A bolt of lightning struck a van that was being driven on Interstate 95 in Mims.
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The episode as NWS MLB wrote it up.
A bolt of lightning struck a van that was being driven on Interstate 95 in Mims.
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 Aug 21, 9:11 AM EST, 2 hours 19 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MELBOURNE FL 1011 AM EDT WED AUG 21 2013 .DISCUSSION...AXIS OF THE DEEP LAYER RIDGE OVER THE WEST ATLANTIC REMAINS NORTH OF FLORIDA AND WILL KEEP AN ELEVATED ONSHORE FLOW OVER THE AREA. MID LEVEL SHORTWAVE MOVING THROUGH THE REGION CONTINUES TO GENERATE ONSHORE MOVING SHOWERS AND STORMS FROM THE CAPE NORTHWARD THIS MORNING. MORNING SOUNDINGS SHOW MUCH MORE MOISTURE OVER THE AREA THEN YESTERDAY WITH PW VALUES AROUND 2 INCHES. IN ADDITION 500MB TEMPS HAVE COOLED SIGNIFICANTLY TO -8 TO -10C ALOFT IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE DISTURBANCE ALOFT...LEADING TO GREATER INSTABILITY. THESE FACTORS WILL LEAD TO HIGHER RAIN CHANCES WITH SCATTERED SHOWERS AND STORMS DEVELOPING ACROSS THE AREA AND MOVING WEST TO NORTHWEST AROUND 20 MPH. A FEW STRONGER STORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE PRODUCING STRONG GUSTY WINDS AND SMALL HAIL. HIGHS WILL GENERALLY REACH THE UPPER 80S ALONG THE COAST TO LOW 90S INLAND. && .AVIATION...GREATER MOISTURE AND DISTURBED FLOW ALOFT WILL FACILITATE HIGHER COVERAGE OF SHOWERS AND STORMS ACROSS THE REGION TODAY. TEMPO IFR/MVFR CONDS WILL OCCUR WITH SCT SHRA/TSRA INITIALLY ALONG THE COAST THIS MORNING AND THEN TRANSITIONING INLAND THROUGH THE AFTERNOON. && .MARINE...HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE AXIS NORTH OF FLORIDA WILL MAINTAIN E/SE WINDS OVER THE WATERS THIS MORNING UP TO 10 TO 15 KNOTS. A GREATER EASTERLY SWELL WILL KEEP SEAS AROUND 3 TO 4 FEET. && .MLB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... FL...NONE. AM...NONE. && WEITLICH/PENDERGRAST
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MELBOURNE FL 504 AM EDT WED AUG 21 2013 AMZ550-552-555-570-572-575-FLZ041-044>047-053-054-058-059-064-141- 144-147-212200- 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- 504 AM EDT WED AUG 21 2013 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR EAST CENTRAL FLORIDA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. .THUNDERSTORM IMPACT... AS ISOLATED LIGHTNING STORMS COME ASHORE COASTAL AREAS THIS MORNING THEY WILL PRODUCE OCCASIONAL CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING STRIKES WITH BRIEF HEAVY RAIN AND A WIND GUST TO 30 MPH AT COASTAL LOCATIONS. DAYTIME HEATING ALONG WITH INCREASED MOISTURE...MID AND UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCES AND COOLER TEMPERATURES IN THE MID LEVELS OF THE ATMOSPHERE WILL PRODUCE SCATTERED LIGHTNING STORMS OVER THE INTERIOR THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING. SOME STORMS MAY BECOME STRONG ENOUGH TO PRODUCE FREQUENT LIGHTNING STRIKES...BRIEF HEAVY RAIN AND WIND GUSTS TO 40 MPH OVER THE INTERIOR ESPECIALLY AREAS WEST OF ORLANDO...SANFORD AND LAKE GEORGE. STORMS MAY LINGER INTO THE EVENING BEFORE COMING TO AN END BY MIDNIGHT. .FLOOD IMPACT... LOCALLY HEAVY RAINS THIS AFTERNOON WILL ALLOW FOR ACCUMULATIONS OF WATER ON ROADS...LOW LYING AND POORLY DRAINING AREAS THIS AFTERNOON. THIS WILL RESULT IN LOCALIZED SHORT TERM FLOODING OF ROADS. .RIP CURRENT IMPACT... THE COMBINATION OF ASTRONOMICAL TIDES AND A LONG PERIOD EASTERLY SWELL CONTINUING TO PROPAGATE INTO THE COASTAL WATERS WILL PRODUCE A MODERATE RISK OF RIP CURRENTS AT AREA BEACHES TODAY. RIP CURRENTS ARE EXPECTED TO BE AT THEIR STRONGEST LATE MORNING THROUGH MID AFTERNOON DURING THE TIME OF THE MAXIMUM OUTGOING TIDE. ALWAYS CHECK WITH THE LIFEGUARDS AND BEACH PATROL ABOUT SURF CONDITIONS BEFORE GOING INTO OCEAN. .MARINE THUNDERSTORM GUST IMPACT... ISOLATED TO SCATTERED ISOLATED STORMS WILL HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE WIND GUSTS TO 40 KNOTS MAINLY ACROSS INLAND LAKES AS THEY MOVE WEST TO NORTHWEST AROUND 10 TO 15 MPH. BOATERS SHOULD KEEP AN EYE TO THE EAST THROUGH FOR APPROACHING WEATHER AND SEEK SAFE HARBOR UNTIL THE STORMS HAVE CLEARED YOUR AREA. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. A PERSISTENT EASTERLY FLOW THROUGH THE UPCOMING WEEK WILL ALLOW THE SEA BREEZE TO FORM AND PUSH INLAND EARLIER IN THE DAY... FOCUSING DAILY LIGHTNING STORMS OVER THE INTERIOR AND WESTERN PORTIONS OF THE PENINSULA. ADDITIONALLY...THERE WILL BE A MODERATE HAZARD FOR RIP CURRENTS ESPECIALLY IN THE AFTERNOON DURING THE STRONGEST PERIODS OF THE OUTGOING TIDE AT THE BEACHES. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS ARE REQUESTED TO MONITOR THE WEATHER AND SELF ACTIVATE IF NEEDED. WIMMER
The Melbourne radar (KMLB), 62 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 16:29 UTC.
1 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.
A bolt of lightning struck a van that was being driven southbound on Interstate 95 in Mims. The windshield shattered, the engine was disabled, and all four tires were blown out. The front portion of the van then burst into flames. The driver was able to get out of the vehicle safely, with no injuries.
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: 464122.