A stalled frontal boundary was in place across central Florida. As the boundary began to lift north drawing in abundant warm moist air over the area, an upper level disturbance moved over the area and a squall line developed and quickly moved across the northern half of the area.
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 TBW wrote it up.
A stalled frontal boundary was in place across central Florida. As the boundary began to lift north drawing in abundant warm moist air over the area, an upper level disturbance moved over the area and a squall line developed and quickly moved across the northern half of the area. Several areas of damaging winds and a tornado resulted from this fast moving line on March 30th. The warm front continued to lift north over northern Florida as a developing low pressure system shifted into the northeastern Gulf of Mexico. As this system moved across northern Florida, the cold front pushed into the local area and another series of squall lines moved across the area through the day on March 31st. Several tornadoes and areas of damaging winds occurred across the greater Tampa Bay area.
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 Tampa Bay, FL wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Mar 30, 1:19 PM EST, 1 hour earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY RUSKIN FL
219 PM EDT WED MAR 30 2011
.SHORT TERM (TONIGHT - FRIDAY)...TWO ROUNDS OF STRONG TO SEVERE
THUNDERSTORMS TO CONTEND WITH. FIRST...A BOWING LINE OF STRONG TO
SEVERE STORMS MOVING ACROSS THE GULF OF MEXICO WILL MOVE ACROSS
THE NATURE COAST THIS AFTERNOON AND REACH THE TAMPA BAY AREA
BEFORE EVENING. THE TORNADO WATCH CONTINUES IN EFFECT THROUGH 8
PM.
THE SECOND ROUND WILL COME WITH THE APPROACHING COLD FRONT ON
THURSDAY. DETAILS WILL CHANGE...BUT RIGHT NOW IT APPEARS AS IF THE
LINE WILL BE NEAR LEVY COUNTY EARLY IN THE MORNING...THEN IN THE
TAMPA BAY AREA BY MID DAY. DAMAGING WINDS...LARGE HAIL AND
ISOLATED TORNADOES WILL AGAIN BE POSSIBLE WITH THIS LINE.
THE FRONT WILL MOVE THROUGH THE REGION THURSDAY NIGHT WITH MUCH
DRIER CONDITIONS RETURNING FOR FRIDAY.
.LONG TERM (FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY)...
LATEST MODELS ARE IN PRETTY GOOD AGREEMENT THROUGH THE WEEKEND
BUT BEGIN TO DIVERGE BY NEXT TUESDAY. THE MID/UPPER LEVEL TROUGH
WILL BE MOVING OUT INTO THE ATLANTIC OCEAN OVER THE WEEKEND WITH
SOME RIDGING BUILDING OVER THE SOUTHEAST U.S. AND FLORIDA.
MEANWHILE AT THE SURFACE...A SECONDARY COLD FRONT WILL MOVE ACROSS
THE SOUTHEAST U.S. AND INTO FLORIDA DURING SATURDAY WITH HIGH
PRESSURE THEN BUILDING OVER THE REGION FOR SUNDAY. LITTLE IF ANY
MOISTURE WILL BE IN PLACE SO SHOULD NOT BE MUCH MORE THEN A FEW
CLOUDS WITH THE FRONT. EARLY NEXT WEEK THE HIGH WILL MOVE OUT INTO
THE WESTERN ATLANTIC WITH THE NEXT STORM SYSTEM DEVELOPING OVER
THE CENTRAL U.S. WITH THE SOUTHERLY WARM AND HUMID FLOW RETURNING.
THERE ARE BIG TIMING DIFFERENCES WITH THIS NEXT STORM SYSTEM WITH
THE GFS PUSHING A COLD FRONT ACROSS THE AREA TUESDAY AND TUESDAY
NIGHT WHILE THE ECMWF IS 12 TO 18 HOURS SLOWER. FOR NOW WILL ONLY
GO WITH SLIGHT CHANCE POPS AND WAIT TO SEE HOW THINGS DEVELOP.
TEMPERATURES WILL BE NEAR NORMAL SATURDAY...THEN NEAR TO A FEW
DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL FOR SUNDAY THROUGH TUESDAY.
&&
.AVIATION...SOME STORMS EXPECTED TO MAKE IT TO TPA...PIE AND SRQ
WITH GUSTY WINDS POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON. MVFR/IFR CEILINGS
EXPECTED OVERNIGHT...THEN ANOTHER ROUND OF STRONG STORMS POSSIBLE
ON THURSDAY.
&&
.MARINE...ISSUED A SHORT FUSED SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FOR THE NEAR
SHORE AND BAY WATERS THROUGH 10 PM THIS EVENING. THE HEATING OF
THE LAND MASS IS BRINGING STRONGER WINDS DOWN ALONG THE COAST...
WITH 20 TO 25 KNOTS AND HIGHER GUSTS COMMON AT MANY REPORTING
STATIONS SOUTH OF TARPON SPRINGS. OTHERWISE...EXPECT BOWING LINE
OF STORMS OVER THE GULF TO CONTINUE TO PUSH SOUTHEAST THROUGH THE
WATERS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING FOLLOWED BY A LULL TONIGHT.
ANOTHER LINE OF SHOWERS AND STORMS WILL ARRIVE THURSDAY MORNING
AND PUSH SOUTHWARD THROUGH THE DAY. ANY OF THESE STORMS COULD
PRODUCE VERY STRONG WINDS AND HAIL...ALONG WITH THE POSSIBILITY
OF WATERSPOUTS. HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD OVER THE WATERS FOR THE
WEEKEND.
&&
.FIRE WEATHER...NO FIRE WEATHER CONCERNS THROUGH THURSDAY THEN
SOME LOWER HUMIDITIES NEAR 35 PERCENT BEHIND THE COLD FRONT ON
FRIDAY.
&&
.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
TPA 69 78 63 79 / 40 80 20 0
FMY 70 85 65 83 / 10 50 40 0
GIF 66 83 61 81 / 40 80 20 0
SRQ 69 79 64 80 / 20 80 20 0
BKV 66 79 58 79 / 50 90 10 0
SPG 70 78 65 79 / 40 80 20 0
&&
.TBW WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
FL...NONE.
GULF WATERS...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 10 PM EDT THIS EVENING
FOR BONITA BEACH TO ENGLEWOOD OUT 20 NM-ENGLEWOOD TO TARPON
SPRINGS OUT 20 NM-TAMPA BAY WATERS.
&&
SHORT TERM/MARINE/FIRE WEATHER...JILLSON
LONG TERM...CLOSE
AVIATION...NOAHHAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...CORRECTED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY RUSKIN FL 530 AM EDT WED MAR 30 2011 FLZ039-042-043-048>052-055>057-060>062-065-302130- LEVY-CITRUS-SUMTER-HERNANDO-PASCO-PINELLAS-HILLSBOROUGH-POLK- MANATEE-HARDEE-HIGHLANDS-SARASOTA-DE SOTO-CHARLOTTE-LEE- 530 AM EDT WED MAR 30 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR WEST CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST FLORIDA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. ...THUNDERSTORM IMPACT... A FRONT WILL MOVE NORTH ACROSS THE AREA THIS MORNING BRINGING A CHANCE FOR THUNDERSTORMS. A FEW OF THESE STORMS COULD BE STRONG TO POSSIBLY SEVERE AND PRODUCE DAMAGING WINDS AND AN ISOLATED TORNADO. OTHERWISE STORMS WILL CONTAIN DEADLY LIGHTNING AND LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL RESULTING IN MINOR FLOODING OF LOW LYING AND POOR DRAINAGE AREAS. ...RIP CURRENT IMPACT... MODERATE SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST WINDS TODAY WILL ALLOW FOR A MODERATE RISK OF RIP CURRENTS AT AREA BEACHES. A RIP CURRENT IS A 10 TO 30 YARD WIDE CHANNEL OF WATER THAT CAN PULL EVEN A STRONG SWIMMER INTO DEEPER WATER. TO AVOID GETTING CAUGHT IN A RIP CURRENT...SWIM AT GUARDED BEACHES AND HEED THE ADVICE OF THE BEACH PATROL. AT UNGUARDED BEACHES AND NEAR PIERS...JETTIES...AND INLETS...DO NOT GO INTO THE SURF MUCH ABOVE YOUR KNEES. IF CAUGHT IN THE SEAWARD PULL OF A RIP CURRENT...DO NOT ATTEMPT TO MOVE DIRECTLY TOWARD SHORE. INSTEAD...MOVE SIDEWAYS ACROSS THE RIP CURRENT UNTIL THE PULL EASES. ANOTHER METHOD OF ESCAPE IS TO LET THE RIP CURRENT PULL YOU SEAWARD 50 TO 100 YARDS...WHERE THE FORCE WEAKENS. THEN...SWIM TOWARD THE BEACH AT AN ANGLE AWAY FROM THE CURRENT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. ...THUNDERSTORM IMPACT... A COLD FRONT WILL MOVE SOUTH ACROSS THE AREA ON THURSDAY...BRINGING A GOOD CHANCE FOR THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS MUCH OF THE AREA. A FEW OF THESE STORMS COULD BE STRONG TO SEVERE AND PRODUCE DAMAGING WINDS AND AN ISOLATED TORNADO. OTHERWISE STORMS WILL CONTAIN DEADLY LIGHTNING AND LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL RESULTING IN MINOR FLOODING OF LOW LYING AND POOR DRAINAGE AREAS. ...RIP CURRENT IMPACT... MODERATE SOUTHWEST TO WESTERLY WINDS ON THURSDAY WILL ALLOW FOR A MODERATE RISK OF RIP CURRENTS AT AREA BEACHES. A RIP CURRENT IS A 10 TO 30 YARD WIDE CHANNEL OF WATER THAT CAN PULL EVEN A STRONG SWIMMER INTO DEEPER WATER. TO AVOID GETTING CAUGHT IN A RIP CURRENT...SWIM AT GUARDED BEACHES AND HEED THE ADVICE OF THE BEACH PATROL. AT UNGUARDED BEACHES AND NEAR PIERS...JETTIES...AND INLETS...DO NOT GO INTO THE SURF MUCH ABOVE YOUR KNEES. IF CAUGHT IN THE SEAWARD PULL OF A RIP CURRENT...DO NOT ATTEMPT TO MOVE DIRECTLY TOWARD SHORE. INSTEAD...MOVE SIDEWAYS ACROSS THE RIP CURRENT UNTIL THE PULL EASES. ANOTHER METHOD OF ESCAPE IS TO LET THE RIP CURRENT PULL YOU SEAWARD 50 TO 100 YARDS...WHERE THE FORCE WEAKENS. THEN...SWIM TOWARD THE BEACH AT AN ANGLE AWAY FROM THE CURRENT. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE NEEDED TODAY. CARLISLE
The Tampa radar (KTBW), 150 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 19:19 UTC.
35 thunderstorm wind, 10 tornado, 2 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.
Trees were uprooted in Yankeetown and fell on at least one home and brought down power lines.
The down burst wind damage path was 5 miles long and up to one half mile wide. The damage started in Hernando County and moved northeast into Citrus County. Numerous pines were snapped and many homes lost about 15% of their shingles. This event was not documented as a tornado due to conflicting evidence (e.g. power lines untouched near a handful of trees snapped in a large cluster of trees). Further south in Brookesville, winds were measured at 51 MPH (44 knots) as the line blew through.
The down burst wind damage path was 5 miles long and up to one half mile wide. The damage started in Hernando County and moved northeast into Citrus County. Numerous pines were snapped and many homes lost about 15% of their shingles. This event was not documented as a tornado due to conflicting evidence (e.g. power lines untouched near a handful of trees snapped in a large cluster of trees).
Tree damage was reported on West Fort Island Trail Road. Winds at the Crystal River Airport 7 miles to the southeast were measured at 55 MPH (48 knots).
Trees were uprooted in the Beacon Woods subdivision. One large tree was pushed over onto three vehicles.
Damaging thunderstorm winds uprooted trees and blocked the road near County Road 575 and West County Road 48.
Numerous trees and power lines were downed in the Nobleton area.
A tree was blown over and fell onto a car in Moon Lake Estates.
The wind gust was recorded by a home weather station.
The tornado was visually seen on the leading edge of a damaging squall line and it snapped softwood pine trees in its path. Downed trees blocked Highway 301 in Sumterville.
Damaging thunderstorm winds downed numerous trees, one landing on a home.
There were numerous reports of trees and power lines down in the Bushnell area. A tree blocked the road near the intersection of County Road 476 and County Road 609A.
There were numerous reports of trees and power lines down in the Bushnell area. Trees were blocking the roads on Highway 301 and County Road 475 where each intersected County Road 532W. The downed trees led to a multiple vehicle accident on County Road 475.
Damaging thunderstorm winds knocked down the traffic light at the intersection of State Road 44 and Highway 301. There were numerous reports of trees and power lines down in the area.
A lightning strike took out an electrical substation near the 3500 block of Gaylesburg Court in The Villages.
Damaging thunderstorm winds knocked down the traffic light at the intersection of County Road 466A and Buena Vista Blvd in The Villages. There were numerous reports of trees and power lines down in the area and a pool cage was blown onto the roof of a house. The ASOS observation from The Villages was about a mile to the northeast and recorded a 53 MPH wind gust.
A lightning strike started a house fire on the 9500 block of County Road 125C just southwest of Lake Miona.
Trees uprooted and limbs down in the Dade City area. One pole barn was destroyed.
The COMPS Station at Anclote Gulf Park measured a wind gust of 61 mph or 53 knots.
Trees were downed near River Ridge Boulevard and Tall Pines Boulevard.
Thunderstorm winds damaged carports and pool cages in the Lake Padgett Estates Neighborhood of Land O Lakes.
There were several public reports of a tornado near Odessa. No significant damage was reported.
A tornado downed trees and power lines in the Lutz area. The tornado approached Interstate 275, but there were no reports of it crossing the Interstate.
Trees were damaged in the Hillsborough River State Park.
There were numerous reports and a video on television of a tornado north of Kathleen that became a funnel cloud as it was north of Gibsonia. No significant damage was reported.
There were numerous reports of tree damage and power lines down in and around the Brooksville area.
A waterspout moved onshore as a tornado and destroyed the second floor of a 3,600 square foot multiple occupancy home. Power lines and poles were snapped adjacent to the home. The tornado lifted before reaching the intercostal.
A home weather station measured a wind gust of 70 mph. Tree branches and fascia littered the roads in the area.
Thunderstorm winds gusts snapped small tree trunks, pushed over shallow rooted trees, and caused damage to around 150 homes and mobile homes over a one mile square area near Ulmerton Road.
A 200 foot communication tower collapsed mid way up the tower. Wind damage to trees at the surface suggested wind gusts at 60 MPH, while winds at the top of the tower were estimated at over 110 MPH. Downburst and tornadic wind damage occurred along an eleven mile path from Indian Rocks Beach to the Saint Petersburg/Clearwater International Airport.
A SKYWARN Spotter reported roof damage and signs blowing across the road.
Thunderstorm winds damaged trees and threw debris in the air.
The ASOS weather station at the Albert Whitted Airport measured a 51 knot wind gust.
Power poles and lines were snapped, with at least 10 trees down in the area. Roof debris from industrial buildings was spread along the path. Monetary damage is a conservative estimate.
A small hanger was destroyed with debris damaging vehicles and small airplanes. The observation station on the north side of the airport recorded a wind gust of 55 MPH.
Strong thunderstorm winds overturned a tractor trailer onto two cars on Interstate 275 Howard Frankland Bridge near the 4th Street exit.
Twenty nine residences and businesses suffered minor damage and six structures suffered major damage in the area around Interbay Boulevard.
The AWOS station at the MacDill Air Force Base measured a 53 knot wind gust.
The area around the Tampa Port Authority and Progress Village suffered extensive damage from an EF1 tornado. Numerous roofs were blown off and 40 feet long storage containers were overturned around the Tampa Port Authority. There were 118 homes and businesses with minor damage in Progress Village, and 40 that sustained major damage. In addition, 245 homes are being assisted with tree damage in the Progress Village area.
Seven people were injured during the Sun N Fun Festival activities. There were 50 planes that were damaged or destroyed, with several planes overturned. Five campsites were destroyed with several other camp site tents collapsed or blown down. Light towers and other ground equipment also received damage.
A home weather station measured a wind gust of 66 mph.
Amateur radio operators reported a tornado on the ground north of Mulberry, and numerous trees and powerlines were downed north of Bartow. No damage was reported to structures as the tornado moved through a rural area north of the cities.
The ASOS Station at the Winter Haven Gilbert Airport measured a wind gust of 72 mph or 63 knots.
Two large trees were uprooted at an apartment complex.
An off duty NWS Employee reported numerous large branches and several trees were downed near the area around 15th Avenue Northwest and 75th Street West.
Emergency Management reported roof, gutter, and carport damage to several mobile homes in a mobile home park on Longboat Key. Powerlines were also down in the park.
The ASOS Station at the Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport measured a wind gust of 60 mph or 52 knots.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Florida in 2011Every state in 2011This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Florida, 2011Warnings in Florida, March 2011
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: 284135, 284121, 284122, 284139, 284136, 284213, 284215, 291923, 284153, 284207, 284217, 284218, 284219, 284222, 284238, 284225, 284242, 284244, 292132, 281838, 281839, 281841, 281843, 281844, 281845, 281840, 281820, 281832, 281825, 281824, 281834, 281846, 281833, 281822, 281823, 281826, 289560, 281835, 289561, 295010, and more.