A line of strong to locally severe storms moved east across the western Florida Panhandle during the early evening hours on Christmas Eve, producing localized winds to near 60 mph and sporadic damage reports.
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 MOB wrote it up.
A line of strong to locally severe storms moved east across the western Florida Panhandle during the early evening hours on Christmas Eve, producing localized winds to near 60 mph and sporadic damage reports.
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 Mobile, AL wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Dec 24, 3:38 PM CST, 2 hours 42 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL
338 PM CST THU DEC 24 2009
.SHORT TERM...(TONIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT)TAKING A STEP BACK FROM
THE CURRENT WEATHER APPROACHING THE FA...AND TAKING A LOOK AT THE
CURRENT UPPER AIR ANALYSIS...CLOSED LOWS WERE ANALYZED OVER THE
US/CA PLAINS BORDER...WITH ANOTHER STARTING TO MOVE OVER THE LOWER
MISS RIVER VALLEY AREA....WITH UPPER LEVEL RIDGES STRETCHING NORTH
OVER THE EAST AND WESTERN CONUS. THE UPPER LOW JUST TO THE WEST OF
THE FA HAS OCCLUDED...WITH A SURFACE LOW MOVING AWAY FROM THE
ARKLATEX...A COLD FRONT STRETCHING SOUTH OVER THE GULF OF MEX...AND
A SURFACE FRONT ALONG THE NORTHERN GULF COAST...WHICH HAS PUSHED
INLAND OVER SOUTHWESTERN PARTS OF THE FA. THE EXPECTED SQUALL LINE IS
MOVING ACROSS SOUTHEAST MISS/LA AND ASSOCIATED COASTAL WATERS ATTM.
THE SQUALL LINE MOVEMENT HAS BEEN SLOWING DOWN THIS AFTERNOON...AS
THE LINE MOVES AWAY FROM THE PUSHING DYNAMICS. THE LINE LOOKS LIKE IT
WILL MOVE PAST THE MS/AL STATE LINE LATE THIS AFTERNOON...CROSSING
THE BULK OF THE FA DURING THE LATE AFTERNOON/EVENING HOURS. GUIDANCE
STILL IS ADVERTISING POOR INSTABILITY...BUT THE LOCAL VWPS SHOW GOOD
WIND SHEAR. WITH THE LOW LEVEL JET STRETCHING NORTH ACROSS AL
ATTM...JET DYNAMICS WILL BE THE MAIN PLAYER IN KEEPING THE VERTICAL
MOVEMENT GOING FOR THE LINE. GUIDANCE IS ADVERTISING THE DRIVING
UPPER DYNAMICS PULLING AWAY TONIGHT...WITH THE LINE WEAKENING AS THE
EVENING PROGRESSES. GUIDANCE TIMING EARLIER TODAY WAS BETWEEN THE
FASTER NAM AND THE SLOWER GFS. WITH THE SLOWING DOWN OF THE LINE
TOWARDS THE GFS...AM USING THE GFS FOR THE FIRST PERIOD OF THE
FORECAST.
FOR CHRISTMAS DAY...AS THE AREA COMES UNDER STRONG WESTERLY
FLOW...THE AREA DRIES OUT AND THE FRONT MOVES OVER THE CENTRAL GULF.
CLEAR...SEASONABLY COOL TEMPS EXPECTED CHRISTMAS DAY THROUGH SATURDAY.
SATURDAY INTO SUNDAY...GUIDANCE IS ADVERTISING A SHORTWAVE DANCING
AROUND THE CURRENT WEATHER MAKER FOR US...MERGING OVER THE MID/UPPER MISS
RIVER VALLEY. AS A STRONG VORT LOBE SWINGS SOUTH AROUND THE NOW
MERGED UPPER LOW OVER THE UPPER MISS RIVER VALLEY...AS A SHORTWAVE
MOVES EAST OVER THE GULF OF MEX. GUIDANCE IS ADVERTISING ANYWHERES
FROM A CLOSED SURFACE LOW FORMING OVER THE WESTERN GULF AND MOVING
EAST(GFS) TO A SURFACE CIRCULATION FORMING AND MOVING EAST...ALL ALONG
THE OLD SURFACE FRONT. THE GFS SOLUTION...BEING THE STRONGEST...
SPREADS ISENTROPIC UPGLIDE SHOWERS NORTH OVER THE FA. NAM...LESS
STRONG CONCENTRATES THE SHOWERS CLOSER TO THE COAST...AND THE ECMWF
KEEPS THE SHOWERS OVER THE COAST. HAVE LEANED TOWARDS THE
MIDDLE...TOWARDS THE NAM...FOR SATURDAY NIGHT...EXTRAPOLATING INTO SUNDAY.
.LONG TERM...(SUNDAY ON) SUNDAY NIGHT INTO MONDAY...THE UPPER LOW
OVER THE NORTHERN MISS RIVER VALLEY BEGINS TO BREAK APART...THEN
SWINGS EAST...RELAXING THE NORTHERLY LOW LEVEL FLOW AS MORE UPPER
ENERGY MOVES EAST OVER THE SOUTHERN HALF OF THE CONUS...TO OVER THE
SOUTHERN PLAINS BY TUESDAY EVENING. GFS AS USUAL...IS QUICKER WITH
THIS ENERGY...BRING RAIN BACK TO THE FA LATE TUESDAY NIGHT INTO
WEDNESDAY.
&&
.AVIATION...(18Z ISSUANCE)WIDESPREAD MVFR CONDITIONS WITH PERIODS OF IFR
CONDITIONS EXPECTED ACROSS THE FLYING AREA THROUGH EARLY THIS
EVENING. STRONG SOUTHEASTERLY WINDS TO ALSO PREVAIL THROUGH THE
EARLY EVENING WITH GUSTS PEAKING IN THE 40 TO 45 KNOT RANGE. A
SQUALL LINE IS CURRENTLY MOVING EASTWARD OVER SOUTHEASTERN
MISSISSIPPI AND WILL MOVE INTO SOUTHWESTERN ALABAMA AROUND 4 PM THIS
AFTERNOON AND INTO THE WESTERN FLORIDA PANHANDLE BETWEEN 6 AND 7 PM.
STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL ACCOMPANY THIS LINE...WIND GUSTS
OVER 50 KNOTS AND ISOLATED TORNADIC ACTIVITY ARE POSSIBLE. A COLD
FRONT WILL FOLLOW LATER TONIGHT CREATING BREEZY NORTHWESTERLY WINDS
AND A RETURN TO VFR CONDITIONS ACROSS THE AREA. VFR CONDITIONS
EXPECTED THROUGH CHRISTMAS DAY. 08/ JVW
&&
.MARINE...STRONG SOUTHEAST TO SOUTH WINDS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH
EARLY EVENING IN ADVANCE OF A STRONG COLD FRONT. WINDS WILL GUST TO
GALE FORCE...ESPECIALLY OFFSHORE AHEAD OF THE APPROACHING BOUNDARY. A
LINE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ACCOMPANIES THE FRONT...AND HIGHER
CONVECTIVE WINDS ARE POSSIBLE WHICH MAY NECESSITATE SPECIAL MARINE
WARNINGS. THE STRONG AND PERSISTENT SOUTHEAST FLOW HAS ALSO RESULTED
IN TIDES RUNNING 2 TO 3 FEET ABOVE NORMAL...AND THESE HIGHER TIDES
WILL CONTINUE UNTIL THE FRONT PASSES THROUGH THIS EVENING. WINDS
WILL SHIFT TO THE SOUTHWEST AND WEST TONIGHT IN THE WAKE OF THE
FRONT...STAYING IN THE SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY RANGE THROUGH FRIDAY
MORNING. WINDS WILL GRADUALLY SUBSIDE ON FRIDAY AS HIGH PRESSURE
BUILDS INTO THE REGION. AN OFFSHORE FLOW IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE
THROUGH THE WEEKEND...BUT THERE ARE QUESTIONS REGARDING THE
DEVELOPMENT OF A SURFACE LOW OVER THE CENTRAL GULF...WHICH WILL
ULTIMATELY AFFECT THE STRENGTH OF THE WINDS. A STRONG NORTHWEST FLOW
BECOMES ESTABLISHED BY MONDAY AS ANOTHER SURGE OF COLDER AIR MOVES
INTO THE NORTHERN GULF. 34/JFB
&&
.FIRE WEATHER...A SQUALL LINE WILL MOVE ACROSS THE AREA THIS AFTERNOON
AND TONIGHT....BRINGING RAIN TO THE AREA. A FRONT WILL FOLLOW TONIGHT
INTO CHRISTMAS DAY...BRINGING STRONG WEST TO NORTHWEST FLOW FRIDAY.
THESE WINDS WILL SETTLE FRIDAY NIGHT INTO SATURDAY AS LOW LEVEL HIGH
PRESSURE BUILDS EAST OVER THE NORTHERN GULF COAST. DRIER...COOLER AIR
WILL MOVE IN BEHIND THE FRONT...WITH RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES DROPPING
INTO THE 35-40 PERCENT RANGE SATURDAY. A SYSTEM PASSING SOUTH OF THE AREA
SUNDAY WILL BRING SOME MOISTURE TO THE AREA FOR SUNDAY. NORTHWEST TO
NORTHERLY LOW LEVEL FLOW WILL REMAIN ENTRENCHED OVER MOST OF THE AREA
THIS WEEKEND INTO THE COMING WEEK.
&&
.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
MOBILE 41 52 29 54 37 / 60 10 00 00 40
PENSACOLA 45 52 33 54 39 / 80 10 00 00 30
DESTIN 49 54 36 53 40 / 80 10 00 00 30
EVERGREEN 43 51 28 54 33 / 80 10 00 00 30
WAYNESBORO 35 48 24 53 30 / 40 10 00 00 20
CAMDEN 40 48 26 53 31 / 80 10 00 00 10
CRESTVIEW 47 56 30 54 33 / 90 10 00 00 30
&&
.MOB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
AL...HIGH SURF ADVISORY UNTIL 9 PM THURSDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES:
LOWER BALDWIN...AND LOWER MOBILE.
COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY UNTIL 9 PM THURSDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING
ZONES: LOWER BALDWIN...AND LOWER MOBILE.
WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 9 PM THURSDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES:
BUTLER...CHOCTAW...CLARKE...CONECUH...COVINGTON...
CRENSHAW...ESCAMBIA...LOWER BALDWIN...LOWER MOBILE...
MONROE...UPPER BALDWIN...UPPER MOBILE...WASHINGTON...AND
WILCOX.
FL...WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 9 PM THURSDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES:
COASTAL ESCAMBIA...COASTAL OKALOOSA...COASTAL SANTA ROSA...
INLAND ESCAMBIA...INLAND OKALOOSA...AND INLAND SANTA ROSA.
COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY UNTIL 9 PM THURSDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING
ZONES: COASTAL ESCAMBIA...COASTAL OKALOOSA...AND COASTAL
SANTA ROSA.
HIGH SURF ADVISORY UNTIL 9 PM THURSDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES:
COASTAL ESCAMBIA...COASTAL OKALOOSA...AND COASTAL SANTA
ROSA.
MS...WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 9 PM THURSDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES:
GEORGE...GREENE...PERRY...STONE...AND WAYNE.
GM...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 9 AM FRIDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES:
AND MOBILE BAY.
GALE WARNING UNTIL 9 PM THURSDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES:
COASTAL WATERS FROM DESTIN TO PENSACOLA FL OUT 20 NM...
COASTAL WATERS FROM PENSACOLA FL TO PASCAGOULA MS OUT 20
NM...WATERS FROM DESTIN TO PENSACOLA FL FROM 20 TO 60 NM...
AND WATERS FROM PENSACOLA FL TO PASCAGOULA MS FROM 20 TO 60
NM.
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FROM 9 PM THURSDAY TO 9 AM FRIDAY FOR THE
FOLLOWING ZONES: COASTAL WATERS FROM DESTIN TO PENSACOLA FL
OUT 20 NM...COASTAL WATERS FROM PENSACOLA FL TO PASCAGOULA
MS OUT 20 NM...WATERS FROM DESTIN TO PENSACOLA FL FROM 20
TO 60 NM...AND WATERS FROM PENSACOLA FL TO PASCAGOULA MS
FROM 20 TO 60 NM.
&&
08/34/16HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL 1226 PM CST THU DEC 24 2009 ALZ051>064-FLZ001>006-GMZ630-650-655-670-675-MSZ067-075-076-078- 079-251600- CHOCTAW-WASHINGTON-CLARKE-WILCOX-MONROE-CONECUH-BUTLER-CRENSHAW- ESCAMBIA-COVINGTON-UPPER MOBILE-UPPER BALDWIN-LOWER MOBILE- LOWER BALDWIN-INLAND ESCAMBIA-COASTAL ESCAMBIA-INLAND SANTA ROSA- COASTAL SANTA ROSA-INLAND OKALOOSA-COASTAL OKALOOSA-MOBILE BAY- COASTAL WATERS FROM PENSACOLA FL TO PASCAGOULA MS OUT 20 NM- COASTAL WATERS FROM DESTIN TO PENSACOLA FL OUT 20 NM- WATERS FROM PENSACOLA FL TO PASCAGOULA MS FROM 20 TO 60 NM- WATERS FROM DESTIN TO PENSACOLA FL FROM 20 TO 60 NM-WAYNE-PERRY- GREENE-STONE-GEORGE- 1226 PM CST THU DEC 24 2009 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHEAST MISSISSIPPI...SOUTHWEST ALABAMA...SOUTH CENTRAL ALABAMA...NORTHWEST FLORIDA...AND THE COASTAL WATERS OF ALABAMA AND NORTHWEST FLORIDA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT A TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM FOR ALL OF INLAND SOUTHEAST MISSISSIPPI...AS WELL AS CHOCTAW...WASHINGTON...AND MOBILE COUNTIES IN ALABAMA. A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS IN ADVANCE OF A COLD FRONT WILL MOVE INTO SOUTHEAST MISSISSIPPI BY EARLY TO MID AFTERNOON AND SOUTHWEST ALABAMA BY LATE AFTERNOON. THE LINE WILL AFFECT THE WESTERN FLORIDA PANHANDLE DURING THE EARLY EVENING. THERE WILL BE SUFFICIENT WIND ENERGY IN THE ATMOSPHERE TO PRODUCE SEVERE WEATHER...BUT THE THREAT WILL BE SOMEWHAT MITIGATED BY WEAK INSTABILITY. HOWEVER...GIVEN THE STRONG FORCING ASSOCIATED WITH THE FRONT...ISOLATED DAMAGING WIND GUSTS AND TORNADOES ARE POSSIBLE ALONG THE LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS. THE THREAT FOR STRONG TO SEVERE STORMS WILL END BY MID TO LATE EVENING AS THE COLD FRONT SWEEPS EAST OF THE REGION. RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 1 TO 2 INCHES ARE EXPECTED ACROSS THE AREA THROUGH THIS EVENING. SOME PONDING OF WATER IN LOW LYING AND POOR DRAINAGE AREAS IS LIKELY TO OCCUR...BUT THE THREAT FOR FLASH FLOODING APPEARS LOW AT THIS TIME. A WIND ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF THE AREA UNTIL 9 PM TONIGHT. EAST TO SOUTHEAST WINDS OF 20 TO OCCASIONALLY 30 MPH WITH HIGHER GUST ARE EXPECTED TODAY. WINDS BECOME SOUTHERLY LATER TODAY AND DIMINISH THIS EVENING TO WESTERLY AT 10 TO 20 MPH AFTER THE FRONT PASSES. A GALE WARNING HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR THE OFFSHORE WATERS THROUGH 9 PM TONIGHT. SUSTAINED WINDS WILL APPROACH 30 KNOTS WITH FREQUENT GUSTS TO GALE FORCE. A SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR MOBILE BAY...AND EVEN THERE A FEW GUSTS TO GALE FORCE ARE POSSIBLE. AREA BEACHES WILL SEE A ROUGH SURF AND A HIGH RISK FOR RIP CURRENTS TODAY. MINOR COASTAL FLOODING WILL ALSO BE A CONCERN IN THE TYPICALLY FLOOD PRONE AREAS AS WINDS INCREASE OUT OF THE SOUTH THIS AFTERNOON. SOME FLOODING CONTINUES ALONG SEVERAL AREA RIVERS ACROSS THE REGION. PLEASE SEE THE LATEST RIVER FORECASTS FOR MORE DETAILED INFORMATION. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...CHRISTMAS DAY THROUGH NEXT WEDNESDAY STRONG NORTHWEST WINDS 20 TO 25 KNOTS IN THE WAKE OF THE COLD FRONT CHRISTMAS MORNING WILL GRADUALLY DIMINISH DURING THE DAY AS HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS IN FROM THE WEST. COMPUTER MODEL GUIDANCE IS SHOWING ANOTHER AREA OF LOW PRESSURE DEVELOPING OVER THE NORTHWESTERN GULF ON TUESDAY...MOVING EAST ACROSS THE NORTHERN GULF BY NEXT WEDNESDAY. IF THIS PATTERN HOLDS...WINDS AND SEAS WILL INCREASE OVER THE MARINE AREA WITH ANOTHER ROUND OF RAIN AND THUNDERSTORMS POSSIBLE ALONG THE NORTH CENTRAL GULF COAST REGION BY THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... ACTIVATION OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OFFICIALS AND STORM SPOTTERS IS REQUESTED IN THE SUPPORT OF SEVERE WEATHER.
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL
508 PM CST THU DEC 24 2009
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0330 PM TSTM WND DMG 6 N MAHNED 31.29N 89.09W
12/24/2009 PERRY MS LAW ENFORCEMENT
TREE BLOWN DOWN BLOCKING HIGHWAY 29 NORTH AT PROSPECT
ROAD.
&&
JGPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL
526 PM CST THU DEC 24 2009
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0514 PM TSTM WND GST 3 N DOWNTOWN MOBILE 30.73N 88.04W
12/24/2009 M58 MPH MOBILE AL DEPT OF HIGHWAYS
58 MPH WIND RECORDED AT ROAD LEVEL ON COCHRANE BRIDGE.
&&
JGPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL
532 PM CST THU DEC 24 2009
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0440 PM TSTM WND DMG N SNOW AND TANNER WILLI 30.71N 88.28W
12/24/2009 MOBILE AL LAW ENFORCEMENT
2 TREES AND POWERLINES BLOWN DOWN.
&&
JGThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
4 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A large tree limb fell on a house on Beulah Road which caused damage to a deck and pulled power lines down. Several large limbs fell onto area roadways. Reported by Beulah Fire Department and Escambia 911.
Patio collapsed at a residence in the Florosa Community between Mary Esther and Navarre. Reported by Okaloosa 911.
Tree blown down at Mary Esther Cut-off and Jonquil Avenue in Fort Walton. Reported by Okaloosa Fire/Rescue.
Severe thunderstorm winds produced damage to an apartment complex where the brick siding was torn off a building. In the immediate area, trees and power lines were downed. A 5 feet by 8 feet metal advertising sign was also destroyed nearby.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Florida in 2009Every state in 2009This day in weather historyWarnings in Florida, December 2009
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: 200262, 200263, 200264, 209000.