Florida, 2010

Damaging Wind in Florida, May 17, 2010

May 17, 2010 · NWS MLB · 1 event in 1 county or zone

A strong thunderstorm moved to the coast from the central Florida interior and briefly and locally reached severe levels as it interacted with a sea breeze boundary along the Brevard County coast. A wind gust to 60 mph was recorded by weather observers at Patrick Air Force Base.

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

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
1

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 MLB wrote it up.

A strong thunderstorm moved to the coast from the central Florida interior and briefly and locally reached severe levels as it interacted with a sea breeze boundary along the Brevard County coast. A wind gust to 60 mph was recorded by weather observers at Patrick Air Force Base.

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 Melbourne, FL wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at May 17, 8:38 AM EST, 4 hours 53 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 17, 8:38 AM EST, 4 hours 53 minutes before
EAST CENTRAL FLORIDA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MELBOURNE FL
938 AM EDT MON MAY 17 2010

.DISCUSSION...

TODAY-TONIGHT...APCHG UPR WAVE WELL DEFINED ON WV IMAGERY HAS FORCED
NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND EMBEDDED STORMS SINCE EARLY THIS MORNING. SFC
HEATING THIS MORNING AND INTO THE AFTERNOON WILL INCREASE COVERAGE
OF PRECIPITATION WITH AN EXPECTED INCREASE IN AMOUNT OF STORMS AS
WELL WITH LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN AND GUSTY WINDS BECOMING THE MAIN
CONCERN.

THE CURRENTLY FORECAST HIGH RAIN COVERAGE AMOUNT IS ACCURATE HOWEVER
WILL FRESHEN UP THE ZONE AND HAZARDS OUTLOOK MAINLY TO ACCOUNT FOR
LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN PROSPECT AND MARINE GUSTS DUE TO EASTWARD STORM
MOVEMENT TOWARD THE EAST COAST. STRONGER STORMS MAY OCCUR ALONG THE
BREVARD COAST SOUTHWARD THIS AFTERNOON WHERE A SEA BREEZE IS
FORECAST TO DEVELOP BUT NOT MOVE VERY FAR INLAND.

&&

.AVIATION...NUMEROUS MVFR WITH LCL IFR IN STRATUS CEILINGS THIS
MORNING BECOMING MAINLY MVFR IN PRECIPITATION DURING THE AFTERNOON.
LOCAL IFR VISIBILITIES AND FREQUENT LIGHTNING SHOULD OCCUR WITH THE
STRONGER STORMS. CONVECTION WILL DIMINISH DURING THE EVENING WITH
AREAS OF RAIN EXPECTED TO LINGER UNTIL A LITTLE AFTER SUNSET.

&&

PREVIOUS DISC ...

.MARINE...THROUGH TONIGHT THE WEAK HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE EXTENDING
ACROSS THE PENINSULA WILL SHIFT OFFSHORE AS PRE FRONTAL TROUGH
PUSHES INTO THE AREA. SOUTH WINDS AROUND 10 KNOTS NEAR SHORE AND
10-15 KNOTS OFFSHORE WILL VEER TO THE SOUTHWEST TONIGHT. THERE
WILL BE GREATER CHANCES FOR STORMS MOVING OFFSHORE THIS AFTERNOON
AND IN THE EARLY EVENING.

&&

.MLB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
FL...NONE.
AM...NONE.

&&

JP/DKW
Hazardous weather outlook, May 17, 9:10 AM EST, 4 hours 21 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MELBOURNE FL
1010 AM EDT MON MAY 17 2010

AMZ550-552-555-570-572-575-FLZ041-044>047-053-054-058-059-064-141-
144-147-180100-
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-
1010 AM EDT MON MAY 17 2010

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR EAST CENTRAL FLORIDA.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT.

...THUNDERSTORM IMPACT...
NUMEROUS RAIN SHOWERS CONTAINING EMBEDDED STORMS WILL MOVE EAST
ACROSS EAST CENTRAL FLORIDA THIS AFTERNOON AND PERSIST INTO THE
EVENING WHILE SLOWLY DECREASING IN COVERAGE AFTER SUNSET. PRIMARY
HAZARDS IN THE LOCALLY STRONGER STORMS WILL BE THE LIKELIHOOD OF
FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING STRIKES ALONG WITH PERIODS OF
HEAVY RAIN. WIND GUSTS OF 35 TO 45 MPH WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE IN
STRONGER STORMS AS THEY MOVE EAST TOWARD THE ATLANTIC COAST
DURING THE AFTERNOON.

...FLOOD IMPACT...
MULTIPLE RAIN SHOWERS ALONG WITH STORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF DUMPING
ONE TO TWO INCHES OVER THE SAME AREAS BY EVENING. NUISANCE STANDING
WATER WILL OCCUR IN LOW SPOTS AND TRADITIONALLY FLOOD PRONE AREAS.
MOTORISTS SHOULD EXERCISE CAUTION ON RAIN SLICK AND AREAS OF WATER
PONDING. ALLOW EXTRA TIME TO REACH YOUR DESTINATION.

...MARINE THUNDERSTORM GUST IMPACT...
SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS AFTERNOON STORMS OVER THE MAINLAND WILL MOVE
NORTHEAST TO EAST AT 10 TO 15 MPH AND AFFECT THE ATLANTIC WATERS.
SCATTERED STORMS WITH WIND GUSTS 30 TO 35 KNOTS AND FREQUENT
LIGHTNING STRIKES SHOULD OCCUR ESPECIALLY ALONG THE BREVARD AND
VOLUSIA COUNTY COAST AND INTRACOASTAL WATERS. LARGE LAKES CAN ALSO
SEE BRIEFLY ROUGH WATERS WITH STEEP WAVES AND WIND GUSTS OF 30 TO
40 MPH.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY.
SCATTERED LIGHTNING STORMS ARE EXPECTED TUESDAY AFTERNOON THEN
COVERAGE WILL DECREASE DURING THE MID TO LATE PART OF THE WEEK.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTERS ARE REQUESTED TO MONITOR THE WEATHER AND SELF ACTIVATE
IF NEEDED.

PENDERGRAST/LASCODY

In the hours before

Special weather statement, May 17, 12:05 PM EST, 1 hour 26 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MELBOURNE FL
105 PM EDT MON MAY 17 2010

FLZ141-171745-
COASTAL VOLUSIA COUNTY-
105 PM EDT MON MAY 17 2010

...A SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FOR STRONG WIND GUSTS
BETWEEN 45 AND 55 MPH AND SMALL HAIL OVER SOUTHEASTERN VOLUSIA
COUNTY...

* UNTIL 145 PM EDT.

AT 100 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING STRONG WINDS AND SMALL HAIL OVER
MAYTOWN...MOVING EAST AT 15 MPH.

LOCATIONS IN THE PATH OF THE STORM WHICH MAY EXPERIENCE STRONG WINDS
AND SMALL HAIL INCLUDE APOLLO BEACH...BETHUNE BEACH AND ELDORA.

THE PRIMARY THREAT WILL BE CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING STRIKES AND
GUSTY WINDS OF 45 TO 55 MPH...WHICH CAN CAUSE UNSECURED OBJECTS TO
BLOW AROUND...SNAP TREE LIMBS OR CAUSE POWER OUTAGES. HEAVY RAINFALL
WILL TEMPORARILY REDUCE VISIBILITY. SEEK SHELTER INDOORS UNTIL THE
STORM PASSES.

LAT...LON 2882 8075 2882 8077 2887 8080 2885 8081
      2886 8082 2881 8080 2878 8096 2877 8097
      2876 8104 2891 8108 2898 8089 2886 8083
      2888 8081 2891 8082 2898 8087 2899 8086
TIME...MOT...LOC 1705Z 253DEG 14KT 2885 8095

WEITLICH
Special weather statement, May 17, 1:19 PM EST, 12 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MELBOURNE FL
219 PM EDT MON MAY 17 2010

FLZ058-171915-
OKEECHOBEE-
219 PM EDT MON MAY 17 2010

...A SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FOR A STRONG STORM
WITH STRONG WIND GUSTS BETWEEN 45 AND 55 MPH APPROACHING OKEECHOBEE
COUNTY...

* UNTIL 315 PM EDT.

AT 216 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING STRONG WIND GUSTS 17 MILES SOUTHWEST OF
BASINGER...MOVING EAST AT 25 MPH.

LOCATIONS IN THE PATH OF THE STORM WHICH MAY EXPERIENCE STRONG WINDS
INCLUDE BASINGER...OKEECHOBEE...AND COUNTRY HILL ESTATES.

THE PRIMARY THREAT WILL BE CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING STRIKES AND
GUSTY WINDS OF 45 TO 55 MPH...WHICH CAN CAUSE UNSECURED OBJECTS TO
BLOW AROUND...SNAP TREE LIMBS OR CAUSE POWER OUTAGES. HEAVY RAINFALL
WILL TEMPORARILY REDUCE VISIBILITY. SEEK SHELTER INDOORS UNTIL THE
STORM PASSES.

LAT...LON 2716 8088 2726 8100 2729 8100 2731 8104
      2736 8104 2738 8106 2739 8112 2742 8115
      2746 8117 2749 8121 2752 8120 2755 8069
      2715 8069 2715 8071 2720 8080 2714 8088
TIME...MOT...LOC 1816Z 255DEG 24KT 2723 8116

WEITLICH

The radar

The Melbourne radar (KMLB), 14 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 18:30 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Brevard

When
May 17, 1:31 PM EST
Where
Brevard County, 0.12 mi E of (Cof)patrick Afb
Measured
52 kt (60 mph) measured gust
Reported by
Other Federal Agency
Coordinates
28.230, -80.598

A peak wind gust of 60 mph was recorded at Patrick Air Force Base as a strong thunderstorm briefly and locally became severe before moving offshore. Along Highway A1A just east of the airbase, several hanging traffic signals were damaged.

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.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Florida in 2010Every state in 2010This day in weather historyWarnings in Florida, May 2010

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: 220459.