A mid and upper level trough moved over the area during the afternoon and evening which triggered scattered severe storms. Upper level temperatures at 500 mb were around -13 to -15 deg C which provided significant destabilization.
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 JAX wrote it up.
A mid and upper level trough moved over the area during the afternoon and evening which triggered scattered severe storms. Upper level temperatures at 500 mb were around -13 to -15 deg C which provided significant destabilization.
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 Jacksonville, FL wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at May 22, 2:03 PM EST, 1 hour 57 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSONVILLE FL 303 PM EDT TUE MAY 22 2012 ...SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH THIS EVENING... .SHORT TERM... THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH TONIGHT...A MID AND UPPER LEVEL TROUGH PRESENTLY OVER WERN GA TO SE AL AND THE FL PANHANDLE WILL PROGRESS EWD WITH COOLER TEMPS ALOFT (-13C TO -15C IN SE GA) AND DAYTIME INSTABILITY ENABLING ISOLATED TO SCT CONVECTION TO DEVELOP. CURRENT RADAR TRENDS SUGGEST INCREASING INSTABILITY WITH SCT SHOWERS AND STORMS FROM NEAR ST AUGUSTINE TO NEAR OCALA. THIS IS IN RESPONSE TO EARLIER OUTFLOW BOUNDARY AND W COAST SEA BREEZE. NONE OF THE MODELS SEEM TO BE LATCHING ONTO THE CURRENT CONVECTION VERY WELL. FOR THIS EVENING...WILL MAINTAIN 40 TO NEAR 50% SHOWER/TSTMS CHANCES ALONG THE E COAST AND OVER SECTIONS OF SE GA AND ABOUT 30% ELSEWHERE AND THEN LOWER TO SLIGHT CHANCE OR LESS AROUND MIDNIGHT. INCREASED STORM ORGANIZATION POSSIBLE AS MID LEVEL FLOW INCREASES THROUGH THE EVENING WITH MULTI-CELLS CLUSTERS POSSIBLE...AND MORE DISCRETE THUNDERSTORM CELLS OVER THE S ZONES. LOWS TONIGHT WILL BE IN THE MID TO UPPER 60S. WON'T RULE OUT SOME PATCHY FOG LATE TONIGHT WITH LIGHT WINDS/WEAK PRES GRADIENT IN PLACE. WED AND THU...DEEP LAYER MOISTURE AND SUBSIDENCE INCREASES OVER THE AREA AS THE TROUGH LIFTS OUT TO THE NE. MAX TEMPS AROUND 87 TO 92 BOTH DAYS. HOWEVER...ON WED A SHORTWAVE TROUGH MOVES INTO THE WRN GULF AND INTO THE CENTRAL GULF BY 12Z THU. THIS SYSTEM APPEARS TO INDUCE SFC LOW DEVELOPMENT...PERHAPS IN THE FORM OF ELONGATED TROUGHING FROM WRN CUBA TO BAHAMAS ON THU. WHAT THIS WILL TRANSLATE IN FOR US IS A TRANSITION TO A S AND PERHAPS SE LLVL FLOW BY THU. LIKE YESTERDAY...THE GUIDANCE HAS BEEN SHOWING ONSHORE FLOW DEVELOPING LATER IN THE WEEK. FOR NOW...WILL MAINTAIN SLIGHT SHOWER/TSTM CHANCES OVER THE ERN ZONES AND COASTAL WATERS BOTH WED AND THU...THOUGH THE BETTER CHANCES SHOULD EXIST ON THU AS PWATS INCREASE FROM 1 INCH ON WED TO ABOUT 1.4 INCHES ON THU. ON FRI...MOST OF THE GUIDANCE KEEPS HIGHER DEEPER LAYER MOISTURE E AND S OF THE AREA AND AN ELY FLOW. ONLY LOW END POPS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME WITH HIGHS AGAIN IN UPPER 80S AND LOWER 90S AS A DEEP LAYER HIGH PRES RIDGE BUILDS OVER THE MS VALLEY. .LONG TERM...SAT-TUE. STRONG HIGH PRES AT SFC AND ALOFT SHIFTS NE INTO THE TN VALLEY ON SAT WHILE WEAK TROUGHING REMAINS OVER THE WRN ATLC INTO THE BAHAMAS TO NEAR SRN FL AND THE SE GULF OF MEXICO. AN ELY FLOW LOOKS MOST PROBABLE WITH SFC HIGH TO OUR N AND ANTICIPATE ONLY LOW END RAIN CHANCES AND WARMER THAN NORMAL TEMPS. DUE TO THE MODEL VARIABILITY AND SOLUTIONS SUN THROUGH TUE...HAVE NOT MADE ANY OTHER CHANGES TO THE FORECAST ATTM. && .AVIATION... SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL INCREASE IN COVERAGE AND POTENTIALLY IMPACT SSI...JAX...AND VQQ AFTER 20Z...WITH ACTIVITY AT CRG POSSIBLY BEGINNING BY 20Z. PLEASE CHECK FOR AMENDMENTS LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND INTO THE EVENING HOURS FOR UPDATES ON TIMING AND INTENSITY. MAINLY SOUTHWEST WINDS OF 10 TO 20 KNOTS FROM JUST OFF THE SURFACE UP TO 10000 FEET WILL BECOME SOUTHWEST AND INCREASE TO 15 TO 20 KNOTS ABOVE 4000 FEET AT THE AREA TERMINALS AFTER 00Z. && .MARINE... SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST WINDS WILL NEAR CAUTION CRITERIA OVER THE OFFSHORE WATERS THIS EVENING. WAVES OFFSHORE WILL BUILD TO NEAR 5 FEET. WINDS WILL SUBSIDE BELOW CAUTION CRITERIA OVER THE OFFSHORE WATERS DURING THE PREDAWN HOURS. SOUTHEAST TO SOUTH WINDS WILL ONCE AGAIN BRIEFLY INCREASE TO NEAR CAUTION CRITERIA OVER THE OFFSHORE WATERS ON WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING. WINDS AND SEAS WILL BUILD BEGINNING LATE THURSDAY AS LOWER PRESSURES DEVELOP OVER THE BAHAMAS AND HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS OVER THE WESTERN ATLANTIC...TIGHTENING OUR LOCAL PRESSURE GRADIENT. CAUTION OR SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED FROM FRIDAY THROUGH THE WEEKEND. RIP CURRENTS: A MODERATE RISK OF RIP CURRENTS IS EXPECTED THROUGH THE EVENING HOURS DUE TO A LINGERING EASTERLY LONG PERIOD SWELL. A MODERATE RISK MAY CONTINUE INTO WEDNESDAY AS ONSHORE WINDS BEGIN TO INCREASE. && .FIRE WEATHER... MINIMUM RH'S WILL FALL TO AROUND 35 PERCENT OVER PORTIONS OF THE REGION ON WEDNESDAY. HOWEVER...DURATIONS ARE CURRENTLY IN QUESTION AND RED FLAG HEADLINES HAVE NOT BEEN ISSUED FOR TOMORROW. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... AMG 63 89 64 91 / 30 10 10 10 SSI 69 86 72 85 / 40 10 10 20 JAX 65 89 67 87 / 40 20 20 20 SGJ 69 85 70 84 / 40 20 20 20 GNV 63 90 65 89 / 20 20 20 20 OCF 64 92 66 90 / 20 20 20 20 && .JAX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... FL...NONE. GA...NONE. AM...NONE. && SHASHY/NELSON/WALKER
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSONVILLE FL 105 PM EDT TUE MAY 22 2012 AMZ450-452-454-470-472-474-FLZ020>025-030>033-035>038-040- GAZ132>136-149>154-162>166-230700- ALACHUA- ALTAMAHA SOUND GA TO FERNANDINA BEACH FL 20 NM TO 60 NM OFFSHORE- ALTAMAHA SOUND GA TO FERNANDINA BEACH FL OUT TO 20 NM-APPLING- ATKINSON-BACON-BAKER-BRADFORD-BRANTLEY-CAMDEN (COASTAL)- CAMDEN (INLAND)-CHARLTON-CLAY-CLINCH-COFFEE-COLUMBIA-DUVAL-ECHOLS- FERNANDINA BEACH TO ST AUGUSTINE FL 20 NM TO 60 NM OFFSHORE- FERNANDINA BEACH TO ST AUGUSTINE FL OUT TO 20 NM-FLAGLER-GILCHRIST- GLYNN (COASTAL)-GLYNN (INLAND)-HAMILTON-JEFF DAVIS-MARION-NASSAU- PIERCE-PUTNAM- ST AUGUSTINE TO FLAGLER BEACH FL 20 NM TO 60 NM OFFSHORE- ST AUGUSTINE TO FLAGLER BEACH FL OUT TO 20 NM-ST JOHNS-SUWANNEE- UNION-WARE-WAYNE- 105 PM EDT TUE MAY 22 2012 THIS OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHEAST FLORIDA...SOUTHEAST GEORGIA AND THE ADJACENT COASTAL WATERS. ...SLIGHT RISK FOR STRONG TO SEVERE STORMS ACROSS PORTIONS OF THE FORECAST AREA... ...MODERATE RISK OF RIP CURRENTS... .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT... A FRONTAL BOUNDARY WILL MOVE TOWARD THE AREA TODAY AND COMBINED WITH AN APPROACHING UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE WILL PRODUCE SCATTERED THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY BY MID AFTERNOON THROUGH THIS EVENING. MOST OF THE ACTIVITY WILL BE FOCUSED OVER SOUTHEAST GEORGIA AND THE EASTERN ZONES BY LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. ISOLATED STRONG TO POSSIBLY SEVERE STORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING STRONG WIND GUSTS AND LARGE HAIL. MARINE INTERESTS OPERATING IN THE COASTAL WATERS AND INTRACOASTAL WATERWAYS...BE AWARE OF THE RISK OF GUSTY WINDS AND ROUGH SEAS WITH STORMS MOVING FROM WEST TO EAST INTO THE WATERS...AND BE PREPARED TO SEEK SAFE HARBOR IF WEATHER BECOMES THREATENING. WITH CONTINUED EASTERLY SWELL...A MODERATE RISK OF RIP CURRENTS WILL PREVAIL TODAY AT LOCAL BEACHES. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY... A MODERATE RISK OF RIP CURRENTS IS EXPECTED ON WEDNESDAY DUE TO CONTINUED EASTERLY SWELLS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... STORM SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED LATER TODAY. PLEASE RELAY ANY REPORTS OF SEVERE WEATHER TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AND LOCAL COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION...VISIT THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN JACKSONVILLE WEBSITE ON THE INTERNET AT WEATHER.GOV/JAX.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSONVILLE FL
302 PM EDT TUE MAY 22 2012
GAZ152>154-221945-
BRANTLEY-COASTAL GLYNN-INLAND GLYNN-
302 PM EDT TUE MAY 22 2012
...A SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR EASTERN
BRANTLEY...NORTHERN GLYNN AND EXTREME SOUTHERN MCINTOSH COUNTIES FOR
STRONG WINDS...SMALL HAIL AND EXCESSIVE LIGHTNING VALID UNTIL 345 PM
EDT...
AT 302 PM EDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED STRONG
THUNDERSTORMS CENTERED 2 MILES EAST OF WAYNESVILLE...OR 14 MILES EAST
OF NAHUNTA...MOVING EAST AT 15 MPH. THESE STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL
ALSO AFFECT AREAS AROUND WAYNESVILLE...THALMANN...DOCK JUNCTION...
COUNTRY CLUB ESTATES AND BOYS ESTATE THROUGH 345 PM EDT. HAIL UP TO
THREE QUARTER INCH IN DIAMETER...EXCESSIVE CLOUD-TO-GROUND LIGHTNING
AND GUSTY WINDS OF 45 TO 55 MPH CAN BE EXPECTED ALONG WITH POSSIBLE
MINOR DAMAGE. HEAVY RAINFALL WILL PRODUCE PONDING OF WATER ON
ROADWAYS AND MINOR FLOODING OF LOW-LYING AREAS.
REPORT DAMAGE TO THE NEAREST LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY OR YOUR COUNTY
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.
LAT...LON 3114 8172 3115 8176 3117 8176 3115 8180
3130 8185 3134 8174 3133 8173 3135 8170
3140 8158 3136 8152 3134 8144 3128 8140
3128 8137 3120 8134
TIME...MOT...LOC 1902Z 253DEG 14KT 3124 8172
HESSSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSONVILLE FL 413 PM EDT TUE MAY 22 2012 FLZ021-022-222045- COLUMBIA-SUWANNEE- 413 PM EDT TUE MAY 22 2012 ...A SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR CENTRAL COLUMBIA AND EXTREME SOUTHEASTERN SUWANNEE COUNTIES FOR STRONG WINDS AND SMALL HAIL VALID UNTIL 445 PM EDT... AT 413 PM EDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM CENTERED 5 MILES WEST OF COLUMBIA...OR 7 MILES NORTH OF ICHETUCKNEE SPRINGS STATE PARK...MOVING EAST AT 20 MPH. THIS STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL ALSO AFFECT AREAS AROUND COLUMBIA THROUGH 445 PM EDT. HAIL UP TO THREE QUARTER INCH IN DIAMETER AND GUSTY WINDS OF 40 TO 50 MPH CAN BE EXPECTED ALONG WITH POSSIBLE MINOR DAMAGE. REPORT DAMAGE TO THE NEAREST LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY OR YOUR COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT. LAT...LON 3016 8255 2997 8258 2999 8279 3011 8279 TIME...MOT...LOC 2013Z 257DEG 17KT 3006 8277 ZIBURA
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSONVILLE FL
422 PM EDT TUE MAY 22 2012
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0316 PM HAIL 3 S BAYARD 30.10N 81.52W
05/22/2012 M0.25 INCH DUVAL FL TRAINED SPOTTER
A SPOTTER REPROTED PEA SIZE HAIL AND HEAVY RAINFALL AT
RACETRACK ROAD AND BARTRAM TRAIL FOR 3 MINUTES.
&&
AENYEDISPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSONVILLE FL 422 PM EDT TUE MAY 22 2012 FLZ021-222045- SUWANNEE- 422 PM EDT TUE MAY 22 2012 ...A SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR EASTERN SUWANNEE COUNTY FOR STRONG WINDS AND SMALL HAIL VALID UNTIL 445 PM EDT... AT 422 PM EDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM CENTERED OVER MCALPIN...OR 10 MILES SOUTH OF LIVE OAK...MOVING EAST AT 20 MPH. THIS STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL ALSO AFFECT AREAS AROUND MCALPIN AND WELLBORN THROUGH 445 PM EDT. HAIL UP TO THREE QUARTER INCH IN DIAMETER AND GUSTY WINDS OF 40 TO 50 MPH CAN BE EXPECTED ALONG WITH POSSIBLE MINOR DAMAGE. REPORT DAMAGE TO THE NEAREST LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY OR YOUR COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT. LAT...LON 3025 8280 3008 8279 3011 8297 3020 8298 TIME...MOT...LOC 2022Z 262DEG 17KT 3015 8293 ZIBURA
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSONVILLE FL 435 PM EDT TUE MAY 22 2012 FLZ031-032-222100- BRADFORD-CLAY- 435 PM EDT TUE MAY 22 2012 ...A SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR CENTRAL CLAY AND EXTREME NORTHEASTERN BRADFORD COUNTIES FOR SMALL HAIL VALID UNTIL 500 PM EDT... AT 435 PM EDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM CENTERED 5 MILES NORTHWEST OF KINGSLEY...OR 12 MILES EAST OF RAIFORD...MOVING EAST AT 20 MPH. THIS STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL ALSO AFFECT AREAS AROUND KINGSLEY...MIDDLEBURG... PENNEY FARMS AND ASBURY LAKE THROUGH 500 PM EDT. HAIL UP TO THREE QUARTER INCH IN DIAMETER CAN BE EXPECTED ALONG WITH POSSIBLE MINOR DAMAGE. REPORT DAMAGE TO THE NEAREST LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY OR YOUR COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT. LAT...LON 3017 8186 2997 8179 2997 8202 3006 8206 TIME...MOT...LOC 2035Z 261DEG 16KT 3003 8201 ZIBURA
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSONVILLE FL 458 PM EDT TUE MAY 22 2012 FLZ023-030-222130- BAKER-UNION- 458 PM EDT TUE MAY 22 2012 ...A SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR EXTREME SOUTHERN BAKER AND CENTRAL UNION COUNTIES FOR SMALL HAIL VALID UNTIL 530 PM EDT... AT 458 PM EDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM CENTERED 7 MILES NORTHWEST OF JOHNSTOWN...OR 6 MILES NORTH OF LAKE BUTLER...MOVING EAST AT 20 MPH. THIS STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL ALSO AFFECT AREAS AROUND JOHNSTOWN THROUGH 530 PM EDT. HAIL UP TO THREE QUARTER INCH IN DIAMETER CAN BE EXPECTED ALONG WITH POSSIBLE MINOR DAMAGE. REPORT DAMAGE TO THE NEAREST LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY OR YOUR COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT. LAT...LON 3014 8232 3005 8223 3000 8247 3006 8252 TIME...MOT...LOC 2058Z 255DEG 18KT 3011 8234 ZIBURA
The Jacksonville radar (KJAX), 48 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 20:58 UTC.
4 hail, 3 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Power lines, a transformer and trees were blown down at 161 Peppermint Avenue. The road was closed due to trees blocking the roadway.
Two barns were destroyed from strong winds. A power line was also blown down. The event occurred near Northeast 7th Ave.
Nickel size hail was observed on Blanding Blvd.
Nickel size hail was reported on the Black Creek Bridge.
Trees were blown down and totally blocked County Road 125 near Evergreen Church.
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: 387571, 387569, 387572, 387567, 387568, 387573, 387570.