A lingering surface front, passing upper level energy, high surface instability and the sea breezes combined to produced isolated severe storms over northeast Florida.
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 lingering surface front, passing upper level energy, high surface instability and the sea breezes combined to produced isolated severe storms over northeast Florida.
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 8, 2:01 PM EST, 4 hours 4 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSONVILLE FL 301 PM EDT TUE MAY 8 2012 ...LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL LATE THIS AFTERNOON INTO THIS EVENING WITH ISOLATED STRONG TO SEVERE STORMS POSSIBLE... ...SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WEDNESDAY... .SHORT TERM /TONIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... INITIAL CONVECTION DEVELOPING ALONG THE ATLANTIC SEABREEZE...WITH ADDITIONAL SCATTERED SHWRS INLAND. ACTIVITY WILL INCREASE OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF HOURS...WITH COASTAL ACTIVITY MOVING INLAND. WILL USE LIKELY SHWRS/SCATTERED TSTMS LATE THIS AFTN INTO THIS EVENING. GIVEN VERY WEAK STEERING CURRENTS...TSTMS WILL MOVE VERY SLOWLY GIVING THE POTENTIAL FOR LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN INTO THIS EVENING. IN ADDITION...GUSTY WINDS/SMALL HAIL WILL BE POSSIBLE IN THE STRONGER STORMS. ACTIVITY WILL DIMINISH AFTER SUNSET...WITH VERY LIMITED ACTIVITY OVERNIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY MORNING. WITH HIGH LOW LEVEL MOISTURE AND LIGHT WINDS OVERNIGHT...EXPECT INLAND PATCHY FOG LATE OVERNIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY MORNING. LOW TEMPERATURES WILL RANGE FROM THE MID 60S INLAND...TO AROUND 70 ALONG THE COAST. A FRONTAL BOUNDARY WILL SAG SOUTH ACROSS THE AREA WEDNESDAY...BRINGING A GREATER CHANCE AT MORE ORGANIZED CONVECTION. WITH MODELS IN GENERAL AGREEMENT WITH TIMING...WILL KEEP LIKELY POPS ACROSS GEORGIA BY WEDNESDAY AFTN MOVING SOUTH ACROSS NORTHEAST FLORIDA BY LATER IN THE AFTERNOON. DEEP LAYER SHEAR WILL INCREASE CLOSER TO THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY...WITH A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE TSTMS ACROSS SOUTHEAST GEORGIA AND SOME STRONG STORMS INTO FLORIDA. HIGH TEMPERATURES WILL RANGE FROM THE MID/UPPER 80S ACROSS SOUTHEAST GEORGIA AND ALONG COASTAL AREAS...TO THE LOWER 90S ACROSS INLAND NORTHEAST FLORIDA. WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY... UPPER TROUGH AND ATTENDANT COLD FRONT WILL PUSH THROUGH SOUTHEAST GEORGIA WEDNESDAY EVENING. SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS THUNDERSTORMS WILL ACCOMPANY THE FRONT THROUGH SOUTHEAST GEORGIA WITH MORE SCATTERED COVERAGE ANTICIPATED FARTHER SOUTH AS THE ACTIVITY WANES AS IT MOVES INTO NORTHEAST FLORIDA DURING THE OVERNIGHT HOURS. A FEW STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THE INITIAL SURGE INTO SOUTHEAST GEORGIA. DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL WILL BE THE PRIMARY CONCERNS. MAIN MODEL CONSENSUS SHOWS FRONT AND ASSOCIATED PRECIP CLEARING OUR CWA BY THURSDAY MORNING. THE OUTLYING NAM SOLUTION IS MUCH SLOWER IN ENDING PRECIP ACROSS NORTHEAST FLORIDA. DECIDED TO LEAVE LOW CHANCE POPS IN ON THURSDAY MORNING TO ACCOUNT FOR THIS POSSIBILITY BUT THE TREND HAS CERTAINLY BEEN MORE TOWARDS A FASTER SOLUTION WITH RESPECT TO THE FRONTAL POSITION ON THURSDAY MORNING. SKIES WILL CLEAR FROM NORTH TO SOUTH BEGINNING THURSDAY MORNING AND TEMPERATURES WILL BE MUCH MORE SEASONABLE WITH HIGHS ONLY IN THE LOW 80S. COOLER AIRMASS AND IDEAL RADIATIONAL COOLING CONDITIONS WILL SUPPORT TEMPS DOWN INTO THE 50S ACROSS INLAND AREAS THURSDAY NIGHT. FRIDAY WILL BE ANOTHER DRY AND COMFORTABLE DAY WITH HIGHS IN THE MID 80S ACROSS THE INTERIOR OF NORTHEAST FLORIDA AND ONLY IN THE UPPER 70S ALONG THE IMMEDIATE COAST DUE TO STRENGTHENING ONSHORE FLOW. IT WILL BE BREEZY AT TIMES WITH GUSTS UP TO NEAR 30 MPH POSSIBLE NEAR THE ATLANTIC COAST. && .LONG TERM...SATURDAY THROUGH TUESDAY VERY LITTLE CHANGE WAS MADE TO THE EXTENDED PART OF THE FORECAST. SATURDAY WILL BE SIMILAR TO FRIDAY AS BREEZY ONSHORE FLOW CONTINUES. WARMER TEMPERATURES THOUGH ARE EXPECTED ACROSS WESTERN PORTIONS OF THE FORECAST AREA AS THERE IS NOW EVIDENCE TO SUGGEST A MID LEVEL RIDGE WILL BUILD OVER THAT REGION. HIGHS NEAR 90 WILL BE POSSIBLE ACROSS THE SUWANNEE VALLEY. HIGHS WILL STILL STRUGGLE TO REACH 80 ALONG THE ATLANTIC COAST. INCREASING COASTAL CONVERGENCE AND LOW LEVEL MOISTURE MAY PRODUCE A FEW COASTAL SHOWERS BUT WILL KEEP LOW CHANCE POPS JUST OFFSHORE FOR NOW. RAIN CHANCES WILL INCREASE EARLY NEXT WEEK AS AN UPPER LEVEL TROUGH APPROACHES THE AREA...AND ONSHORE FLOW CONTINUES AT THE SURFACE WITH A POSSIBLE INVERTED SURFACE TROUGH DEVELOPING JUST OFFSHORE. && .AVIATION... THUNDERSTORM COVERAGE HAS BEEN TOO LOW TO JUSTIFY ADDING TSRA TO THE THE TAFS. WE WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR TRENDS. AMENDMENTS FOR CONVECTION WILL BE POSSIBLE...MAINLY AT JUST GNV LATE THIS AFTERNOON WHEN THE SEABREEZES CONVERGE. OTHERWISE...VFR WILL PREVAIL THROUGH THIS EVENING. ANOTHER ROUND OF IFR CONDITIONS IN LOW CEILINGS AND VISIBILITIES WILL BE POSSIBLE AT GNV AND VQQ LATE TONIGHT. WILL CAP IT AT MVFR FOR NOW. MOST OF THE CONVECTION ON WEDNESDAY WILL HOLD OFF UNTIL BEYOND THIS TAF PERIOD. && .MARINE... WINDS AND SEAS EXPECTED TO REMAIN UNDER SCEC CRITERIA THROUGH WEDNESDAY WITH THE APPROACH OF A COLD FRONT. IN THE WAKE OF THE FRONT WEDNESDAY NIGHT/THURSDAY...OFFSHORE FLOW INCREASES TO SCEC THURSDAY...AND TO SCA CRITERIA FRIDAY/SATURDAY. WINDS AND SEAS WILL BEGIN TO SUBSIDE SUNDAY. RIP CURRENTS: MODERATE RISK THROUGH TONIGHT...BECOMING LOW WEDNESDAY. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... AMG 66 88 61 83 / 60 70 70 10 SSI 71 82 66 80 / 30 60 60 20 JAX 66 87 66 82 / 30 70 70 30 SGJ 70 85 68 79 / 30 60 60 40 GNV 65 88 65 84 / 40 40 40 30 OCF 65 88 67 84 / 40 30 30 40 && .JAX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... FL...NONE. GA...NONE. AM...NONE. && ALLEN/SHULER/
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSONVILLE FL 155 PM EDT TUE MAY 8 2012 AMZ450-452-454-470-472-474-FLZ020>025-030>033-035>038-040- GAZ132>136-149>154-162>166-091000- ALTAMAHA SOUND GA TO FERNANDINA BEACH FL OUT 20 NM- FERNANDINA BEACH TO ST AUGUSTINE FL OUT 20 NM- ST AUGUSTINE TO FLAGLER BEACH FL OUT 20 NM- ALTAMAHA SOUND GA TO FERNANDINA BEACH FL 20 NM TO 60 NM OFFSHORE- FERNANDINA BEACH TO ST AUGUSTINE FL 20 NM TO 60 NM OFFSHORE- ST AUGUSTINE TO FLAGLER BEACH FL 20 NM TO 60 NM OFFSHORE-HAMILTON- SUWANNEE-COLUMBIA-BAKER-NASSAU-DUVAL-UNION-BRADFORD-CLAY-ST JOHNS- GILCHRIST-ALACHUA-PUTNAM-FLAGLER-MARION-COFFEE-JEFF DAVIS-BACON- APPLING-WAYNE-ATKINSON-WARE-PIERCE-BRANTLEY-INLAND GLYNN- COASTAL GLYNN-ECHOLS-CLINCH-CHARLTON-INLAND CAMDEN-COASTAL CAMDEN- 155 PM EDT TUE MAY 8 2012 THIS OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHEAST FLORIDA...SOUTHEAST GEORGIA AND THE ADJACENT COASTAL WATERS. ...MODERATE RISK OF RIP CURRENTS TODAY... .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT... SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL BECOME LIKELY THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. A SLOW STORM MOTION WILL RESULT IN LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL. A FEW STORMS MAY BECOME STRONG TO SEVERE PRODUCING STRONG GUSTY WINDS AND SMALL HAIL. THERE WILL BE A MODERATE RISK OF RIP CURRENTS AT EAST COAST BEACHES TODAY DUE TO A PERSISTENT ONSHORE FLOW AND INCREASING SEAS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY... ..A CHANCE OF SEVERE STORMS WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING OVER SOUTHEAST GEORGIA... SOME STORMS MAY BECOME SEVERE WEDNESDAY...DURING THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING HOURS OVER SOUTHEAST GEORGIA. STRONG GUSTY WINDS AND HAIL WILL BE POSSIBLE AS A COLD FRONT AND UPPER TROUGH APPROACH THE AREA LATE IN THE DAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT REQUESTED AT THIS TIME. 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 619 PM EDT TUE MAY 8 2012 FLZ040-082245- MARION- 619 PM EDT TUE MAY 8 2012 ...A SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR EASTERN MARION COUNTY FOR STRONG WINDS AND SMALL HAIL VALID UNTIL 645 PM EDT... AT 620 PM EDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A THUNDERSTORM CENTERED 3 MILES NORTH OF LYNNE...MOVING EAST AT 10 MPH. THIS THUNDERSTORM WILL ALSO AFFECT AREAS AROUND LYNNE AND JUNIPER SPRINGS THROUGH 645 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 2933 8168 2907 8172 2910 8199 2933 8199 TIME...MOT...LOC 2220Z 276DEG 8KT 2923 8190 TRABERT
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSONVILLE FL 632 PM EDT TUE MAY 8 2012 FLZ036-037-040-082300- ALACHUA-MARION-PUTNAM- 632 PM EDT TUE MAY 8 2012 ...A SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR SOUTHEASTERN ALACHUA...WESTERN PUTNAM AND NORTHERN MARION COUNTIES FOR STRONG WINDS AND SMALL HAIL VALID UNTIL 700 PM EDT... AT 632 PM EDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A THUNDERSTORM CENTERED 6 MILES NORTHWEST OF FORT MCCOY...OR 5 MILES EAST OF CITRA...MOVING NORTH AT 10 MPH. THIS THUNDERSTORM WILL ALSO AFFECT AREAS AROUND FORT MCCOY...ORANGE SPRINGS...LOCHLOOSA AND JOHNSON THROUGH 700 PM EDT. HAIL UP TO THREE QUARTER INCH IN DIAMETER AND GUSTY WINDS OF 45 TO 55 MPH CAN BE EXPECTED ALONG WITH POSSIBLE MINOR DAMAGE. REPORT DAMAGE TO THE NEAREST LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY OR YOUR COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT. LAT...LON 2958 8216 2965 8197 2935 8190 2932 8205 TIME...MOT...LOC 2232Z 159DEG 9KT 2943 8203 TRABERT
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSONVILLE FL
654 PM EDT TUE MAY 8 2012
GAZ132-133-082330-
COFFEE-JEFF DAVIS-
654 PM EDT TUE MAY 8 2012
...A SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR SOUTHWESTERN
JEFF DAVIS AND NORTHEASTERN COFFEE COUNTIES FOR STRONG WINDS AND
SMALL HAIL VALID UNTIL 730 PM EDT...
AT 654 PM EDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED STRONG
THUNDERSTORMS CENTERED 5 MILES SOUTHWEST OF SNIPESVILLE...OR 7 MILES
NORTHEAST OF BROXTON...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 5 MPH. THESE STRONG
THUNDERSTORMS WILL ALSO AFFECT AREAS AROUND SNIPESVILLE...WEST GREEN
AND DENTON THROUGH 730 PM EDT. HAIL UP TO THREE QUARTER INCH IN
DIAMETER AND GUSTY WINDS OF 45 TO 55 MPH CAN BE EXPECTED ALONG WITH
POSSIBLE MINOR DAMAGE.
REPORT DAMAGE TO THE NEAREST LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY OR YOUR COUNTY
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.
LAT...LON 3169 8255 3167 8257 3167 8263 3158 8263
3153 8266 3168 8291 3179 8280
TIME...MOT...LOC 2254Z 294DEG 6KT 3171 8282
TRABERTThe Jacksonville radar (KJAX), 111 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 23:06 UTC.
2 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A store along U.S. Highway 315 reported trees and tree debris were blown down. The time of the event was based on radar.
Wind gusts were estimated between 50 and 60 mph. The time of the report was based on radar imagery.
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: 381221, 381222.