A mid to upper level shortwave continued to affect South Florida, helping to produce strong to severe afternoon thunderstorms.
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 episode as NWS MFL wrote it up.
A mid to upper level shortwave continued to affect South Florida, helping to produce strong to severe afternoon thunderstorms.
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 Miami, FL wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jul 2, 9:15 AM EST, 4 hours earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIAMI FL 1015 AM EDT WED JUL 2 2008 .UPDATE...NO CHANGES PLANNED FOR THE CURRENT FORECAST PACKAGE AT THIS TIME. TODAYS WEATHER PROMISES TO BE RATHER SIMILAR TO YESTERDAYS (TUE). 12Z SOUNDING ALMOST IDENTICAL TO 24 HRS AGO WITH PW = 1.82 INCHES, LI = 7.9. THE ONLY DIFFERENCE (AND NOT SIGNIFICANT) IS A SLIGHTLY HIGHER CAPE AND SLIGHTLY FASTER STEERING FLOW. ALSO , RUC80 STREAMLINE ANALYSIS SHOW UPPER LEVEL DIFFLUENCE OVER THE LOCAL AREA AND WEAK CONVERGENCE AT THE LOW LVL THAT COULD EASILY BE ENHANCED BY SEA BREEZES LATER ON. THEREFORE, AFTERNOON TSTMS IS PRACTICALLY A SURE THING, AND AGAIN, ONCE THEY DEVELOP, THEY WILL MOVE NORTHEASTWARD UNDER THE SOUTHWEST STEERING FLOW. AGAIN, LOCATION OF INITIAL CONVECTION WILL DEPEND GREATLY ON SEA BREEZES INTERACTION. A FEW OF THE STORMS COULD BECOME STRONG WITH WIND GUSTS TO 40 MPH, FREQUENT TO EXCESSIVE LIGHTNING AND SMALL HAIL. HEAVY DOWNPOURS CAN ALSO BE EXPECTED DUE TO THE SLOW MOVEMENT OF THE STORMS. .AVIATION... ACTIVE CONVECTION ACROSS THE REGION IS EXPECTED TODAY...BUT MAINLY IN THE EARLY AFTERNOON INTO THE EVENING. LINGERING MOISTURE ACROSS THE REGION AND A MID TO UPPER LEVEL TROUGH IN THE CENTRAL GULF WILL RESULT IN CONDITIONS FAVORABLE FOR CONVECTION. WHILE LIGHT SOUTHEAST FLOW WILL FAVOR CONVECTION IN THE INTERIOR AND WEST OF THE PENINSULA...WESTERLY FLOW IN THE LOWER LEVELS THROUGH THE UPPER LEVELS SHOULD RESULT IN CONVECTION ACROSS THE EAST COAST AS WELL. PERIODS OF MVFR CONDITIONS EXPECTED IN THE AFTERNOON THROUGH THE EVENING AND BRIEFER PERIODS OF IFR CONDITIONS POSSIBLE ACROSS ALL SOUTH FLORIDA TERMINALS IN THIS TIME. 60 && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 340 AM EDT WED JUL 2 2008/ DISCUSSION... NOT MUCH CHANGE TO THE SHORT TERM FORECAST REASONING FOR TODAY. THE TAIL END OF THE EASTERN CONUS TROUGH CONTINUES TO LINGER IN THE EASTERN GULF OF MEXICO WITH SOUTHWESTERLY STEERING FLOW IN THE MID LEVELS ACROSS SOUTH FL ON THE EAST SIDE OF IT. MODELS CONTINUE TO INDICATE GOOD UPPER DIVERGENCE AHEAD OF THIS FEATURE TODAY. MODEL FORECAST SOUNDINGS DO SHOW A SLIGHT WARMING IN THE MID- LEVELS TODAY...BUT GIVEN THE PROXIMITY OF THE TROUGH AND THE TEMPS ON THE 00Z MIAMI SOUNDING THIS MAY BE IN ERROR. THUS...EXPECTING A DAY SIMILAR TO YESTERDAY WITH BOTH SEA BREEZES FIRING ACTIVITY CLOSER TO THE COASTS...WITH ACTIVITY MOVING SLOWLY NORTHEAST TOWARDS PALM BEACH COUNTY...AND THEN OTHER ACTIVITY CONGEALING IN THE INTERIOR AND MOVING SLOWLY NORTHEAST AGAIN. HEAVY RAIN AND ISOLATED STRONG STORMS WITH SMALL HAIL AND GUSTY WINDS WILL BE POSSIBLE AGAIN TODAY. EXPECT MOST ACTIVITY TO DIE DOWN DURING THE MID EVENING HOURS ONCE AGAIN...BUT AT LEAST ISOLATED STORMS COULD CONTINUE ACROSS THE LOCAL WATERS AND EAST COAST METRO AREAS ALL NIGHT GIVEN PRESENCE OF THE TROUGH AND LIGHT ESE SFC FLOW. MODELS HAVE CONTINUED TO TREND AWAY FROM THE LARGE, DEEP-LAYERED ATLANTIC RIDGE BUILDING BACK ACROSS FL LATE THIS WEEK AND THIS WEEKEND. INSTEAD...MOST GUIDANCE NOW INDICATES A WEAKNESS IN THE RIDGE WILL REMAIN OVER THE EASTERN GULF OF MEXICO WITH EVEN WEAK TROUGHING LINGERING FROM 500-250MB. SFC RIDGE AXIS WILL REMAIN ACROSS NORTH CENTRAL FL THIS PERIOD WITH LIGHT ESE SFC FLOW AND DAILY WEST COAST SEA BREEZES COMBINED WITH SW STEERING FLOW IN THE MID/UPPER LEVELS AND PWATS REMAINING HIGH. THE RESULT IS A WETTER PATTERN FOR SOUTH FL...ESPECIALLY THE EASTERN HALF WHERE IT LOOKED TO BE TRENDING DRIER THIS PERIOD JUST A FEW DAYS AGO. BY SUNDAY INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK...GFS FINALLY BUILDS THE MID-LEVEL RIDGE IN SOME...LEADING TO DEEP-LAYERED SSE FLOW ACROSS SOUTH FL. MODEL FCST SOUNDINGS THIS PERIOD INDICATE A SLIGHT INCREASE IN OVERALL STABILITY OF THE ATMOSPHERE...BUT ALSO PERIODIC MOISTURE SURGES OUT OF THE CARIBBEAN WITH PWATS MOSTLY 2 INCHES OR ABOVE. THIS WILL CONTINUE MORE CONVECTIVE COVERAGE POSSIBLY CONTINUING ABOVE CLIMO VALUES THIS PERIOD. MARINE... ESE TO SE WINDS 15 KTS OR LESS WITH SEAS 4 FT OR LESS OUTSIDE OF THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY THIS PERIOD. RISK OF WATERSPOUTS AGAIN TODAY, ESPECIALLY THE ATLANTIC WATERS. FIRE WEATHER... NO CONCERNS AS MOISTURE LEVELS REMAIN AROUND NORMAL FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... WEST PALM BEACH 87 74 87 76 / 60 30 60 30 FORT LAUDERDALE 88 76 87 77 / 50 30 60 30 MIAMI 89 76 88 76 / 50 30 60 30 NAPLES 88 73 88 72 / 50 30 50 30 && .MFL WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... FL...NONE. AM...NONE. GM...NONE. && LONG TERM...47/RHG SHORT TERM/AVIATION...60/BD
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR SOUTH FLORIDA NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIAMI FL 1033 AM EDT WED JUL 2 2008 FLZ063-066>075-168-172>174-030245- GLADES-HENDRY-INLAND PALM BEACH-METRO PALM BEACH-COASTAL COLLIER- INLAND COLLIER-INLAND BROWARD-METRO BROWARD-INLAND MIAMI DADE- METRO MIAMI DADE-MAINLAND MONROE-COASTAL PALM BEACH- COASTAL BROWARD-COASTAL MIAMI DADE-FAR SOUTH MIAMI DADE- 1033 AM EDT WED JUL 2 2008 ...HIGH RISK OF LIGHTNING MOST AREAS TODAY... ...SLIGHT RISK OF WATERSPOUTS TODAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTH FLORIDA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT THUNDERSTORMS: SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS CAN BE EXPECTED OVER MOST AREAS TODAY WHICH WILL PRODUCE A HIGH RISK OF LIGHTNING. THE MAIN THREATS FROM THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING AND GUSTY WINDS WHICH WILL BE ACCOMPANIED BY LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL. WATERSPOUTS: WITH WEAK SOUTHWEST STEERING FLOW, ANY BOUNDARIES OVER THE AREA WATERS WILL PRODUCE A SLIGHT RISK OF WATERSPOUTS TODAY. WIND:THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORMS TODAY WILL HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH. FLOODING: THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF LOCAL URBAN TYPE FLOODING OF ROADWAYS AND LOW LYING AREAS DUE TO SLOW MOVING THUNDERSTORMS TODAY. HAIL: THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SMALL HAIL OCCURRING WITH THE THUNDERSTORMS EXPECTED ACROSS THE REGION TODAY. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... THE STEERING PATTERN WILL CONTINUE FROM THE SOUTHWEST, BRINGING HIGHER CHANCES FOR THUNDERSTORMS TO THE EAST COAST METRO AREAS THURSDAY AND POSSIBLY INTO THE WEEKEND. A LIGHTER WIND FLOW AND CONVERGENCE OVER THE AREAS WATERS COULD LEAD TO AN OCCURRENCE OF WATERSPOUT ACTIVITY THROUGH THURSDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED AT THIS TIME. FOR MORE INFORMATION...VISIT THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MIAMI WEBSITE AT WWW.WEATHER.GOV/MIAMI.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIAMI FL
1253 PM EDT WED JUL 2 2008
FLZ073-075-174-021730-
MAINLAND MONROE FL-FAR SOUTH MIAMI-DADE COUNTY FL-INLAND MIAMI-
DADE FL-
1253 PM EDT WED JUL 2 2008
...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MOVING ACROSS MAINLAND MONROE COUNTY...
AT 1250 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED
STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM WILDERNESS WATERWAY
SOUTH TO 8 MILES WEST OF MAHOGANY HAMMOCK TO 9 MILES WEST OF MAHOGANY
HAMMOCK...MOVING EAST AT 12 MPH.
THESE STORMS WILL AFFECT...
RURAL EASTERN MAINLAND MONROE COUNTY
RURAL SOUTHWESTERN MIAMI-DADE COUNTY
AND SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES.
FREQUENT TO EXCESSIVE LIGHTNING...GUSTY WINDS TO 50 MPH...PEA-SIZED
HAIL...TORRENTIAL DOWNPOURS...OR A COMBINATION OF THESE ARE POSSIBLE.
LIGHTNING IS THE NUMBER ONE WEATHER RELATED KILLER IN FLORIDA. TREES
AND OPEN SHELTERS OFFER NO PROTECTION. WIND GUSTS OF UP TO 50 MPH CAN
DOWN SMALL TREE LIMBS AND BRANCHES...AND BLOW AROUND UNSECURED SMALL
OBJECTS. SEEK SHELTER IN A SAFE BUILDING UNTIL THE STORM PASSES.
LAT...LON 2530 8097 2533 8097 2531 8100 2533 8101
2533 8102 2533 8105 2537 8105 2541 8107
2547 8089 2537 8085 2529 8090
TIME...MOT...LOC 1653Z 268DEG 11KT 2543 8098 2537 8095
2533 8097
60SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIAMI FL 120 PM EDT WED JUL 2 2008 FLZ069-070-021745- COASTAL COLLIER COUNTY FL-INLAND COLLIER COUNTY FL- 120 PM EDT WED JUL 2 2008 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MOVING ACROSS NORTHWEST COLLIER COUNTY... AT 116 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM GOLDEN GATE ESTATES TO 6 MILES NORTHWEST OF GOLDEN GATE...MOVING SOUTH AT 5 MPH. THESE STORMS WILL AFFECT... NORTH NAPLES... AND SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES. FREQUENT TO EXCESSIVE LIGHTNING...GUSTY WINDS TO 50 MPH...PEA-SIZED HAIL...TORRENTIAL DOWNPOURS...OR A COMBINATION OF THESE ARE POSSIBLE. LIGHTNING IS THE NUMBER ONE WEATHER RELATED KILLER IN FLORIDA. TREES AND OPEN SHELTERS OFFER NO PROTECTION. WIND GUSTS OF UP TO 50 MPH CAN DOWN SMALL TREE LIMBS AND BRANCHES...AND BLOW AROUND UNSECURED SMALL OBJECTS. SEEK SHELTER IN A SAFE BUILDING UNTIL THE STORM PASSES. LAT...LON 2619 8164 2621 8179 2625 8179 2623 8163 TIME...MOT...LOC 1720Z 019DEG 4KT 2622 8164 2624 8176 60
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIAMI FL 124 PM EDT WED JUL 2 2008 FLZ067-068-021800- INLAND PALM BEACH COUNTY FL-METRO PALM BEACH COUNTY FL- 124 PM EDT WED JUL 2 2008 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORM MOVING ACROSS PALM BEACH COUNTY... AT 120 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR HAVERHILL...MOVING SOUTH AT 5 MPH. THIS STORM WILL AFFECT... HAVERHILL... AND SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES. FREQUENT TO EXCESSIVE LIGHTNING...GUSTY WINDS TO 50 MPH...PEA-SIZED HAIL...TORRENTIAL DOWNPOURS...OR A COMBINATION OF THESE ARE POSSIBLE. LIGHTNING IS THE NUMBER ONE WEATHER RELATED KILLER IN FLORIDA. TREES AND OPEN SHELTERS OFFER NO PROTECTION. WIND GUSTS OF UP TO 50 MPH CAN DOWN SMALL TREE LIMBS AND BRANCHES...AND BLOW AROUND UNSECURED SMALL OBJECTS. SEEK SHELTER IN A SAFE BUILDING UNTIL THE STORM PASSES. LAT...LON 2667 8012 2668 8021 2674 8018 2673 8010 TIME...MOT...LOC 1724Z 018DEG 4KT 2671 8015 60
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIAMI FL 135 PM EDT WED JUL 2 2008 FLZ070-021800- INLAND COLLIER COUNTY FL- 135 PM EDT WED JUL 2 2008 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORM MOVING ACROSS NORTHERN COLLIER COUNTY... AT 133 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR AVE MARIA...MOVING SOUTH AT 7 MPH. THIS STORM WILL AFFECT... AVE MARIA... AND SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES. FREQUENT TO EXCESSIVE LIGHTNING...GUSTY WINDS TO 50 MPH...PEA-SIZED HAIL...TORRENTIAL DOWNPOURS...OR A COMBINATION OF THESE ARE POSSIBLE. LIGHTNING IS THE NUMBER ONE WEATHER RELATED KILLER IN FLORIDA. TREES AND OPEN SHELTERS OFFER NO PROTECTION. WIND GUSTS OF UP TO 50 MPH CAN DOWN SMALL TREE LIMBS AND BRANCHES...AND BLOW AROUND UNSECURED SMALL OBJECTS. SEEK SHELTER IN A SAFE BUILDING UNTIL THE STORM PASSES. LAT...LON 2627 8143 2629 8151 2638 8147 2635 8141 TIME...MOT...LOC 1735Z 016DEG 6KT 2634 8144 60
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIAMI FL 156 PM EDT WED JUL 2 2008 FLZ072-074-173-021845- METRO BROWARD COUNTY FL-METROPOLITAN MIAMI DADE FL-COASTAL MIAMI- DADE COUNTY FL- 156 PM EDT WED JUL 2 2008 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MOVING ACROSS CENTRAL MIAMI-DADE... AT 154 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED THAT STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE RAPIDLY DEVELOPING FROM EASTERN PEMBROKE PINES SOUTH THROUGH MIAMI SPRINGS AND THE MIAMI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. THESE STORMS WERE NEARLY STATIONARY. THE STORMS WILL ALSO AFFECT... VIRGINIA GARDENS... HIALEAH... AND SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES. FREQUENT TO EXCESSIVE LIGHTNING...GUSTY WINDS TO 50 MPH...PEA-SIZED HAIL...TORRENTIAL DOWNPOURS...OR A COMBINATION OF THESE ARE POSSIBLE. LIGHTNING IS THE NUMBER ONE WEATHER RELATED KILLER IN FLORIDA. TREES AND OPEN SHELTERS OFFER NO PROTECTION. WIND GUSTS OF UP TO 50 MPH CAN DOWN SMALL TREE LIMBS AND BRANCHES...AND BLOW AROUND UNSECURED SMALL OBJECTS. SEEK SHELTER IN A SAFE BUILDING UNTIL THE STORM PASSES. LAT...LON 2598 8016 2574 8023 2577 8037 2598 8028 TIME...MOT...LOC 1756Z 180DEG 0KT 2582 8026 GARCIA
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIAMI FL 200 PM EDT WED JUL 2 2008 FLZ070-021845- INLAND COLLIER COUNTY FL- 200 PM EDT WED JUL 2 2008 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MOVING ACROSS COLLIER COUNTY... AT 159 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS NEAR IMMOKALEE...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 5 MPH. THESE STORMS WILL AFFECT... LAKE TRIFFID... IMMOKALEE... AND SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES. SMALL HAIL AND STRONG WIND WAS REPORTED IN IMMOKALEE. FREQUENT TO EXCESSIVE LIGHTNING...GUSTY WINDS TO 50 MPH...PEA-SIZED HAIL...TORRENTIAL DOWNPOURS...OR A COMBINATION OF THESE ARE POSSIBLE. LIGHTNING IS THE NUMBER ONE WEATHER RELATED KILLER IN FLORIDA. TREES AND OPEN SHELTERS OFFER NO PROTECTION. WIND GUSTS OF UP TO 50 MPH CAN DOWN SMALL TREE LIMBS AND BRANCHES...AND BLOW AROUND UNSECURED SMALL OBJECTS. SEEK SHELTER IN A SAFE BUILDING UNTIL THE STORM PASSES. LAT...LON 2650 8147 2644 8137 2639 8143 2643 8151 TIME...MOT...LOC 1800Z 212DEG 5KT 2644 8149 2640 8142 60
The Miami radar (KAMX), 21 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 18:16 UTC.
3 hail, 1 thunderstorm wind, 1 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.
A spotter reported a tree blown down across two cars in Doral. Hail the size of pennies also occurred with this thunderstorm.
Hail the size of nickels was reported along state road 836 and NW 72nd Avenue during a passing thunderstorm.
Hail the size of pennies was measured at the KMIA ASOS at Miami International Airport.
Nickel sized hail was reported at the intersection of NW 27th Ave and 20th street in Miami.
Twenty minutes after a thunderstorm had passed the downtown Miami area, two construction workers went back to work loading a crane at the 49th floor of a building. When the workers touched the crane they were knocked off their feet and disoriented. The workers were taken to Jackson Memorial Hospital to make sure they had no internal injuries.
It was believed that lightning had struck the crane minutes before the workers touched the metal surface and were shocked.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Florida in 2008Every state in 2008This day in weather historyWarnings in Florida, July 2008
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: 125121, 125129, 125872, 125873, 125874.