Tornado and Flood in Florida, March 31, 2009

Name: Tornado and Flood in Florida, March 31, 2009
Start: 2009-03-31T18:25
End: 2009-03-31T20:20
Location: Florida

March 31, 2009 · NWS TAE · 5 events in 3 counties and zones

A series of thunderstorms on the 31st brought flooding, wind damage and spawned a tornado across portions of the Florida Big Bend.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. 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: 5

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 TAE wrote it up.

A series of thunderstorms on the 31st brought flooding, wind damage and spawned a tornado across portions of the Florida Big Bend.

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 Tallahassee, FL wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Mar 31, 4:30 PM EST, 1 hour 55 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Mar 31, 4:30 PM EST, 1 hour 55 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TALLAHASSEE FL
530 PM EDT TUE MAR 31 2009

...MORE HEAVY RAINFALL AND SEVERE WEATHER ON THE WAY DURING THE NEXT
FEW DAYS...

.SYNOPSIS AND SHORT TERM...A LARGE AREA OF HEAVY SHOWERS...SOME
SOME STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS...AND ISOLATED TORNADOES ARE
CONTINUING TO DEVELOP AND ARE MOVING QUICKLY EASTWARD INTO THE
REGION THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING. TORRENTIAL DOWNPOURS...
FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING....SMALL HAIL...AND GUSTY WINDS
ARE ALL OCCURRING WITH THIS BATCH OF STORMS WHICH CONTINUE TO DEVELOP
ALONG THE VERY ACTIVE SUBTROPICAL JET STREAM NEAR THE GULF COAST.
THIS ACTIVITY IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE TO DEVELOP AND EXPAND DURING
FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL HOURS...WITH ADDITIONAL SIGNIFICANT FLOODING
CONCERNS POSSIBLE IN MANY AREAS. THUS FAR...THE BULK OF THE WORST
WEATHER HAS BEEN AFFECTING THE WESTERN FLORIDA PANHANDLE AND
SOUTHEAST ALABAMA...BUT THE STRONG STORMS ARE RAPIDLY SPREADING
EASTWARD INTO SOUTHWEST GEORGIA AND THE FLORIDA BIG BEND THIS
EVENING. OVER THE COASTAL WATERS...WINDS AND BEGINNING TO INCREASE
OUT OF THE SE AND S...WITH 2 TO 4 FT SEAS EXPECTED TO SLOWLY PICK UP
THROUGH THE NIGHTTIME HOURS.

&&

.LONG TERM (FRIDAY THROUGH TUESDAY)...THE ACTIVE PERIOD CONTINUES...
THE EXTENDED BEGINS WITH A VIGOROUS UPPER AIR SYSTEM MOVING THROUGH
THE MIDDLE MISSISSIPPI VALLEY ON INTO THE OHIO RIVER VALLEY WITH A
COLD FRONT PROGRESSING THROUGH THE SOUTHEAST U.S. AT THE SAME
TIME...THE NEXT SHORT WAVE IS DIVING SOUTHWARD ALONG THE PACIFIC
COAST. BY SATURDAY NIGHT/SUNDAY MORNING...THE WESTERN SHORT WAVE HAS
BROKEN OUT INTO THE GREAT PLAINS WITH RETURN FLOW BEGINNING ALONG
THE NORTHEAST GULF COAST. THE GFS SUGGESTS THAT A WARM FRONT IS
DRAPED EAST-WEST ACROSS NORTH FLORIDA WITH PRECIP BEGINNING BY
SUNDAY MORNING. BOTH THE GFS AND EURO CONTINUE TO BE SIMILAR IN
THEIR SOLUTIONS WITH THE NEXT COLD FRONT PASSING THROUGH THE AREA ON
MONDAY. AS SOON AS WE THINK WE HAVE MORE THAN ENOUGH RAIN...THE NEXT
SYSTEM WILL BE MOVING THROUGH THE INTER MOUNTAIN WEST ON TUESDAY
WITH SIMILAR EXPECTED WEATHER IN OUR AREA ON WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY
AS THE PREVIOUS 3-4 SYSTEMS. MAXIMUM TEMPERATURES THROUGH THE PERIOD
WILL NEAR NORMAL. MIN TEMPS WILL BE NEAR NORMAL OR SLIGHTLY ABOVE
NORMAL.

&&

.AVIATION...CLOUD COVERAGE AND SHOWERS WILL CONTINUE TO INCREASE
THROUGH THE 24 HR TAF CYCLE AND BEYOND. MVFR CIGS WITH BRIEF PERIODS
OF IFR CIGS IN SHOWERS AND STORMS WILL OVERSPREAD THE AREA THROUGH
THE DAY TODAY FROM WEST TO EAST. VSBYS WILL ALSO BECOME A CONCERN IN
THE HEAVIER SHOWERS AND STORMS. A WARM FRONT WILL LIFT NORTH ACROSS
THE LOCAL AREA LATER THIS EVENING WITH A COLD FRONT APPROACHING FROM
THE WEST. WINDS WILL REMAIN OUT OF THE SE THROUGH MOST OF THE
DAY...THEN BECOME SW LATER THIS EVENING AND INTO TONIGHT.

&&

.MARINE...WINDS AND SEAS WILL CONTINUE TO INCREASE OVER THE NEXT
COUPLE OF DAYS...WITH A GOOD POSSIBILITY OF A SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY
ON THURSDAY.

&&

.FIRE WEATHER...NO CONCERNS FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS WITH HIGH RAIN
CHANCES AND LOW LEVEL MOISTURE.

&&

.HYDROLOGY...MOST AREA RIVERS AND STREAMS HAVE CRESTED OR ARE
NEARING THE CREST FROM THE WEEKENDS HEAVY RAINFALL. HOWEVER...
ADDITIONAL HEAVY RAINFALL IS ALREADY MOVING INTO THE REGION THIS
AFTERNOON AND EVENING...WITH MAJOR ADDITIONAL RISES VERY LIKELY
DURING THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS. PLEASE SEE OUR LOCAL ADVANCED
HYDROLOGICAL PREDICTION SERVICE WEB PAGE AT

HTTP://AHPS.SRH.NOAA.GOV/INDEX.PHP?WFO=TAE

FOR DETAILS...BUT KEEP IN MIND THAT THESE FORECASTS ONLY INCLUDE
FUTURE QUANTITATIVE RAINFALL FORECASTS FOR THE NEXT 24 HOURS...SO
ONCE ALL IS SAID AND DONE WITH THIS EXPECTED RAINFALL EVENT WHICH
MAY PRODUCE WIDESPREAD 3 TO 5 INCH AMOUNTS WITH ISOLATED 6 TO 8 INCH
TOTALS...THE ACTUAL CRESTS MAY BE SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER THAN CURRENTLY
PREDICTED AT MANY OF THE ACTUAL RIVER LOCATIONS. THEREFORE...ALL
INTERESTS NEAR AREA RIVERS ARE URGED TO PAY CLOSE ATTENTION TO THE
LATEST FORECASTS FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ON THIS
POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITUATION...AND FOLLOW THE ADVICE OF LOCAL LAW
ENFORCEMENT AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OFFICIALS SHOULD EVACUATIONS
BECOME NECESSARY.

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
TALLAHASSEE  61  69  60  76  60 / 100  80  60  70  50
PANAMA CITY  63  68  60  76  59 / 100  80  60  70  40
DOTHAN       58  68  55  74  57 / 100  80  50  70  40
ALBANY       58  69  55  72  57 / 100  80  50  70  60
VALDOSTA     61  72  56  74  61 / 100  80  50  70  60
CROSS CITY   66  74  62  75  66 /  80  80  60  70  60

.TAE WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
AL...FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH THURSDAY EVENING FOR THE FOLLOWING
     ZONES: COFFEE...DALE...GENEVA...HENRY...HOUSTON.

GA...FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH THURSDAY EVENING FOR THE FOLLOWING
     ZONES: BAKER...BEN HILL...BERRIEN...BROOKS...CALHOUN...
     CLAY...COLQUITT...COOK...DECATUR...DOUGHERTY...EARLY...
     GRADY...IRWIN...LANIER...LEE...LOWNDES...MILLER...
     MITCHELL...QUITMAN...RANDOLPH...SEMINOLE...TERRELL...
     THOMAS...TIFT...TURNER...WORTH.

FL...FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH THURSDAY EVENING FOR THE FOLLOWING
     ZONES: BAY...CALHOUN...COASTAL WALTON...DIXIE...FRANKLIN...
     GADSDEN...GULF...HOLMES...INLAND WALTON...JACKSON...
     JEFFERSON...LAFAYETTE...LEON...LIBERTY...MADISON...TAYLOR...
     WAKULLA...WASHINGTON.

GM...NONE.

&&

AVIATION/FIRE WX...GIBBS
PUBLIC/MARINE...GOULD

Hazardous weather outlook, Mar 31, 4:53 AM EST, 13 hours 32 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TALLAHASSEE FL
553 AM EDT TUE MAR 31 2009

ALZ065>069-FLZ007>019-026>029-034-GAZ120>131-142>148-155>161-
GMZ730-750-755-765-770-775-011000-
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-
553 AM EDT TUE MAR 31 2009 /453 AM CDT TUE MAR 31 2009/

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHEAST ALABAMA...
SOUTHWEST AND SOUTH CENTRAL GEORGIA...AND THE FLORIDA BIG BEND
AND PANHANDLE...AND ADJACENT COASTAL WATERS.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT...

...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR MUCH OF THE AREA FROM THIS
AFTERNOON THROUGH THURSDAY MORNING...

...HEAVY RAIN AND POSSIBLE SEVERE WEATHER EXPECTED TONIGHT INTO
WEDNESDAY AND AGAIN THURSDAY...

A SERIES OF STORM SYSTEMS WILL AFFECT THE REGION BEGINNING LATE
THIS AFTERNOON INTO TONIGHT. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE
EXPECTED TO DEVELOP LATE THIS MORNING OVER THE FLORIDA
PANHANDLE...SPREADING NORTHEAST ACROSS THE ENTIRE AREA BY EARLY
THIS EVENING. PERIODS OF HEAVY RAIN ARE EXPECTED TONIGHT WITH
RAINFALL ACCUMULATIONS OF 2 TO 3 INCHES BY MORNING...WITH LOCALLY
HEAVIER AMOUNTS. THIS WILL ONLY SERVE TO EXACERBATE THE ONGOING
FLOODING SITUATION ACROSS THE REGION.

IN ADDITION TO THE HEAVY RAINFALL...THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF
SEVERE STORMS TONIGHT. THE MAIN THREAT FROM THE STORMS IS EXPECTED
TO BE DAMAGING STRAIGHT LINE WINDS...WITH THE HIGHEST
PROBABILITIES IN THE EASTERN FLORIDA PANHANDLE.

MANY AREA RIVERS AND STREAMS REMAIN ABOVE FLOOD STAGE. REFER TO
THE LATEST FLOOD WARNINGS AND STATEMENTS FOR THE LATEST
INFORMATION...OR REFER TO OUR LOCAL ADVANCED HYDROLOGICAL
PREDICTION SERVICE WEB PAGE AT

HTTP://AHPS.SRH.NOAA.GOV/INDEX.PHP?WFO=TAE

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY...

THE WET WEATHER PATTERN WILL CONTINUE THROUGH LATE THURSDAY AS A
SERIES OF STORM SYSTEMS IMPACT THE SOUTHEAST. SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE THROUGH THE DAY WEDNESDAY
INTO THURSDAY. ANOTHER ROUND OF POTENTIALLY HEAVY RAIN IS EXPECTED
THURSDAY AND THURSDAY NIGHT. STORM TOTAL PRECIPITATION AMOUNTS MAY
EXCEED 7 INCHES WITH LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS. THIS WILL CONTINUE TO
WORSEN THE FLOODING SITUATION ACROSS THE AREA.

IN ADDITION...SEVERE STORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE THROUGH THURSDAY
NIGHT. THE BEST CHANCE OF SEVERE WEATHER APPEARS TO BE THURSDAY
AFTERNOON AND EVENING...WITH DAMAGING WINDS...HAIL...AND TORNADOES
ALL A POSSIBILITY.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED TONIGHT.

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.

CAMP

In the hours before

Local storm report, Mar 31, 4:38 PM EST, 1 hour 47 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TALLAHASSEE FL
538 PM EDT TUE MAR 31 2009

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

0527 PM     HAIL             GREENOUGH               31.32N 84.10W
03/31/2009  E0.88 INCH       MITCHELL           GA   EMERGENCY MNGR

            NICKEL SIZE HAIL REPORTED ON HIGHWAY 93.

&&

WOOL

Local storm report, Mar 31, 5:02 PM EST, 1 hour 23 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TALLAHASSEE FL
602 PM EDT TUE MAR 31 2009

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

0550 PM     FUNNEL CLOUD     2 SW MOULTRIE           31.16N 83.81W
03/31/2009                   COLQUITT           GA   PUBLIC

            FUNNEL CLOUD MOVING NORTHEAST ALONG GA ROUTE 111. THIS IS
            KINDALL CHURCH ROAD.

&&

WOOL

Local storm report, Mar 31, 5:27 PM EST, 58 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TALLAHASSEE FL
627 PM EDT TUE MAR 31 2009

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

0612 PM     TORNADO          NORMAN PARK             31.27N 83.68W
03/31/2009                   COLQUITT           GA   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            BRIEF TORNADO TOUCHDOWN REPORTED.

&&

WOOL

Local storm report, Mar 31, 6:03 PM EST, 22 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TALLAHASSEE FL
703 PM EDT TUE MAR 31 2009

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

0640 PM     FLASH FLOOD      MOULTRIE                31.18N 83.79W
03/31/2009                   COLQUITT           GA   EMERGENCY MNGR

            FLOODING REPORTED COUNTY WIDE.

0650 PM     FLASH FLOOD      3 WNW THOMASVILLE       30.86N 84.03W
03/31/2009                   THOMAS             GA   EMERGENCY MNGR

            FLOODING REPORTED NEAR BARNETTS CREEK NEAR HIGHWAY 84.

&&

WOOL

Local storm report, Mar 31, 6:05 PM EST, 20 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TALLAHASSEE FL
705 PM EDT TUE MAR 31 2009

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

0313 PM     HAIL             ENTERPRISE              31.31N 85.85W
03/31/2009  E0.50 INCH       COFFEE             AL   EMERGENCY MNGR

            DIME SIZE HAIL REPORTED AT THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE.

&&

WOOL

Special weather statement, Mar 31, 6:16 PM EST, 9 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TALLAHASSEE FL
716 PM EDT TUE MAR 31 2009

FLZ017-018-010015-
JEFFERSON-LEON-
716 PM EDT TUE MAR 31 2009

...A SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT IS IN EFFECT FOR JEFFERSON AND LEON
COUNTIES IN THE FLORIDA BIG BEND...

* UNTIL 815 PM EDT

AT 713 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM 6 MILES NORTHWEST OF TALLAHASSEE...MOVING EAST AT
35 MPH.

THIS STORM WILL BE NEAR...
  TALLAHASSEE BY 725 PM EDT.
  MONTICELLO BY 800 PM EDT.

WINDS 40 TO 50 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM.

THIS STORM IS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING TORRENTIAL DOWNPOURS WHICH MAY
CAUSE LOCALIZED FLOODING OF STREETS AND LOW LYING AREAS...AND IS ALSO
PRODUCING NEARLY CONTINUOUS CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING. MOVE INDOORS
IMMEDIATELY LIGHTNING IS ONE OF NATURES NUMBER ONE KILLERS.
REMEMBER...IF YOU CAN HEAR THUNDER...YOU ARE CLOSE ENOUGH TO BE
STRUCK BY LIGHTNING.

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 radar

The Tallahassee radar (KTLH), 15 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 23:25 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

3 thunderstorm wind, 1 flood, 1 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Leon

When: March 31, 6:25 PM EST
Where: Leon County, 2.14 mi SSE of Killearn Estates
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Broadcast Media
Coordinates: 30.482, -84.205

A few trees were down across Miccosukee Road.

Flood, Madison

When: March 31, 7:20 PM EST to 8:20 PM EST
Where: Madison County, 2.59 mi S of Greenville to 2.62 mi S of Greenville
Cause: Heavy Rain
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 30.433, -83.627

Water was flowing over State Highway 221 at Interstate 10 near the Texaco station.

Thunderstorm Wind, Madison

When: March 31, 7:30 PM EST
Where: Madison County, 2.8 mi WSW of Lee
Measured: 55 kt (63 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 30.394, -83.343

A few large trees were downed across Interstate 10 near mile marker 245.

Tornado, Madison

When: March 31, 7:40 PM EST to 7:41 PM EST
Where: Madison County, 8 mi S of Lee to 7.7 mi S of Lee
Rating: EF1
Path length: 0.5 mi
Path width: 50 yd
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 30.294, -83.300

Numerous large pine trees were down in a narrow convergent path.

Thunderstorm Wind, Wakulla

When: March 31, 7:48 PM EST
Where: Wakulla County, 2 mi N of Crawfordville
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 30.199, -84.370

A few trees were down on Crawfordville Highway.

What these are

Thunderstorm Wind: Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.
Flood: Flooding that develops more slowly than a flash flood: rivers leaving their banks, or water standing over land for an extended time.
Tornado: A violently rotating column of air in contact with the ground and extending from a thunderstorm, filed with its path, width and Fujita or Enhanced Fujita rating from the damage survey.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Florida in 2009 Every state in 2009 This day in weather history The tornado archive for Florida, 2009 Warnings in Florida, March 2009

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: 163350, 163351, 163352, 163353, 163354.