An isolated strong thunderstorm produced nickel size hail in Okeechobee, then intensified further and produced localized damaging winds. The severe winds blew a trailer on its side and moved it 100 feet and caused a very large oak tree to split in half nearby.
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 MLB wrote it up.
An isolated strong thunderstorm produced nickel size hail in Okeechobee, then intensified further and produced localized damaging winds. The severe winds blew a trailer on its side and moved it 100 feet and caused a very large oak tree to split in half nearby.
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 Apr 4, 9:00 AM EST, 5 hours 30 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MELBOURNE FL
10 AM EDT THU APR 4 2013
.DISCUSSION...
...STRONG TO SEVERE STORMS POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON...
WEAK LOW PRESSURE (1013 MB) LOCATED OVER THE FL PANHANDLE THIS
MORNING IS FORECAST TO MOVE E/NE AND SLOWLY STRENGTHEN AS IT PUSHES
OFF THE GA COAST THIS EVE. CLUSTER OF STRONG STORMS OVER THE EASTERN
GULF OF MEXICO SUPPORTED BY DUAL UPPER JET STRUCTURE...13KM RUC
SHOWS 110 KT SOUTHERN JET OVER THE SOUTHEAST US AND 80 KT
SUBTROPICAL JET OVER THE YUCATAN/FL STRAITS. THIS SHOULD ALLOW
STORMS TO PUSH ONSHORE THE FL GULF COAST NEXT FEW HOURS. ALTHOUGH
THE WARM FRONT HAS LIFTED NORTH OF THE AREA THERE APPEARS TO BE ONE
OR MORE CONVERGENT/OUTFLOW BOUNDARIES DRAPED ACROSS CENTRAL FL...ONE
DROPPING SOUTH OVER ORANGE AND BREVARD COUNTIES BUT ANOTHER
CONVECTIVELY ACTIVE BOUNDARY ACROSS POLK AND OSCEOLA. IN FACT THERE
IS SOME INDICATION OF A WEAK LOW PRESSURE NEAR THE CAPE. FOR THIS
REASON...GREATER THREAT FOR SEVERE STORMS APPEARS TO BE ACROSS
CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN SECTIONS THIS AFTERNOON...MAINLY SOUTH OF
ORLANDO. IT IS PROBABLE A CONVECTIVE WATCH BOX COULD BE ISSUED FOR
PORTIONS OF THE FL PENINSULA THIS AFTERNOON.
SURFACE HEATING WILL BE CRITICAL FOR INCREASING INSTABILITY AND
DESTABILIZATION. HOWEVER...CANOPY OF MID AND HIGH CLOUDS ALONG WITH
SCATTERED SHOWERS ARE LIMITING SUNSHINE SO FAR.
&&
.AVIATION...
MVFR CONDITIONS FROM LOW CIGS SHOULD BECOME VFR BY 18Z. STRONG WIND
GUSTS 35-45 KNOTS POSSIBLE IN CONVECTION AFT 16Z ALG WITH TEMPO IFR
CONDS.
&&
.MARINE...
SFC ANALYSIS SHOWS AN ENHANCEMENT TO THE SOUTHERLY GRADIENT FLOW
OVER THE NEARSHORE ATLC WITH BUOY 009 GUSTING TO 31 KNOTS RECENTLY.
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FOR THE OFFSHORE WATERS. WILL
HEADLINE A CAUTION FOR THE NEARSHORE.
&&
.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
DAB 79 66 76 56 / 80 70 40 10
MCO 80 67 79 55 / 80 70 40 10
MLB 81 69 80 58 / 70 70 50 10
VRB 81 70 80 58 / 70 70 60 10
LEE 80 65 77 54 / 80 70 40 10
SFB 81 67 78 57 / 80 70 40 10
ORL 80 67 79 57 / 80 70 40 10
FPR 81 72 80 58 / 60 70 60 10
&&
.MLB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
FL...NONE.
AM...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FROM 11 AM THIS MORNING TO 2 PM FRIDAY
FOR 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.
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FROM 5 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 2 PM FRIDAY
FOR WATERS FROM SEBASTIAN INLET TO JUPITER INLET 20 TO 60
NM OFFSHORE.
&&
KELLY/BRAGAWHAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MELBOURNE FL 1218 PM EDT THU APR 4 2013 AMZ550-552-555-570-572-575-FLZ041-044>047-053-054-058-059-064-141- 144-147-042300- 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- 1218 PM EDT THU APR 4 2013 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR EAST CENTRAL FLORIDA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. .THUNDERSTORM IMPACT... A CLUSTER OF STRONG STORMS WILL MOVE ONSHORE THE FLORIDA GULF COAST JUST SOUTH OF TAMPA AND PUSH RAPIDLY EAST ACROSS THE CENTRAL PENINSULA...MAINLY SOUTH OF ORLANDO THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON. A THREAT FOR FREQUENT LIGHTNING STRIKES...HAIL AND STRONG WIND GUSTS WILL ACCOMPANY THESE STORMS AS THEY AFFECT AREAS SOUTH OF A LINE FROM POINCIANA TO COCOA BEACH. STORM MOTION IS TOWARD THE EAST AT 25 TO 35 MPH. LOW LEVEL SHEAR APPEARS SUFFICIENT TO PRODUCE ISOLATED TORNADOES. AS A RESULT...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM FOR OSCEOLA...BREVARD...INDIAN RIVER...OKEECHOBEE...SAINT LUCIE AND MARTIN COUNTIES. THERE MAY BE A DECREASE OR LULL IN CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY LATER THIS EVENING BUT A STRENGTHENING LOW LEVEL JET AHEAD OF AN UPPER TROUGH WILL BRING ANOTHER THREAT FOR SEVERE STORMS IN THE FORM OF A SQUALL LINE ACROSS MUCH OF EAST CENTRAL FLORIDA AFTER MIDNIGHT AND CONTINUING FRIDAY MORNING FOR THE TREASURE COAST AND OKEECHOBEE. STORM MOTION LATER TONIGHT WILL BE NOTICEABLY FASTER...TOWARD THE NORTHEAST AT 40 TO 50 MPH. PERSONS IN EAST CENTRAL FLORIDA SHOULD LISTEN FOR FURTHER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE SEVERE WEATHER WATCHES OR WARNINGS LATER TODAY INTO TONIGHT. BE PREPARED TO MOVE TO A SAFE LOCATION IF A WARNING IS ISSUED FOR YOUR COMMUNITY. .MARINE THUNDERSTORM GUST IMPACT... LIGHTNING STORMS MOVING FROM WEST TO EAST WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING WIND GUSTS IN EXCESS OF 35 KNOTS AND CLOUD TO WATER LIGHTNING STRIKES AS THEY MOVE OVER INLAND LAKES...THE INTRACOASTAL WATERWAY AND ENTER THE NEARSHORE ATLANTIC WATERS THIS AFTERNOON. ADDITIONAL STRONG STORMS ARE EXPECTED TO AFFECT EAST CENTRAL FLORIDA AND THE ADJACENT COASTAL WATERS LATE TONIGHT AND FRIDAY MORNING. .WATERSPOUT IMPACT... SUFFICIENT LOW LEVEL WIND SHEAR MAY ALLOW THE STRONGER STORMS TO PRODUCE WATERSPOUTS ON INLAND LAKES...THE INTRACOASTAL AND NEAR SHORE ATLANTIC WATERS. .WIND AND SEA IMPACT... INCREASING SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST WINDS AHEAD OF AN APPROACHING COLD FRONT WILL PRODUCE SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY CONDITIONS BEYOND 20 MILES OF SHORE. WINDS WILL REACH 20 TO 25 KNOTS WITH SEAS BUILDING TO 7 FEET THIS AFTERNOON. SMALL CRAFT SHOULD EXERCISE CAUTION ON THE NEARSHORE WATERS FOR SEAS UP TO 6 FEET AND WINDS OF 15 TO 20 KNOTS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY. A COLD FRONT WILL CLEAR THE TREASURE COAST FRIDAY MORNING. HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS IN BEHIND THE COLD FRONT. NORTH WINDS SHIFT TO THE NORTHEAST THEN TO THE EAST AND DIMINISH TO 15 KNOTS OR LESS LATE FRIDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS SHOULD MONITOR THE WEATHER. FORMAL ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED. KELLY/WIMMER
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MELBOURNE FL
303 PM EDT THU APR 4 2013
FLZ064-042000-
MARTIN-
303 PM EDT THU APR 4 2013
...A SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FOR STRONG WIND GUSTS
BETWEEN 45 AND 55 MPH AND SMALL HAIL OVER MARTIN COUNTY...
* UNTIL 400 PM EDT.
AT 301 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING STRONG WINDS AND SMALL HAIL 6 MILES
SOUTHEAST OF INDIANTOWN...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 20 MPH.
LOCATIONS IN THE PATH OF THE STORM WHICH MAY EXPERIENCE STRONG WINDS
AND SMALL HAIL INCLUDE SEWALLS POINT AND WITHAM FIELD.
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 2720 8040 2722 8017 2721 8015 2716 8015
2703 8009 2697 8008 2697 8014 2695 8015
2695 8017 2695 8057
TIME...MOT...LOC 1903Z 225DEG 16KT 2695 8042
BRAGAWSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MELBOURNE FL
329 PM EDT THU APR 4 2013
FLZ054-058-059-064-042030-
INDIAN RIVER-MARTIN-OKEECHOBEE-ST. LUCIE-
329 PM EDT THU APR 4 2013
...A SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FOR STRONG WIND GUSTS
BETWEEN 45 AND 55 MPH AND SMALL HAIL OVER SOUTHERN INDIAN RIVER
COUNTY...WESTERN MARTIN COUNTY...OKEECHOBEE COUNTY...ST. LUCIE
COUNTY...
* UNTIL 430 PM EDT.
AT 324 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
CLUSTER OF STORMS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING STRONG WINDS AND SMALL HAIL
OVER OKEECHOBEE...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 20 TO 25 MPH.
LOCATIONS IN THE PATH OF THESE STORMS WHICH MAY EXPERIENCE STRONG
WINDS AND SMALL HAIL INCLUDE FOUR SEASONS ESTATES AND TAYLOR CREEK.
THE PRIMARY THREAT WILL BE FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING
STRIKES...COIN SIZE HAIL 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.
TORRENTIAL RAINFALL CAN BE EXPECTED...CAUSING TEMPORARY PONDING ON
SOME ROADS AND MINOR FLOODING OF POOR DRAINAGE AREAS. MOTORISTS
SHOULD SLOW DOWN IN HEAVY RAINFALL TO REDUCE THE RISK OF HYDROPLANING
AND LEAVE SAFE DISTANCE BETWEEN OTHER VEHICLES.
LAT...LON 2710 8067 2716 8072 2720 8080 2715 8087
2750 8109 2771 8064 2742 8030 2735 8027
2739 8026 2736 8023 2723 8017 2722 8017
2725 8021 2723 8021 2722 8021 2720 8041
2695 8057 2695 8061
TIME...MOT...LOC 1928Z 235DEG 22KT 2720 8084
SEDLOCKThe Melbourne radar (KMLB), 92 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 19:29 UTC.
1 hail, 1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A report relayed from NSSL indicated nickel size hail fell 5 miles east-northeast of Four Seasons Estates in Okeechobee County.
West Palm Beach media forwarded a report that a trailer was blown onto its side and moved 100 feet due to the winds from a severe thunderstorm. Nearby, a large oak tree was split in half due to the high winds.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Florida in 2013Every state in 2013This day in weather historyWarnings in Florida, April 2013
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: 433533, 433534.