Afternoon thunderstorms spread north into Martin and Okeechobee counties just to the north of a developing trough and one storm produced a funnel cloud. Upper level temperatures were still cold enough for storms to produce severe hail.
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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.
Afternoon thunderstorms spread north into Martin and Okeechobee counties just to the north of a developing trough and one storm produced a funnel cloud. Upper level temperatures were still cold enough for storms to produce severe hail.
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 19, 1:50 PM EST, 15 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MELBOURNE FL 250 PM EDT SAT MAY 19 2012 .DISCUSSION... CURRENT...DIFFUSE ECSB PUSHING QUICKLY INLAND. SOME LUMPINESS IN THE CU FIELD OVER THE INTERIOR NORTH OF LAKE GEORGE...BUT THUS FAR SIGNIF CONVECTION HAS BEEN CONFINED TO AREAS TO THE NORTH AND EAST OF LAKE OKEE. CANNOT RULE OUT SOME ISOLATED LATE AFTERNOON/EARLY EVENING TS FARTHER NORTH/INLAND AS SEA BREEZES APPROACH AND INTERACT...HOWEVER BIGGEST THREAT WILL REMAIN NEAR AND A BIT NORTH OF WHERE CONVECTION IS NOW FIRING (I.E. SOUTH OF ORLANDO...MAINLY INLAND. SUNDAY...CW REMAINS IN LIGHT-MODERATE NE FLOW BETWEEN MID ATLC HIGH PRES RIDGE AND COMPACT QSTNRY LOW SPINNING OFF THE CAROLINAS. RATHER DRY (PWATS BELOW 1.5" AND LESS UNSTABLE AIR MASS REMAINS IN PLACE WITH HIGHEST RAIN SHRA/TS CHANCES (30) AROUND LAKE OKEECHOBEE WHERE SLIGHTLY DEEPER MOISTURE RESIDES AND SA/LAKE BREEZE INTERACTION IS LIKELY. MAX TEMPS SIMILAR TO TODAY...L80S NEAR THE COAST AND ACROSS VOLUSIA COUNTY RANGING TO U80S WELL INLAND. SUN NIGHT-MON NIGHT...UPPER TROUGHING PATTERN OVER THE SOUTHEAST U.S. WEAKENS AND LIFTS NORTHEASTWARD ALONG THE EASTERN SEABOARD DURING THIS PERIOD. NEAR THE SURFACE...A WEAK PRESSURE FIELD WILL ALLOW AN AFTERNOON SEA BREEZE MONDAY. SLIGHT CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND STORMS MONDAY AFTERNOON AS SEA BREEZE BOUNDARIES COLLIDE OVER THE INTERIOR. LOWS SUN AND MON NIGHT MID 60S AND MON AFTERNOON HIGHS UPPER 80S INTERIOR WHILE SEA BREEZE PASSAGE WILL LIMIT COASTAL HIGHS TO THE LOW 80S. TUE-SAT (PREV)...DEEP LAYER MOISTURE SLOWLY LIFTS BACK NORTHWARD INTO THE AREA THROUGH THIS TIME THOUGH HIGHEST VALUES REMAIN ACROSS THE SOUTHERN COUNTY WARNING AREA. THE WEAK PRESSURE GRADIENT GREETS THIS PERIOD WITH SOME TIGHTENING OF THE GRADIENT BY THU/FRI. PREDOMINANT ONSHORE FLOW DURING THE DAY PERIODS WITH A DAILY SEA BREEZE. THE FLOW MAY BECOME LIGHT OFFSHORE MON NIGH/TUE NIGHT...BUT THE ONSHORE PATTERN DOES DEEPEN WED-FRI. SHOWER/STORM CHANCES MAY BE CONFINED TO THE TREASURE COAST/OKEECHOBEE COUNTY ON MOST DAYS DURING THIS PERIOD WITH (CURRENT) BEST OPPORTUNITIES AREAWIDE ON WED...SO WILL PEPPER HIGHEST CHANCES ACROSS THE SOUTH (~ 20 TO 30 PERCENT) AND LOWEST CHANCES (~ 10 TO 20 PERCENT) KMLB-KISM NORTHWARD. FUTURE MODEL CONSISTENCY TOWARD EACH DAY IN THE EXTENDED MAY SEE POPS VARY SLIGHTLY. THE ECMWF DOES REMAIN DRIER THAN THE GFS. THE STEERING FLOW CONTINUES RATHER LIGHT THROUGH THE PERIOD AND OUT OF THE SOUTHWEST TUE-WED...SOUTH-SOUTHWEST ON THU AND THEN OUT OF THE EAST BY FRI AS THE ONSHORE FLOW DEEPENS. DAILY MAXIMUMS GENERALLY IN THE MID TO UPPER 80S OVER THE COAST AND UPPER 80S TO LOWER 90S INTERIOR WITH OVERNIGHT LOWS IN THE UPPER 60S TO LOWER 70S. && .AVIATION...SCT +SHRA/ISOLD TS WEST OF VRB-FPR-SUA CORRIDOR WILL DRIFT TRYING TO DRIFT EASTWARD BUT EXPECTED TO WEAKEN AS THEY ENCOUNTER MORE STABLE AIR BEHIND THE ECSB. PLAUSIBLE THAT THEY MIGHT HOLD TOGETHER TO BRING MVFR/IFR VSBYS IN TS CONDS TO FPR/SUA BUT CONFIDENCE NOT ALL THAT HIGH ATTM. VFR ELSEWHERE. && .MARINE...CONTINUE TO SHAVE ABOUT A FOOT OR SO OFF OF SWAN MODEL GUIDANCE EARLY ON AS CURRENT BUOY OBS SHOW SEAS AOB 5FT. HOWEVER SOME INCREASE IN SWELL SEEMS LIKELY TONIGHT/MONDAY AS COMPACT LOW OFFSHORE SC DRIFTS SLOWLY SOUTHWEST OVER THE NEXT DAY OR SO. MAY WIND UP NEEDING A CAUTIONARY STATEMENT WELL OFFSHORE NORTH OF THE CAPE ON SUNDAY. SUN NIGHT-MON NIGHT...NORTH TO NORTHEAST FLOW AT 10-15 K EXPECTED ALONG THE WEST SIDE OF THE BROAD AREA OF TROUGHING IN THE WESTERN ATLANTIC. EAST COAST SEA BREEZE BOUNDARY DEVELOPMENT LIKELY MONDAY AFTERNOON. SEAS 3 TO 4 FEET WITH AN OCCASIONAL 5 FOOT SET. LIGHT WINDS FIRST PART OF MON NIGHT AS WEAK HIGH PRESSURE IS SITUATED OVER CENTRAL FLORIDA AND COASTAL WATERS BETWEEN FLAGLER BEACH AND JUPITER INLET. LATE MONDAY NIGHT...GFS DEPICTS ANOTHER SURFACE TROUGH ROTATING AROUND THE LOW EAST OF THE CAROLINAS SUPPRESSING THE WEAK RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE SOUTH RESULTING IN AN OFFSHORE FLOW. TUE-THU...WESTERN ATLANTIC HIGH BUILDING WEST ACROSS THE PENINSULA AND MERGES WITH HIGH PRESSURE IN THE EASTERN GULF RESULTS IN A WEAK PRESSURE GRADIENT. DAILY SEA BREEZE CIRCULATIONS WILL DEVELOP ALONG THE COAST WITH A SMALL THREAT OF AFTERNOON AND EVENING STORMS MOVING OFFSHORE ESPECIALLY SOUTH OF SEBASTIAN INLET. SEAS MAY BUILD 3-5 FT AWAY FROM THE COAST WITH A PERSISTENT EASTERLY SWELL. && .FIRE WEATHER... && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... DAB 67 81 65 84 / 20 20 20 20 MCO 66 88 66 88 / 20 20 20 20 MLB 71 84 69 84 / 20 20 20 20 VRB 69 84 67 84 / 20 20 20 20 LEE 66 88 65 88 / 20 20 20 20 SFB 67 87 66 89 / 20 20 20 20 ORL 68 87 67 89 / 20 20 20 20 FPR 69 83 67 84 / 20 30 20 20 && .MLB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... FL...NONE. AM...NONE. && SHORT TERM...CRISTALDI LONG TERM....WIMMER AVIATION...CRISTALDI
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MELBOURNE FL 437 AM EDT SAT MAY 19 2012 AMZ550-552-555-570-572-575-FLZ041-044>047-053-054-058-059-064-141- 144-147-192100- 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- 437 AM EDT SAT MAY 19 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR EAST CENTRAL FLORIDA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. .THUNDERSTORM IMPACT... NORTHEAST WINDS DEVELOPING THROUGH LOWER LEVELS TODAY WILL MOVE STORMS TOWARD THE SOUTHWEST AROUND 15 MPH. LIMITED MOISTURE WILL RESTRICT STORM COVERAGE TODAY. THE BEST CHANCE FOR STORMS WILL BE OVER THE WESTERN INTERIOR SECTIONS INCLUDING LAKE COUNTY AND AREAS ALONG THE KISSIMMEE RIVER LATE AFTERNOON THROUGH AROUND SUNSET. IN ADDTION TO DANGEROUS CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING STRIKES AND HEAVY DOWNPOURS... RELATIVELY COOL AND DRY MID LEVELS OF THE ATMOSPHERE MAY ALLOW A FEW STRONGER STORMS WITH GUSTY WINDS OF 40-50 MPH AND HAIL UP TO THE SIZE OF COINS. MOVE INDOORS AT THE FIRST SIGN OF A STORM. .RIP CURRENT IMPACT... WEATHER AND OCEAN CONDITIONS WILL PRODUCE A MODERATE RISK FOR RIP CURRENTS AT AREA BEACHES TODAY. CHECK WITH THE BEACH PATROLS FOR LOCAL RIP CURRENT INFORMATION WHEN ARRIVING AT THE BEACH. ONLY SWIM WITHIN SIGHT OF A LIFEGUARD AND NEVER SWIM ALONE. .MARINE THUNDERSTORM GUST IMPACT... A FEW STORMS OVER THE MARINE AREAS MAY CONTAIN STRONG WIND GUSTS IN EXCESS OF 34 KNOTS AND HAIL UP TO THE SIZE OF COINS...IN ADDITION TO DANGEROUS CLOUD TO WATER LIGHTNING STRIKES. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. SUFFICIENT MOISTURE AND INSTABILITY WILL EXIST FOR ISOLATED TO SCATTERED SHOWERS AND STORMS EACH DAY THROUGH NEXT WEEK. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS ARE REQUESTED TO MONITOR THE WEATHER AND SELF ACTIVATE IF NEEDED. GLITTO
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MELBOURNE FL 203 PM EDT SAT MAY 19 2012 FLZ054-058-059-191900- INDIAN RIVER-OKEECHOBEE-ST. LUCIE- 203 PM EDT SAT MAY 19 2012 ...A SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FOR STRONG WIND GUSTS BETWEEN 45 AND 55 MPH AND SMALL HAIL OVER SOUTHERN INDIAN RIVER COUNTY...NORTHEASTERN OKEECHOBEE COUNTY...NORTHWESTERN ST. LUCIE COUNTY... * UNTIL 300 PM EDT. AT 200 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED STORMS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING STRONG WINDS AND SMALL HAIL 8 MILES EAST OF FORT DRUM AND IN CENTRAL OKEECHOBEE COUNTY WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 5 TO 10 MPH. 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 THESE STORMS PASS. LAT...LON 2774 8052 2752 8045 2736 8097 2756 8103 TIME...MOT...LOC 1802Z 231DEG 4KT 2752 8067 67
The Melbourne radar (KMLB), 119 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 19:05 UTC.
3 hail, 1 funnel cloud. Local standard time, as filed.
Spotter reported quarter-sized hail which lasted for about 15 minutes southwest of Palm City.
A Saint Lucie County Public Safety Officer observed a funnel cloud about 7 miles south of their location in Port Saint Lucie.
SKYWARN Spotter observed penny-sized hail for 10 minutes near the intersection of Kanner Hwy and US-1 in Stuart.
SKYWARN Spotter reported quarter-sized hail lasting 10 minutes in Palm City.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Florida in 2012Every state in 2012This day in weather historyWarnings in Florida, May 2012
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: 374485, 374486, 374489, 374491.