Easterly flow and deep moisture fueled numerous to scattered showers and thunderstorms. One of the storms produced a long lived funnel cloud that briefly touched down as a tornado in Lakewood Ranch.
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 and deep moisture fueled numerous to scattered showers and thunderstorms. One of the storms produced a long lived funnel cloud that briefly touched down as a tornado in Lakewood Ranch.
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 Jul 15, 2:37 PM EST, 3 hours 3 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY RUSKIN FL 337 PM EDT MON JUL 15 2013 .SHORT TERM (TONIGHT-WEDNESDAY)... DEEP EASTERLIES IN PLACE ARE PREVENTING OUR WEST COAST SEA BREEZE FROM REALLY DEVELOPING THIS AFTERNOON. THE EAST COAST SEA BREEZE IS ALREADY PUSHING WELL INLAND TOWARD OUR AREA. SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TO DEVELOP THROUGH THE LATE AFTERNOON AND EVENING. HAVE 30-40 PERCENT CHANCES THROUGH 2AM...AFTER WHICH STORMS SHOULD HAVE DISSIPATED OR PUSHED OFFSHORE. NEARLY STACKED HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE OVER THE EASTERN US...GRADUALLY SHIFTING WESTWARD THROUGH WEDNESDAY. ALOFT...IN ADDITION TO THE STRONG HIGH OVER THE EASTERN US...A WEAK TROUGH/LOW WILL BE MOVING ACROSS SOUTH FLORIDA TUESDAY NIGHT AND WEDNESDAY. EASTERLY FLOW WILL REMAIN IN PLACE ACROSS THE AREA THROUGH THE PERIOD WITH AFTERNOON AND EVENING SCATTERED SHOWERS AND STORMS MOVING IN FROM THE EAST COAST SEA BREEZE AND DEVELOPING ALONG OUR WEAK WEST COAST SEA BREEZE AND THE INTERACTION OF THE TWO BOUNDARIES LATE EACH DAY. TEMPERATURES WILL BE NEAR TO SLIGHTLY ABOVE NORMAL WITH THE EASTERLY FLOW...WITH HIGHS AROUND 90 TO THE LOWER 90S AND LOWS IN THE UPPER 60S INLAND TO THE MID TO UPPER 70S COASTAL. .LONG TERM (WEDNESDAY NIGHT-MONDAY)... VERY LITTLE CHANGE IN THE OVERALL FORECAST PHILOSOPHY FROM YESTERDAY AT THIS TIME WITH THE GFS AND ECMWF REMAINING IN GOOD AGREEMENT WITH SYNOPTIC SCALE FEATURES WITH A BLEND BEING USED. A SPRAWLING AND STRONG UPPER LEVEL RIDGE AND ATTENDANT SURFACE HIGH OVER THE OHIO VALLEY WEDNESDAY NIGHT WILL WEAKEN AND SINK SOUTHEAST WITH THE UPPER RIDGE RE-ESTABLISHING ITSELF ACROSS THE WESTERN ATLANTIC AND RIDGING WEST ACROSS THE SOUTH CENTRAL PENINSULA BY THE END OF THE WEEK AND INTO THE UPCOMING WEEKEND WITH THE ATTENDANT SURFACE RIDGE AXIS ALSO SINKING SOUTH AND ALIGNING ITSELF EAST TO WEST ACROSS THE CENTRAL PENINSULA. SLIGHTLY DRIER AIR ADVECTING IN FROM THE ATLANTIC AROUND THE SOUTHERN PERIPHERY OF THE UPPER LEVEL RIDGE TO THE NORTH WILL SUPPORT LOWER RAIN CHANCES (POPS 30 TO 40 PERCENT RANGE) ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA ON THURSDAY WITH HIGHEST SCATTERED DIURNAL SEA BREEZE DRIVEN SHOWER AND THUNDERSTORM COVERAGE EXPECTED ACROSS SOUTHERN MOST ZONES DURING THE AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING HOURS WHERE THE DEEPEST MOISTURE WILL RESIDE. DURING FRIDAY AND INTO THE UPCOMING WEEKEND AMPLE MOISTURE WILL SUPPORT A CONTINUATION OF SCATTERED DIURNAL SEA BREEZE DRIVEN SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA. WITH THE SURFACE RIDGE AXIS SINKING SOUTH ACROSS THE CENTRAL PENINSULA HIGHEST RAIN CHANCES WILL SHIFT TO INLAND LOCATIONS AS A SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST FLOW DEVELOPS ALLOWING THE WEST COAST SEA BREEZE TO MOVE FURTHER INLAND EACH AFTERNOON. NEAR SEASONAL LEVEL TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED THROUGH THE PERIOD WITH OVERNIGHT LOWS IN THE LOWER 70S INLAND AREAS...AND MID 70S ALONG THE COAST...WITH DAYTIME HIGHS IN THE UPPER 80S ALONG THE COAST AND LOWER 90S INLAND. && .AVIATION... MAINLY VFR EXPECTED EXCEPT IN SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. WILL TEMPO FOR LOWERED CEILINGS AND VISIBILITIES AS NECESSARY. EASTERLY WINDS WILL CONTINUE WITH A POSSIBLE SEA BREEZE AT COASTAL TERMINALS THIS AFTERNOON FOR A FEW HOURS...OTHERWISE WINDS WILL REMAIN A BIT VARIABLE IF NOT EAST TO NORTHEAST. && .MARINE... HIGH PRESSURE IS RIDGING OVER THE AREA FROM THE ATLANTIC WITH EASTERLY FLOW IN PLACE. RIDGING WILL REMAIN IN PLACE ACROSS THE AREA THROUGH THE WEEK. WIND SPEEDS THROUGH MUCH OF THE PERIOD WILL REMAIN AOB 15 KNOTS...EXCEPT FOR OVERNIGHT TONIGHT AS AN EVENING SURGE IS EXPECTED TO INCREASE WINDS TO NEAR SCEC LEVELS GENERALLY AFTER 4AM AND CONTINUE INTO THE LATE MORNING TUESDAY. SEAS WILL REMAIN GENERALLY 2-3 FEET...WITH UP TO 4 FEET OFFSHORE. && .FIRE WEATHER... NO CONCERNS. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... TPA 74 90 74 90 / 40 40 20 30 FMY 72 91 72 90 / 30 50 30 40 GIF 72 90 72 91 / 30 40 10 30 SRQ 73 91 74 91 / 40 40 20 40 BKV 71 92 70 92 / 30 30 10 30 SPG 77 90 77 89 / 40 40 20 30 && .TBW WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... FL...NONE. GULF WATERS...NONE. && SHORT TERM/MARINE/FIRE WEATHER...24/COLSON LONG TERM...57/MCMICHAEL AVIATION...05/CARLISLE
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY RUSKIN FL 522 AM EDT MON JUL 15 2013 FLZ039-042-043-048>052-055>057-060>062-065-GMZ830-850-853-856-870- 873-876-152330- 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- 522 AM EDT MON JUL 15 2013 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR WEST CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST FLORIDA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. ...THUNDERSTORM IMPACT... AMPLE MOISTURE COMBINED WITH DAYTIME HEATING WILL LEAD TO SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING ALONG THE SEA BREEZE DURING THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING HOURS TODAY. A STRONGER EASTERLY WIND FLOW WILL KEEP THE WEST COAST SEA BREEZE CLOSE TO THE WEST COAST WHERE THE HIGHEST RAIN CHANCES AND COVERAGE OF STORMS ARE EXPECTED DURING THE AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING HOURS. LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL ALONG WITH FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND GUSTY WINDS WILL ACCOMPANY THE STORMS TODAY AS THEY MOVE TO THE WEST AT 10 TO 15 MPH. REMEMBER IF THUNDER IS HEARD OR LIGHTING IS OBSERVED MOVE INDOORS IMMEDIATELY. ...FLOOD IMPACT... LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL WILL ACCOMPANY THUNDERSTORMS TODAY. THE HEAVY RAINFALL COULD CAUSE SOME MINOR FLOODING OF LOW LYING AND POOR DRAINAGE AREAS AS WELL AS THE PONDING OF WATER ON ROADWAY. MOTORISTS SHOULD SLOW AND EXERCISE CAUTION IF ENCOUNTERING HEAVY RAIN TODAY. MOTORISTS SHOULD NOT DRIVE INTO AREAS WHERE WATER COVERS THE ROAD. ...RIVER FLOOD IMPACT... A RIVER FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE MYAKKA RIVER AT THE MYAKKA RIVER STATE PARK. THE MYAKKA RIVER WILL CONTINUE RISING OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS AND ANY ADDITIONAL HEAVY RAINFALL TODAY COULD CAUSE A FURTHER RISE IN WATER LEVELS AND MORE PRONOUNCED FLOODING ALONG THE RIVER THROUGH THE WEEK. RESIDENTS LIVING ALONG THE RIVER SHOULD REMAIN ALERT TO ANY RAPID RISES IN WATERS LEVELS AND BE READY TO MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND IF FLOODING IS OBSERVED. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY. ...THUNDERSTORM IMPACT... AMPLE MOISTURE AND DAYTIME HEATING WILL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT SCATTERED DIURNAL SEA BREEZE DRIVEN SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS THE REGION EACH DAY DURING THE AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING HOURS. AN EASTERLY STEERING FLOW WILL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT HIGHEST RAIN CHANCES FOR STORMS ALONG COASTAL LOCATIONS THROUGH THURSDAY. DURING FRIDAY AND INTO THE UPCOMING WEEKEND A DEVELOPING SOUTHWESTERLY FLOW WILL SHIFT HIGHEST CHANCES FOR STORMS OVER INLAND LOCATIONS EACH AFTERNOON AS THE WEST COAST SEA BREEZE MOVES INLAND AND COLLIDES WITH THE EAST COAST BOUNDARY. STORMS WILL CONTINUE TO PRODUCE LOCALLY HEAVY RAINS...GUSTY WINDS...AND FREQUENT LIGHTNING STRIKES. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS SHOULD MONITOR THE WEATHER AND SELF ACTIVATE IF NEEDED. MCMICHAEL
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL
630 PM EDT MON JUL 15 2013
FLZ055-152315-
MANATEE-
630 PM EDT MON JUL 15 2013
...STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT WEST CENTRAL MANATEE COUNTY...
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATES A STRONG
THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPING NEAR ONECO...OR 5 MILES SOUTHEAST OF
BRADENTON. THIS THUNDERSTORMS WAS MOVING WEST AT 15 MPH AND WILL
AFFECT AREAS NEAR LAKEWOOD RANCH...SAMOSET...SARASOTA BRADENTON
AIRPORT AND BRADENTON...UNTIL 715 PM EDT.
GUSTY WINDS OF 35 TO 45 MPH ARE POSSIBLE ALONG WITH FREQUENT
LIGHTNING...AND SMALL HAIL. TO BE SAFE GO INDOORS IMMEDIATELY. IF
CAUGHT OUTSIDE...FIND A LOW SPOT...AND STAY AWAY FROM TALL OBJECTS.
THIS STORM WILL PRODUCE PEA SIZE HAIL.
&&
LAT...LON 2750 8246 2739 8242 2739 8257 2742 8260
2742 8263 2744 8266 2751 8268
TIME...MOT...LOC 2228Z 081DEG 12KT 2744 8250The Tampa radar (KTBW), 31 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 22:40 UTC.
1 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.
Broadcast media relayed a picture of a very small tornado touching down on a lake in Lakewood Ranch. Additionally, numerous funnel cloud pictures were submitted for this storms. No damage was reported. Exact times and locations were estimated from radar.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Florida in 2013Every state in 2013This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Florida, 2013Warnings in Florida, July 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: 469936.