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 Sep 6, 9:15 AM EST, 17 minutes earlier.
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 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
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL 517 AM EDT MON SEP 6 2004 FLZ039-061800- LEVY- 517 AM EDT MON SEP 6 2004 ...TORNADO WATCH NUMBER #803 IN EFFECT UNTIL 200 PM EDT... THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN RUSKIN HAS ISSUED A TORNADO WATCH FOR LEVY COUNTIES. AS TROPICAL STORM FRANCES MOVES WEST NORTHWEST THROUGH THE EXTREME NORTHEAST GULF...THE THREAT OF TORNADOES WILL CONTINUE ACROSS LEVY COUNTY. 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 (LOWER CASE) RJS
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL 627 AM EDT MON SEP 6 2004 FLZ052-056-057-061-062-065-061230- CHARLOTTE-DE SOTO-HARDEE-HIGHLANDS-LEE-POLK- 627 AM EDT MON SEP 6 2004 ...STRONG WINDS WILL AFFECT POLK...HARDEE...DESOTO...HIGHLANDS...CHARLOTTE...AND LEE COUNTIES... OUTER BANDS ASSOCIATED WITH TROPICAL STORM FRANCIS WILL CONTINUE TO QUICKLY ROTATE OVER INTERIOR AND SOUTHWEST FLORIDA THIS MORNING. THESE BANDS AND EMBEDDED CONVECTION IS MOVING NORTHEAST AT 40 MPH. THE POTENTIAL EXISTS FOR TORNADOS TO QUICKLY DEVELOP WITHIN THESE BANDS. GUSTY WINDS 40 TO 50 MPH MAY CAUSE LOOSE OBJECTS TO BLOW AROUND. MINOR DAMAGE TO TREE LIMBS AND WIRES IS POSSIBLE. TORRENTIAL RAINS WILL REDUCE VISIBILITY TO NEAR ZERO AT TIMES. MOTORISTS MAY WANT TO DELAY TRAVEL. DAVIS
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.
&&
NOAHPRELIMINARY 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.
&&
NOAHThe Tampa radar (KTBW), 55 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 14:31 UTC.
1 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.
A feeder band behind Hurricane Frances produced a brief tornado. Radar estimated the storm's movement to be northeast at 45 mph.
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, September 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: 5422832.