Late in the evening of the 18th, a severe thunderstorm entered Walton County, which produced baseball sized hail and damaging winds near Darlington. During the predawn hours of the 19th, a severe thunderstorm produced damaging winds in Madison County.
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 TAE wrote it up.
Late in the evening of the 18th, a severe thunderstorm entered Walton County, which produced baseball sized hail and damaging winds near Darlington. During the predawn hours of the 19th, a severe thunderstorm produced damaging winds in Madison County.
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 Tallahassee, FL wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Feb 18, 8:10 PM CST, 1 hour 30 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TALLAHASSEE FL
910 PM EST WED FEB 18 2009
...SEVERE WEATHER OUTBREAK STILL POSSIBLE TONIGHT...
.DISCUSSION...STRONG SW SFC FLOW IS STILL EVIDENT ACROSS THE CWA
THIS EVENING OUT AHEAD OF THE DEVELOPING SHORTWAVE AND APPROACHING
COLD FRONT FROM THE NW. THIS INCREASINGLY MOIST FLOW IS ADVECTING IN
DEWPOINTS IN THE MID 60S...NORTHWARD INTO MUCH OF THE FL PANHANDLE
...SOUTHEAST ALABAMA...AND WESTERN SECTIONS OF SOUTHWEST GEORGIA...
WHICH SHOULD GRADUALLY SPREAD EASTWARD DURING THE NEXT SEVERAL
HOURS. FURTHER TO THE NORTH AND WEST...SCT SUPERCELLULAR TSTMS WITH
LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING WINDS...AND ISOLATED TORNADOES CONTINUE TO
DEVELOP...BUT MUCH OF THESE ARE STILL TRAVERSING EASTWARD JUST TO
THE N CWA THUS FAR...BUT IT MAY NOT BE TOO MUCH LONGER BEFORE SOME
THESE STRONGER CELLS BEGIN IMPACTING OUR REGION. HOWEVER...STILL
EXPECT THE GREATEST TORNADIC THREAT WILL BE ACROSS AREAS TO THE N OF
THE FL BORDER OVERNIGHT...AS AN INCREASED DAMAGING STRAIGHT LINE
WIND GUST THREAT (WITH SOME LARGE HAIL STILL POSSIBLE) DEVELOPS OVER
THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE AND BIG BEND AS A MORE LINEAR SQUALL LINE
FEATURE FORMS JUST IN ADVANCE OF THE COLD FRONT ITSELF. IN FACT...A
NEW SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH HAS JUST BEEN ISSUED AT THE WESTERN
BORDER OF OUR CWA...AND WOULD NOT BE SURPRISED IF SUBSEQUENT WATCHES
FOR THE CWA ARE OF THE SEVERE VARIETY. NEVERTHELESS...ALL INTERESTS
ARE URGED TO MONITOR THE LATEST INFORMATION FROM THE NATIONAL
WEATHER SERVICE FOR ANY LATER WATCHES AND WARNINGS.
OVER THE COASTAL WATERS...WEVE SEEN A TEMPORARY SLIGHT DROP IN
WINDS AND SEAS TO LEVELS JUST BELOW SCA CRITERIA DURING THE PAST
COUPLE OF HOURS...BUT EXPECT THAT THIS WILL BE VERY BRIEF...WITH
WINDS QUICKLY RAMPING BACK UP AGAIN...SO WILL NOT MAKE ANY
SIGNIFICANT CHANGES TO THE UPDATED FCST TONIGHT.
&&
.AVIATION...MVFR CIGS WILL PREVAIL THROUGH MUCH OF THE NIGHT WITH
BRIEF PERIODS OF IFR IN THUNDERSTORMS. BEST CHANCE FOR STORMS WILL
BE BETWEEN 04-08Z AT DHN AND 07-11Z AT VLD. THE REMAINING TERMINALS
WILL BE IMPACTED MAINLY BETWEEN 06-10Z. AFTER THE FRONT SWEEPS
THROUGH...SKIES WILL CLEAR RAPIDLY...DURING THE PRE-DAWN HOURS AT
DHN AND PFN...AROUND SUNRISE AT ABY AND TLH AND A BIT AFTER AT VLD.
GUSTY NW WINDS WILL BE THE PRIMARY THREAT TO THE TERMINALS DURING
THE DAYLIGHT HOURS WITH FREQUENT GUSTS OVER 20 KT.
&&
.TAE WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
AL...FIRE WEATHER WATCH FRIDAY AFTN ALL ZONES ALL ZONES.
GA...FIRE WEATHER WATCH FRIDAY AFTN ALL ZONES.
FL...FIRE WEATHER WATCH THURSDAY AFTERNOON ALL ZONES.
FIRE WEATHER WATCH FRIDAY AFTERNOON ALL ZONES.
HIGH SURF ADVISORY UNTIL 4 AM CST THURSDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING
ZONES: BAY...COASTAL WALTON.
GM...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 11 AM EST FRIDAY ALL LEGS.
&&
GOULD/MROCZKAHAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TALLAHASSEE FL 811 PM EST WED FEB 18 2009 ALZ065>069-FLZ007>019-026>029-034-GAZ120>131-142>148-155>161- GMZ730-750-755-765-770-775-191100- COFFEE-DALE-HENRY-GENEVA-HOUSTON-INLAND WALTON-COASTAL WALTON- HOLMES-WASHINGTON-JACKSON-BAY-CALHOUN-GULF-FRANKLIN-GADSDEN-LEON- JEFFERSON-MADISON-LIBERTY-WAKULLA-TAYLOR-LAFAYETTE-DIXIE-QUITMAN- CLAY-RANDOLPH-TERRELL-DOUGHERTY-LEE-WORTH-TURNER-TIFT-BEN HILL- IRWIN-EARLY-MILLER-BAKER-MITCHELL-COLQUITT-COOK-BERRIEN-SEMINOLE- DECATUR-GRADY-THOMAS-BROOKS-LOWNDES-LANIER- APALACHEE BAY OR COASTAL WATERS FROM KEATON BEACH TO OCHLOCKONEE RIVER FL OUT TO 20 NM- COASTAL WATERS FROM APALACHICOLA TO DESTIN FL OUT 20 NM- COASTAL WATERS FROM OCHLOCKONEE RIVER TO APALACHICOLA FL OUT TO 20 NM- COASTAL WATERS FROM SUWANNEE RIVER TO KEATON BEACH OUT 20 NM- WATERS FROM APALACHICOLA TO DESTIN FL FROM 20 TO 60 NM- WATERS FROM SUWANNEE RIVER TO APALACHICOLA FL FROM 20 TO 60 NM- 811 PM EST WED FEB 18 2009 /711 PM CST WED FEB 18 2009/ ...SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS TONIGHT... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHEAST ALABAMA... SOUTHWEST AND SOUTH CENTRAL GEORGIA...THE FLORIDA BIG BEND AND PANHANDLE...AND THE ADJACENT GULF COASTAL WATERS. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT... THE STORM PREDICTION CENTER HAS PLACED ALL OF SOUTHEAST ALABAMA...SOUTHWEST AND SOUTH CENTRAL GEORGIA AND THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE AND BIG BEND UNDER A SLIGHT RISK FOR SEVERE STORMS DURING THE OVERNIGHT HOURS. MOISTURE OFF THE GULF OF MEXICO RETURNED NORTHWARD TODAY ACROSS THE REGION. THIS MOISTENING ATMOSPHERE IS ALSO BECOMING INCREASINGLY UNSTABLE. WITH VERY FAVORABLE WIND PROFILES...THE FORECAST AREA IS BEING PRIMED FOR SEVERE WEATHER. INITIALLY DISCRETE SUPERCELL THUNDERSTORMS HAVE REMAINED GENERALLY NORTH OF THE AREA. HOWEVER...CONVECTION IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP INTO A MORE LINEAR MODE...IN OTHER WORDS A SQUALL LINE OVERNIGHT AHEAD OF AN APPROACHING COLD FRONT. THE PRIMARY THREAT WILL SHIFT TO DAMAGING STRAIGHT LINE WINDS...BUT ANY STORMS THAT DEVELOP OUT AHEAD OF THIS LINE COULD BE TORNADIC SUPERCELLS. THE SEVERE WEATHER THREAT WILL END FROM NORTHWEST TO SOUTHEAST BEFORE SUNRISE. STRONG ONSHORE FLOW AHEAD OF THE FRONT HAS PROMPTED THE ISSUANCE OF A SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY. ALSO...THE STRONG ONSHORE FLOW WILL LEAD TO BUILDING SURF ALONG THE PANHANDLE BEACHES...ESPECIALLY WALTON AND BAY COUNTIES. BREAKERS OF UP TO 6 FEET WITH RESIDUAL SWELLS OF 2 TO 4 FEET EARLY THURSDAY MORNING WILL PRODUCE DANGEROUS RIP CURRENTS AND POSSIBLE MINOR BEACH EROSION... ESPECIALLY AT HIGH TIDE. THERE IS A HIGH RISK FOR RIP CURRENTS AND A HIGH SURF ADVISORY IN IN EFFECT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY... SKIES WILL CLEAR OUT ON THURSDAY IN THE WAKE OF THE FRONT. A LIGHT FREEZE IS POSSIBLE LATE THURSDAY NIGHT...ESPECIALLY NORTH OF THE FLORIDA BORDER ACROSS PORTIONS OF SOUTHEAST ALABAMA AND SOUTHERN GEORGIA. HIGH PRESSURE THEN SETTLES OVERHEAD FRIDAY NIGHT PROVIDING A GOOD RADIATIONAL COOLING SETUP...AND A MORE WIDESPREAD LIGHT FREEZE AWAY FROM THE IMMEDIATE COAST. A VERY DRY AIRMASS WILL FAVOR THE SPREAD OF WILDFIRES...SHOULD ANY OCCUR...THURSDAY AND FRIDAY. ANOTHER FRONT WILL DELIVER A SHOT OF COLD AND DRY AIR FOR THE END OF THE WEEKEND WITH A LIGHT FREEZE AGAIN POSSIBLE SUNDAY NIGHT. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SKYWARN HAS ALREADY BEEN ACTIVATED AND WILL REMAIN IN PLACE THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT HOURS. SPOTTERS...PLEASE RELAY REPORTS OF SEVERE WEATHER TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TALLAHASSEE. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION...VISIT THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WEBSITE ON THE INTERNET AT WEATHER.GOV...THEN CLICK ON YOUR AREA OF INTEREST ON THE NATIONAL MAP. 18-WOOL
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TALLAHASSEE FL 454 PM EST WED FEB 18 2009 ALZ069-FLZ011-182245- HOUSTON-JACKSON- 354 PM CST WED FEB 18 2009 ...A SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT IS IN EFFECT FOR SOUTHEAST HOUSTON COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST ALABAMA AND JACKSON COUNTY IN THE PANHANDLE OF FLORIDA... * UNTIL 445 PM CST AT 351 PM CST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 8 MILES SOUTHWEST OF COTTONWOOD...MOVING EAST AT 30 MPH. THIS STORM WILL BE NEAR... 4 MILES SOUTH OF COTTONWOOD BY 400 PM CST. WINDS 40 TO 50 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM. RELAY REPORTS OF SIGNIFICANT WEATHER TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TALLAHASSEE AT (8 5 0) 9 4 2 8 8 3 3. OR...YOU MAY CONTACT THE NEAREST LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY OR YOUR COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT. THEY WILL RELAY YOUR REPORT TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. 38-GODSEY
The Eglin Afb radar (KEVX), 41 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 03:38 UTC.
3 thunderstorm wind, 1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
Many large trees were toppled by straight line winds between Glendale and Darlington.
Baseball sized hail was reported between Glendale and Darlington.
Three homes were destroyed just southeast of Darlington.
Numerous trees and scattered power lines were down. Trees blocked one lane of U.S. Highway 90 west of Madison. Power outages were reported in Madison.
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, February 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: 154799, 154800, 154798, 154801.