.

HAVE UPDATED THE ZONES TO INCLUDE THE WATCH INFORMATION. ALSO USED
THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE RAIN AND CLOUDS CATEGORICAL TODAY TILL 18Z
FOR ALL NORTH AND CENTRAL AREAS...AND THEN ONLY HAD CATEGORICAL RAIN
FROM THE TAMPA BAY AREA NORTH AFT 18Z.

505 AM EDT MON SEP 6 2004
.UPDATE...TROPICAL STORM WARNING IS DISCONTINUED FROM ENGLEWOOD TO
BONITA BEACH. THIS WILL BE REPLACED BY A HIGH SURF ADVISORY FOR
SURF OF 4 TO 7 FEET TODAY ALONG WITH THE HIGH RISK OF RIP CURRENTS.

ALSO...THE INLAND TROPICAL STORM WIND WARNING WILL BE DISCONTINUED
FOR POLK...HARDEE...AND HIGHLANDS COUNTIES. WILL KEEP SUMTER COUNTY
UP UNTIL NOON TODAY AS THE FEEDER BANDS MOVING THROUGH THE TAMPA
BAY AREA COULD STILL BRING TROPICAL STORM FORCE GUSTS UP THERE LATER
THIS MORNING.

FINALLY...THE TORNADO WATCH FOR LEVY COUNTY HAS BEEN EXTENDED UNTIL 2
PM. WILL UPDATE ZONES WITH NEW INFORMATION SHORTLY.

210 AM EDT MON SEP 6 2004
.SHORT TERM (TODAY-WED)...FIRST PERIOD STILL DOMINATED BY
CIRCULATION OF FRANCES. SEE LATEST TPC ADVISORIES FOR LATEST
UPDATES. WILL CONTINUE TO UPDATE FORECASTS AS SOON AS NEW DATA COME
IN. VWP HAS WINDS 50 TO 60 KNOTS JUST ABOVE THE SFC...WHICH IS
PARTIALLY COMING DOWN IN GUSTS AS THE FEEDER BANDS COME IN. SEVERAL
COASTAL LOCATIONS ARE STILL GUSTING JUST TO TROPICAL STORM FORCE.

SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST FLOW COMING OVER US WILL CONTINUE TO PULL IN
MOISTURE ALONG FEEDER BANDS AS IT IS DOING NOW. FLOOD WATCH THROUGH
TONIGHT FOR THE ENTIRE AREA LOOKS GOOD AS STILL CANNOT PREDICT
EXACT LOCATION OF BANDING. AS OF NOW...THE INLAND PARTS OF THE
TAMPA BAY AREA HAVE HAD THE MOST RAIN WITH SOME ISOLD PARTS OF ERN
HILLSBOROUGH AND WRN POLK GETTING AROUND 6 INCHES DURING THE STORM
SO FAR. AS EXPECTED...THIS IS NOT GOOD FOR THE RIVERS SO STAY TUNED
FOR UPDATED RIVER FLOOD FORECASTS.

BEYOND LABOR DAY...THE FLOW SHOULD BECOME SRLY WITH DECREASING
SPEEDS. HAVE TRENDED POPS DOWN EACH DAY AND TRIMMED POPS FOR THE
INTERIOR...AS RAIN WILL HAVE DIFFICULT TIME MAKING IT ALL THE WAY
INLAND.

MADE MINOR TWEAKS DOWN TO TEMPS UP NORTH TO ACCOUNT FOR EXPECTED
CLOUD COVER...OTHERWISE TEMPS LOOK GOOD.

.LONG TERM (WED NIGHT-SUN)...TRAILING TROUGH AXIS FROM FRANCES WILL
CONTINUE OVER THE EASTERN GULF AND FORECAST AREA THROUGH FRIDAY AND
THIS COMBINED WITH AMPLE LINGERING MOISTURE WILL RESULT IN SCATTERED
DIURNAL POPS EACH DAY.  DURING SATURDAY AND SUNDAY THE DEEPER
MOISTURE DROPS OFF SOME AS UPPER TROUGH DEEPENS OVER THE EASTERN U.S.
BUT STILL ENOUGH FOR SCATTERED DIURNAL CONVECTION EACH DAY.
TEMPERATURES SHOULD BE NEAR NORMAL THROUGH THE PERIOD.

&&

.MARINE...BUOY 42036 HAS WAVE HEIGHTS IN THE 15 TO 20 FOOT RANGE AND
STEADILY RISING. AS FRANCES MOVES ASHORE IN THE PANHANDLE EXPECT
WINDS AND SEAS TO QUICKLY DROP...BUT STAY AT LEAST IN SCEC RANGE
THRU TUE NIGHT.

&&

.FIRE WEATHER...DISPERSIONS WILL STAY HI FOR ONE MORE DAY. AFTER
THAT MOISTURE WILL CONTINUE TO BE HIGH WITH A STEADY SRLY FLOW FOR
THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS.

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
TPA 89 77 90 77 / 70 50 50 20
FMY 88 77 90 76 / 70 50 50 20
GIF 89 76 90 74 / 70 50 40 20
SRQ 88 78 89 77 / 70 50 50 20
BKV 87 76 89 74 / 70 70 60 30

&&

.TBW WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
 TROPICAL STORM WARNING FOR HILLSBOROUGH...PINELLAS...PASCO...
  HERNANDO...CITRUS...AND LEVY COUNTIES.
 HIGH SURF ADVISORY FOR MANATEE...SARASOTA...CHARLOTTE AND LEE
  COUNTIES.
 FLOOD WATCH THROUGH THIS EVENING FOR ALL OF FORECAST AREA.
 INLAND TROPICAL STORM WIND WARNING UNTIL 12 PM FOR SUMTER COUNTY.
  TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 2 PM FOR ALL OF FORECAST AREA.

&&

SHORT TERM...RJS
LONG TERM...PRC

Hazardous weather outlook, Sep 6, 4:46 AM EST, 7 hours 14 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL
546 AM EDT MON SEP 6 2004

FLZ039-061530-
LEVY-
546 AM EDT MON SEP 6 2004

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR LEVY COUNTY.

.DAY ONE...TODAY:

...TORNADO THREAT CONTINUES THROUGH EARLY AFTERNOON...

CONDITIONS REMAIN FAVORABLE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF BRIEF TORNADOES IN
ASSOCIATION WITH THE FEEDER BANDS FROM TROPICAL STORM FRANCES. SMALL
TORNADOES ARE POSSIBLE THROUGH 2 PM. TREES...POWER LINES...AND POORLY
CONSTRUCTED BUILDINGS WILL BE MOST AT RISK.

WINDS COULD ALSO GUST UP TO 60 MPH IN ASSOCIATION WITH SOME OF THE
SPIRAL BANDS WRAPPING AROUND TROPICAL STORM FRANCES. ALONG THE
COAST...THESE WINDS WILL CREATE HIGH SURF AND A HIGH RISK OF RIP
CURRENTS. AVOID GOING OUT INTO THE WATER TODAY.

IN ADDITION...HEAVY RAINS COULD CAUSE FLOODING OF ROADWAYS. A FLOOD
WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL TONIGHT. REMEMBER...WHEN YOU SEE WATER
RUSHING ACROSS A ROAD...OR YOU CANNOT SEE HOW DEEP THE WATER
IS...TURN AROUND DONT DROWN. THE MAIN CAUSE OF DEATHS FROM
HURRICANES AND TROPICAL STORMS IS INLAND FLOODING.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR LOCAL MEDIA OUTLETS FOR
UPDATES.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY:
SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE WEEK.

.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)

FLZ042-043-048>051-055-060-061530-
CITRUS-HERNANDO-HILLSBOROUGH-MANATEE-PASCO-PINELLAS-SARASOTA-SUMTER-
546 AM EDT MON SEP 6 2004

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE NATURE COAST AND WEST
CENTRAL FLORIDA.

.DAY ONE...TODAY:

...WINDS AND RAINS CONTINUE FROM TROPICAL STORM FRANCES...

SPIRAL BANDS WILL CONTINUE TO PULL MODERATE TO HEAVY RAINS ACROSS THE
AREA TODAY. WINDS COULD ALSO GUST UP TO 60 MPH IN ASSOCIATION WITH
SOME OF THESE BANDS. ALONG THE COAST...THESE WINDS WILL CREATE HIGH
SURF AND A HIGH RISK OF RIP CURRENTS. AVOID GOING OUT INTO THE WATER
TODAY.

IN ADDITION...THE HEAVY RAINS COULD CAUSE FLOODING OF ROADWAYS. A
FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT THROUGH TONIGHT. REMEMBER...WHEN YOU SEE
WATER RUSHING ACROSS A ROAD...OR YOU CANNOT SEE HOW DEEP THE WATER
IS...TURN AROUND DONT DROWN. THE MAIN CAUSE OF DEATHS FROM
HURRICANES AND TROPICAL STORMS IS INLAND FLOODING.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR LOCAL MEDIA OUTLETS FOR
UPDATES.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY:
SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE WEEK.

.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)

FLZ052-056-057-061-061530-
DE SOTO-HARDEE-HIGHLANDS-POLK-
546 AM EDT MON SEP 6 2004

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE INLAND COUNTIES OF WEST
CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST FLORIDA.

.DAY ONE...TODAY:

...WINDS AND RAINS CONTINUE FROM TROPICAL STORM FRANCES...

SPIRAL BANDS WILL CONTINUE TO PULL MODERATE TO HEAVY RAINS ACROSS THE
AREA TODAY. WINDS COULD ALSO GUST UP TO 40 MPH IN ASSOCIATION WITH
SOME OF THESE BANDS. ALONG THE COAST...THESE WINDS WILL CREATE HIGH
SURF AND A HIGH RISK OF RIP CURRENTS. AVOID GOING OUT INTO THE WATER
TODAY.

IN ADDITION...THE HEAVY RAINS COULD CAUSE FLOODING OF ROADWAYS. A
FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT THROUGH TONIGHT. REMEMBER...WHEN YOU SEE
WATER RUSHING ACROSS A ROAD...OR YOU CANNOT SEE HOW DEEP THE WATER
IS...TURN AROUND DONT DROWN. THE MAIN CAUSE OF DEATHS FROM
HURRICANES AND TROPICAL STORMS IS INLAND FLOODING.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR LOCAL MEDIA OUTLETS FOR
UPDATES.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY:
SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE WEEK.

.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)

FLZ062-065-061530-
CHARLOTTE-LEE-
546 AM EDT MON SEP 6 2004

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHWEST FLORIDA.

.DAY ONE...TODAY:

...WINDS AND RAINS CONTINUE FROM TROPICAL STORM FRANCES...

SPIRAL BANDS WILL CONTINUE TO PULL MODERATE TO HEAVY RAINS ACROSS THE
AREA TODAY. WINDS COULD ALSO GUST UP TO 40 MPH IN ASSOCIATION WITH
SOME OF THESE BANDS. ALONG THE COAST...THESE WINDS WILL CREATE HIGH
SURF AND A HIGH RISK OF RIP CURRENTS. AVOID GOING OUT INTO THE WATER
TODAY.

IN ADDITION...THE HEAVY RAINS COULD CAUSE FLOODING OF ROADWAYS. A
FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT THROUGH TONIGHT. REMEMBER...WHEN YOU SEE
WATER RUSHING ACROSS A ROAD...OR YOU CANNOT SEE HOW DEEP THE WATER
IS...TURN AROUND DONT DROWN. THE MAIN CAUSE OF DEATHS FROM
HURRICANES AND TROPICAL STORMS IS INLAND FLOODING.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR LOCAL MEDIA OUTLETS FOR
UPDATES.

RJS

In the hours before

Local storm report, Sep 6, 9:05 AM EST, 2 hours 55 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL
1005 AM EDT MON SEP 06 2004

..TIME...   ...EVENT...     ...CITY LOCATION...      ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....     ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0805 AM     HEAVY RAIN       LUTZ                    28.14N 82.46W
09/06/2004  7.32 INCH        HILLSBOROUGH       FL   TRAINED SPOTTER

0835 AM     HEAVY RAIN       SEBRING                 27.49N 81.45W
09/06/2004  9.50 INCH        HIGHLANDS          FL   TRAINED SPOTTER

            EVENT TOTAL RAIN FALL.

0932 AM     TORNADO          3 SW BARTOW             27.86N 81.88W
09/06/2004                   POLK               FL   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            RADAR DETECTED THE ROTATION MOVING NORTHEAST AT 45 MPH.

1000 AM     HEAVY RAIN       BRANDON                 27.93N 82.29W
09/06/2004  8.00 INCH        HILLSBOROUGH       FL   TRAINED SPOTTER

            NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF PROVIDENCE AND BLOOMINGDALE.
            EVENT TOTAL RAIN FALL.

&&

NOAH

Local storm report, Sep 6, 9:08 AM EST, 2 hours 52 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT ... CORRECTION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL
1008 AM EDT MON SEP 06 2004

..TIME...   ...EVENT...     ...CITY LOCATION...      ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....     ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0805 AM     HEAVY RAIN       LUTZ                    28.14N 82.46W
09/06/2004  7.32 INCH        HILLSBOROUGH       FL   TRAINED SPOTTER

0835 AM     HEAVY RAIN       SEBRING                 27.49N 81.45W
09/06/2004  9.50 INCH        HIGHLANDS          FL   TRAINED SPOTTER

            EVENT TOTAL RAIN FALL.

0932 AM     TORNADO          3 SW BARTOW             27.86N 81.88W
09/06/2004                   POLK               FL   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            RADAR DETECTED THE ROTATION MOVING NORTHEAST AT 45 MPH.

1000 AM     HEAVY RAIN       BRANDON                 27.93N 82.29W
09/06/2004  8.00 INCH        HILLSBOROUGH       FL   TRAINED SPOTTER

            NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF PROVIDENCE AND BLOOMINGDALE.
            EVENT TOTAL RAIN FALL.

1006 AM     HEAVY RAIN       3 S LAKELAND            28.00N 81.96W
09/06/2004  12.00 INCH       POLK               FL   TRAINED SPOTTER

            EVENT TOTAL RAIN FALL. PEAK WIND GUST YESTERDAY 72 MPH.

&&

NOAH

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

6 flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Flood, Pasco

When: September 6, 12:00 PM EST to September 11, 12:00 PM EST
Where: Pasco forecast zone
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC

Flood, Hillsborough

When: September 6, 12:00 PM EST to September 14, 12:00 PM EST
Where: Hillsborough forecast zone
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC

Flood, Polk

When: September 6, 12:00 PM EST to September 14, 12:00 PM EST
Where: Polk forecast zone
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 27.949, -81.698 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Manatee

When: September 6, 12:00 PM EST to September 14, 12:00 PM EST
Where: Manatee forecast zone
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC

Flood, Hardee

When: September 6, 12:00 PM EST to September 14, 12:00 PM EST
Where: Hardee forecast zone
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 27.493, -81.810 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, De Soto

When: September 6, 12:00 PM EST to September 14, 12:00 PM EST
Where: De Soto forecast zone
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 27.186, -81.809 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Flood: Flooding that develops more slowly than a flash flood: rivers leaving their banks, or water standing over land for an extended time.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Florida in 2004 Every state in 2004 This day in weather history Warnings in Florida, September 2004

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: 5422885, 5422886, 5422887, 5422888, 5422889, 5422890.