Numerous thunderstorms developed within a marginally unstable air mass well ahead of a cold front. The strongest storms organized along the leading edge of a southward dropping large scale boundary, which moved from the northern to southern Florida peninsula from late morning through early evening.
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 MLB wrote it up.
Numerous thunderstorms developed within a marginally unstable air mass well ahead of a cold front. The strongest storms organized along the leading edge of a southward dropping large scale boundary, which moved from the northern to southern Florida peninsula from late morning through early evening. Strong winds aloft translated to surface wind gusts of 40 to 55 mph within several east central Florida Counties. Funnel clouds were observed in Volusia, Seminole and Brevard Counties. Hail of dime to penny size was reported in Orange and Martin Counties and likely occurred across rural areas of other counties as well. Heavy rainfall, totaling 3 to 5 inches produced minor roadway and urban in many locations. No damage was reported.
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 Melbourne, FL wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Mar 11, 10:25 AM EST, 1 hour 5 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MELBOURNE FL
1025 AM EST THU MAR 11 2010
.DISCUSSION...
MORNING SOUNDINGS SHOW THE CENTRAL FL PENINSULA UNDER A HIGH
SHEAR/LOW CAPE STORM ENVIRONMENT THIS MORNING...DEEP MOISTURE
BUILDING IN FROM THE N WITH KTAE/KJAX SOUNDINGS FULLY SATURATED.
STRONG LOW LVL ENVIRONMENTAL INFLOW WITH SE SFC WINDS GUSTING TO
25-30MPH.
NMRS SHRAS/ISOLD TSRAS OVER THE NRN/CENTRAL CWA AHEAD OF FRONTAL
TROF PUSHING INTO THE WRN GOMEX. CONDITIONS EXPECTED TO DETERIORATE
FURTHER THIS AFTN AS STRONG DIRECTIONAL AND SPEED SHEAR AHEAD OF THE
TROF PUSHES ACRS THE FL PENINSULA. WIDESPREAD SHRAS AND SCT TSRAS
WITH POTENTIAL FOR STRONG/DAMAGING WINDS...RAPID STORM DEVELOPMENT
PSBL.
CHANGES TO THE ZONES MAINLY TO REFRESH WORDING...HWO UPDATE PENDING
AS WELL.
&&
.AVIATION...
THRU 11/18Z...PREVAILING CIGS BTWN FL040-050 WITH NMRS MVFR
SHRAS/ISOLD IFR +SHRAS...OCNL SFC WND G25KTS. BTWN 11/18Z-12/06Z...
PREVAILING CIGS BLO FL020 WITH WDSPRD MVFR SHRAS/SCT IFR TSRAS...
OCNL SFC WND G20KTS. BTWN 12/06Z-12/12Z PREVAILING CIGS BTWN
FL020-030 WITH SCT MVFR SHRAS/ISOLD IFR +SHRAS.
&&
.MARINE...
TIGHT PGRAD OVER THE LCL ATLC AHEAD OF A FRONTAL TROF OVER THE WRN
GOMEX. SCA CONDITIONS AT ALL LCL BUOYS WITH SRLY WINDS 20-25KTS...
SEAS 4-6FT WITH 5-6SEC PDS. WINDS EXPECTED TO WEAKEN AND VEER TO
THE SW OVERNIGHT...THEN TO THE NW BY DAYBREAK AS THE FRONT PUSHES
THRU THE PENINSULA. WDSPRD SHRAS WITH SCT TSRAS THRU FRI.
FPR SCRIPPS BUOY MEASURING 6FT SEAS WITHIN 4NM OF THE COAST...
BUOY009 OVER 7FT. WITH SUCH POOR PREVAILING CONDITIONS...WILL
EXPAND THE SCA TO INCLUDE ALL NEARSHORE COASTAL WATERS AND EXTEND
EXPIRATION TIME THRU 10PM THIS EVENING.
&&
.MLB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
FL...NONE.
AM...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 7 PM EST THIS EVENING FOR WATERS FROM
FLAGLER BEACH TO VOLUSIA BREVARD COUNTY LINE 20 TO 60 NM
OFFSHORE-WATERS FROM SEBASTIAN INLET TO JUPITER INLET 20 TO
60 NM OFFSHORE-WATERS FROM VOLUSIA BREVARD COUNTY LINE TO
SEBASTIAN INLET 20 TO 60 NM OFFSHORE.
&&
SHORT TERM/AVIATION...BRAGAW
LONG TERM....CRISTALDIHAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MELBOURNE FL 452 AM EST THU MAR 11 2010 AMZ550-552-555-570-572-575-FLZ041-044>047-053-054-058-059-064-141- 144-147-112200- COASTAL WATERS FROM FLAGLER BEACH TO VOLUSIA BREVARD COUNTY LINE OUT 20 NM- COASTAL WATERS FROM VOLUSIA BREVARD COUNTY LINE TO SEBASTIAN INLET OUT 20 NM- COASTAL WATERS FROM SEBASTIAN INLET TO JUPITER INLET OUT 20 NM- WATERS FROM FLAGLER BEACH TO VOLUSIA BREVARD COUNTY LINE 20 TO 60 NM OFFSHORE- WATERS FROM VOLUSIA BREVARD COUNTY LINE TO SEBASTIAN INLET 20 TO 60 NM OFFSHORE- WATERS FROM SEBASTIAN INLET TO JUPITER INLET 20 TO 60 NM OFFSHORE- INLAND VOLUSIA-NORTHERN LAKE-ORANGE-SEMINOLE-SOUTHERN BREVARD- OSCEOLA-INDIAN RIVER-OKEECHOBEE-ST. LUCIE-MARTIN-COASTAL VOLUSIA- SOUTHERN LAKE-NORTHERN BREVARD- 452 AM EST THU MAR 11 2010 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR EAST CENTRAL FLORIDA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. ...THUNDERSTORM IMPACT... FORECAST SOUNDINGS ARE INDICATING THAT THERE SHOULD BE SUFFICIENT LOW LEVEL WIND SHEAR TO PRODUCE ROTATING STORMS DURING THE DAY. MID AND UPPER LEVEL SUPPORT WILL ALSO AID IN PRODUCING STRONG TO SEVERE STORMS WITH LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS. BECAUSE OF THE FORECAST STRENGTH OF THE LOW LEVEL WIND SHEAR...ANY SEVERE STORMS COULD ALSO SPAWN A TORNADO. ...FLOOD IMPACT... ALTHOUGH STORMS WILL BE MOVING FAST...INDIVIDUAL CELLS WITH HEAVIER RAIN REPEATEDLY PASSING OVER ANY GIVEN LOCATION COULD PRODUCE SHORT TERM ACCUMULATIONS OF WATER ON STREETS...LOW LYING AREAS AND THE LOW SPOTS UNDERNEATH BRIDGES. ...MARINE THUNDERSTORM GUST IMPACT... STRONG STORMS MOVING NORTHEAST OVER THE COASTAL WATERS WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING WIND GUSTS TO 35 KNOTS. ...WATERSPOUT IMPACT... STRONGER STORMS MAY PRODUCE FUNNEL CLOUDS AND WATER SPOUTS OVER THE COASTAL WATERS. STORM MOVEMENT WILL BE TO THE NORTHEAST DURING THE DAY. ...WIND AND SEA IMPACT... STRONG SOUTHERLY WINDS WILL PRODUCE WINDS OF 20 TO 25 KNOTS OVER THE OFFSHORE WATERS THROUGH MID EVENING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY. A LARGE AREA OF SHOWERS AND STORMS IS EXPECTED TO OVERSPREAD THE AREA ON FRIDAY. SOME STORMS COULD BE STRONG TO SEVERE AND MORE WIDESPREAD HEAVY RAIN IS EXPECTED. GUSTY WEST WINDS WILL USHER IN DRIER AIR BEHIND A COLD FRONT EARLY SATURDAY. MARGINALLY HAZARDOUS BOATING CONDITIONS WILL OCCUR IN THE OPEN ATLANTIC OVER THE WEEKEND. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS ARE REQUESTED TO MONITOR THE WEATHER AND SELF ACTIVATE IF NEEDED. WIMMER/LASCODY
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MELBOURNE FL 1009 AM EST THU MAR 11 2010 FLZ041-044>046-053-141-144-147-111630- COASTAL VOLUSIA COUNTY-INLAND VOLUSIA COUNTY-NORTHERN BREVARD COUNTY-NORTHERN LAKE COUNTY-ORANGE-OSCEOLA-SEMINOLE-SOUTHERN LAKE COUNTY- 1009 AM EST THU MAR 11 2010 ...INCREASINGLY STRONG THUNDERSTORMS TO AFFECT NORTHERN BREVARD COUNTY...LAKE COUNTY...ORANGE COUNTY...NORTHERN OSCEOLA COUNTY...SEMINOLE COUNTY...AND VOLUSIA COUNTY THROUGHOUT THIS MORNING... AT 10 AM EST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED SEVERAL STORMS GROWING IN INTENSITY OVER THE NORTHERN FORECAST AREA...ESPECIALLY FROM NEAR ZELLWOOD AND ORLANDO...TO DELAND AND BARBERVILLE...TO NEAR ORMOND...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 45 MPH. OTHERS MAY AFFECT LOCATIONS NEAR SANFORD AND TITUSILLE. ALSO...A SEVERE STORM HAS BEEN INDICATED OVER MARION COUNTY HAVING THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE A TORNADO. A SIMILAR THREAT WILL GROW SOUTH AND EASTWARD TO BECOME A SIGNIFICANT CONCERN FOR THE MENTIONED AREAS. PLEASE LISTEN CLOSELY FOR POSSIBLE WARNINGS AND BE READY TO ACT QUICKLY GIVEN THAT BOTH STORM GROWTH AND MOVEMENT ARE LIKELY TO BE VERY FAST. THE PRIMARY THREAT WILL BE CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING STRIKES AND GUSTY WINDS OF 55 MPH...WHICH CAN CAUSE UNSECURED OBJECTS TO BLOW AROUND...SNAP TREE LIMBS OR CAUSE POWER OUTAGES. HOWEVER...THE CHANCE FOR A TORNADO IS ALSO A REAL CONCERN. SEEK SHELTER INDOORS UNTIL THE STORM PASSES. DWS
The Melbourne radar (KMLB), 123 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 16:28 UTC.
3 funnel cloud, 1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
A NWS Contract observer at the Daytona Beach Airport witnessed multiple funnel clouds form and dissipate, approximately two miles southwest of his location.
An Orlando TV Station weather spotter observed a brief funnel cloud near the intersection of Interstate 4 and State Road 434 in Altamonte Springs.
A Fire Rescue employee reported a brief funnel cloud in the vicinity of Mims, to the west of US Highway 1. The funnel cloud was moving northeast.
A trained weather spotter reported penny size hail about 5 miles southeast of Palm City.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Florida in 2010Every state in 2010This day in weather historyWarnings in Florida, March 2010
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: 210452, 210453, 210454, 210455.