Easterly flow produced numerous strong to severe thunderstorms across the area. The storms produced sub severe hail and downed numerous trees.
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.
Easterly flow produced numerous strong to severe thunderstorms across the area. The storms produced sub severe hail and downed numerous trees.
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 Aug 20, 2:28 PM EST, 2 hours 2 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY RUSKIN FL 328 PM EDT TUE AUG 20 2013 .SHORT TERM (TONIGHT-THURSDAY)... IN THE MID/UPPER LEVELS HIGH PRESSURE RIDGING WILL HOLD JUST OFF THE SOUTHEAST U.S. COAST WHILE A WEAK AREA OF LOW PRESSURE OFF THE SOUTHWEST FLORIDA COAST DRIFTS NORTHWEST OVER THE NEXT DAY OR TWO. MEANWHILE AT THE SURFACE...HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE WILL HOLD TO THE NORTH OF FLORIDA WITH A LOW LEVEL EAST TO SOUTHEAST FLOW PERSISTING. FOR THE REST OF THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE WITH THE CONVECTION MOVING WEST OUT INTO THE GULF BY MIDNIGHT. PARTLY CLOUDY SKIES WILL THEN PREVAIL FOR THE REST OF THE NIGHT WITH SOME PATCHY GROUND FOG POSSIBLE... ESPECIALLY IN AREAS THAT RECEIVE RAIN. LOWS TONIGHT WILL BE MOSTLY IN THE 70S. FOR WEDNESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY...THE GUIDANCE IS BRINGING DEEPER MOISTURE BACK NORTHWEST INTO THE AREA WITH PRECIPITABLE WATER INCREASING TO AROUND 2 INCHES. THIS COMBINED WITH DAYTIME HEATING SHOULD LEAD TO SCATTERED CONVECTION EACH DAY WITH BEST CHANCES DURING THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING HOURS. HOWEVER...WITH THE DECENT EAST TO SOUTHEAST LOW LEVEL FLOW CAN NOT RULE AN ISOLATED SHOWER MOVING INTO EASTERN POLK OR HIGHLANDS COUNTY LATE WEDNESDAY NIGHT OR THURSDAY MORNING. FOR NOW HAVE GONE WITH 50 POPS EACH DAY ACROSS MOST OF THE AREA...BUT IF TRENDS CONTINUE LATER SHIFTS MAY NEED TO BUMP THEM UP 10 TO 20 PERCENT...ESPECIALLY NEAR THE COAST WHERE THE BEST CONVERGENCE WILL BE THANKS TO THE SEA BREEZE STRUGGLING TO MOVE INLAND AGAINST THE EAST TO SOUTHEAST FLOW. DAYTIME HIGHS BOTH DAYS WILL MAINLY BE IN THE LOWER 90S WITH LOWS WEDNESDAY NIGHT MOSTLY IN THE 70S. .LONG TERM (THURSDAY NIGHT-TUESDAY)... HIGH PRESSURE WILL RIDGE ACROSS THE AREA AT THE SURFACE AND ALOFT FROM THE ATLANTIC THROUGH SATURDAY AS A FRONTAL BOUNDARY GRADUALLY STALLS TO THE NORTH OF THE AREA. THIS BOUNDARY THEN WASHES OUT AS HIGH PRESSURE RIDGES INTO THE AREA FROM THE NORTH FOR SUNDAY AND MONDAY. THIS WILL KEEP A PREVAILING EAST TO SOUTHEAST FLOW IN PLACE ACROSS THE AREA WITH AN AFTERNOON SEA BREEZE DEVELOPING EACH DAY. SCATTERED AFTERNOON AND EVENING SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE EACH DAY ALONG SEA BREEZE AND OUTFLOW BOUNDARIES. TEMPERATURES WILL BE NEAR NORMAL THROUGH THE PERIOD WITH HIGHS IN THE LOWER 90S AND LOWS IN THE 70S. && .AVIATION... EXPECT SCATTERED STORMS WHICH COULD IMPACT ANY OF THE TERMINALS THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING. MAINLY BRIEF MVFR/IFR CONDITIONS IF SHOWERS MOVE DIRECTLY OVER TERMINAL. SHOWERS ARE CURRENTLY FAST MOVING SO WILL HANDLE WITH VCTS AND AMEND IF NEEDED. && .MARINE... EAST TO SOUTHEAST FLOW WILL PERSIST WITH THE SEA BREEZE TRYING TO DEVELOP NEAR THE COAST EACH AFTERNOON. WINDS WILL REMAIN 15 KNOTS OR LESS WITH SEAS LESS THAN 4 FEET...THEREFORE NO HEADLINES ANTICIPATED FOR THE NEXT FEW DAYS. && .FIRE WEATHER... NO RELATIVE HUMIDITY CONCERNS FOR THE NEXT FEW DAYS...BUT THERE COULD BE SOME PATCHY GROUND FOG JUST BEFORE AND AROUND SUNRISE EACH MORNING...ESPECIALLY IN AREAS THAT RECEIVE RAIN. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... TPA 76 91 75 91 / 20 50 30 50 FMY 74 91 74 91 / 20 50 30 50 GIF 74 91 74 91 / 20 50 20 50 SRQ 75 91 75 91 / 30 50 30 50 BKV 72 92 72 92 / 20 50 30 50 SPG 78 90 78 90 / 30 50 30 50 && .TBW WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... FL...NONE. GULF WATERS...NONE. && SHORT TERM/MARINE/FIRE WEATHER...69/CLOSE LONG TERM...24/COLSON AVIATION...63/JILLSON
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY RUSKIN FL 503 AM EDT TUE AUG 20 2013 FLZ039-042-043-048>052-055>057-060>062-065-GMZ830-850-853-856-870- 873-876-201600- LEVY-CITRUS-SUMTER-HERNANDO-PASCO-PINELLAS-HILLSBOROUGH-POLK- MANATEE-HARDEE-HIGHLANDS-SARASOTA-DESOTO-CHARLOTTE-LEE- TAMPA BAY WATERS-TARPON SPRINGS TO SUWANNEE RIVER OUT 20 NM- ENGLEWOOD TO TARPON SPRINGS OUT 20 NM- BONITA BEACH TO ENGLEWOOD OUT 20 NM- TARPON SPRINGS TO SUWANNEE RIVER OUT 20 TO 60 NM- ENGLEWOOD TO TARPON SPRINGS OUT 20 TO 60 NM- BONITA BEACH TO ENGLEWOOD OUT 20 TO 60 NM- 503 AM EDT TUE AUG 20 2013 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR WEST CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST FLORIDA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. ...THUNDERSTORM IMPACT... SCATTERED AFTERNOON AND EVENING THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP TODAY ALONG SEA BREEZE AND OUTFLOW BOUNDARIES. STRONG GUSTY WINDS...FREQUENT DEADLY LIGHTNING...AND LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THE STORMS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY. ...THUNDERSTORM IMPACT... HIGH PRESSURE WILL KEEP AN EAST TO SOUTHEAST FLOW IN PLACE ACROSS THE AREA THROUGH MONDAY ALLOWING AN AFTERNOON SEA BREEZE TO DEVELOP ALONG THE COAST EACH DAY. SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL FORM ALONG THE SEA BREEZE AND OUTFLOW BOUNDARIES EACH AFTERNOON AND CONTINUE THROUGH THE EVENING HOURS...BRINGING STRONG GUSTY WINDS...FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS SHOULD MONITOR THE WEATHER AND SELF ACTIVATE IF NEEDED. COLSON
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL
440 PM EDT TUE AUG 20 2013
FLZ051-052-202145-
POLK-HILLSBOROUGH-
440 PM EDT TUE AUG 20 2013
...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT CENTRAL POLK AND NORTHEASTERN
HILLSBOROUGH COUNTIES...
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATES THUNDERSTORMS
LOCATED ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM EAGLE LAKE TO BARTOW...OR ALONG A
LINE EXTENDING FROM WINTER HAVEN TO BARTOW...MOVING WEST AT 20 MPH...
WILL AFFECT WINTER HAVEN AIRPORT...INWOOD...WINTER HAVEN AND CYPRESS
GARDENS...THROUGH 545 PM EDT.
THIS INCLUDES INTERSTATE 4 BETWEEN EXITS 7 AND 33.
GUSTY WINDS 35 TO 45 MPH WILL OCCUR. FREQUENT LIGHTNING IS EXPECTED.
TO BE SAFE GO INDOORS IMMEDIATELY. IF CAUGHT OUTSIDE...FIND A LOW
SPOT...AND STAY AWAY FROM TALL OBJECTS. WHEN DRIVING THROUGH HEAVY
RAIN...SLOW DOWN. ALWAYS LEAVE A SAFE DISTANCE BETWEEN YOU AND OTHER
VEHICLES.
&&
LAT...LON 2774 8176 2787 8241 2790 8242 2789 8244
2790 8245 2791 8245 2817 8218 2818 8215
2804 8155
TIME...MOT...LOC 2040Z 097DEG 19KT 2799 8177 2789 8190SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL
457 PM EDT TUE AUG 20 2013
FLZ055-056-202145-
HARDEE-MANATEE-
457 PM EDT TUE AUG 20 2013
...A SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR NORTHEASTERN
MANATEE AND SOUTHWESTERN HARDEE COUNTIES FOR STRONG THUNDERSTORMS
WITH STRONG WIND GUSTS VALID UNTIL 545 PM EDT...
AT 455 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATES
STRONG THUNDERSTORMS LOCATED NEAR MYAKKA HEAD...OR 17 MILES WEST OF
WAUCHULA...MOVING NORTHWEST AT 15 MPH WILL AFFECT MYAKKA HEAD AND
DUETTE.
GUSTY WINDS OF 45 TO 55 MPH CAN BE EXPECTED WHICH CAN CAUSE UNSECURED
OBJECTS TO BLOW AROUND...SNAP TREE LIMBS AND CAUSE POWER OUTAGES.
FREQUENT TO CONTINUOUS LIGHTNING IS EXPECTED. TO BE SAFE GO INDOORS
IMMEDIATELY. IF CAUGHT OUTSIDE...FIND A LOW SPOT...AND STAY AWAY FROM
TALL OBJECTS. WHEN DRIVING THROUGH HEAVY RAIN...SLOW DOWN. ALWAYS
LEAVE A SAFE DISTANCE BETWEEN YOU AND OTHER VEHICLES.
&&
LAT...LON 2765 8234 2765 8219 2750 8193 2734 8203
2749 8243
TIME...MOT...LOC 2057Z 118DEG 14KT 2746 8207SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL
513 PM EDT TUE AUG 20 2013
FLZ051-202145-
HILLSBOROUGH-
513 PM EDT TUE AUG 20 2013
...A SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR CENTRAL
HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY FOR A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WITH STRONG WIND GUSTS
VALID UNTIL 545 PM EDT...
AT 511 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATES A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM LOCATED NEAR PLANT CITY AIRPORT...OR NEAR PLANT
CITY...MOVING WEST AT 25 MPH WILL AFFECT PLANT CITY...LITHIA SPRINGS
STATE PARK...FISH HAWK...VALRICO...BRANDON...AND MANGO.
THIS INCLUDES INTERSTATE 75 BETWEEN EXITS 250 AND 261...AND
INTERSTATE 4 BETWEEN EXIT 1 AND THE COUNTY LINE.
GUSTY WINDS OF 45 TO 55 MPH CAN BE EXPECTED WHICH CAN CAUSE UNSECURED
OBJECTS TO BLOW AROUND...SNAP TREE LIMBS AND CAUSE POWER OUTAGES.
FREQUENT TO CONTINUOUS LIGHTNING IS EXPECTED. TO BE SAFE GO INDOORS
IMMEDIATELY. IF CAUGHT OUTSIDE...FIND A LOW SPOT...AND STAY AWAY FROM
TALL OBJECTS. WHEN DRIVING THROUGH HEAVY RAIN...SLOW DOWN. ALWAYS
LEAVE A SAFE DISTANCE BETWEEN YOU AND OTHER VEHICLES.
REPORT DAMAGE TO THE NEAREST LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY OR TO YOUR COUNTY
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OFFICE.
&&
LAT...LON 2807 8249 2803 8205 2785 8205 2784 8242
2789 8241 2790 8246 2792 8248 2786 8248
2785 8247 2784 8250
TIME...MOT...LOC 2112Z 093DEG 23KT 2794 8215The Tampa radar (KTBW), 36 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:28 UTC.
3 thunderstorm wind, 1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
Hillsborough County 911 reported 2 trees down across a road north of Seffner. The event time was estimated by radar.
A local television station relayed a report of a downed tree on Hillsborough Avenue in Seffner. The time was estimated from Doppler radar signatures.
A local television station relayed a report via social media which showed a picture of a downed tree in the Meadowbrook Village neighborhood in Town N' Country.
A local television station reported dime-size hail at their station in Westchase.
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, August 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: 473662, 473663, 473664, 474228.