Florida, 2013

Hail and Lightning Strike in Florida, September 6, 2013

September 6, 2013 · NWS TBW · 2 events in 2 counties and zones

A sea breeze collision over the Florida Gulf Coast allowed for scattered afternoon thunderstorms along the west half of the Florida Peninsula. Some of these storms produced large hail and damaging lightning strikes.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.

  • Tornadoes
  • Tropical storms and surge
  • Floods
  • Wind
  • Hail
  • Winter weather
  • Heat and drought
  • Cold
  • Fire, smoke and dust
  • Marine and coastal
  • Other

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
$25,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
2

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.

What happened

The episode as NWS TBW wrote it up.

A sea breeze collision over the Florida Gulf Coast allowed for scattered afternoon thunderstorms along the west half of the Florida Peninsula. Some of these storms produced large hail and damaging lightning strikes.

What forecasters said that day

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 Sep 6, 2:00 PM EST, 1 hour 20 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Sep 6, 2:00 PM EST, 1 hour 20 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY RUSKIN FL
300 PM EDT FRI SEP 6 2013

...STRONG TO POTENTIALLY SEVERE STORMS POSSIBLE LATER THIS AFTERNOON
AND EVENING...

.SHORT TERM...
STRONG TSTMS HAVE BEEN ONGOING ALONG THE SPACE COAST THIS AFTERNOON
WITH A FEW MORE STORMS CURRENTLY OVER PORTIONS OF CITRUS AND
HERNANDO COUNTIES. GROWING INCREASINGLY CONCERNED OVER POTENTIAL OF
STRONG TO SEVERE TSTMS OVER PORTIONS OF THE FORECAST AREA. A
MODERATELY UNSTABLE AIRMASS EXISTS ACROSS THE FLORIDA PENINSULA THIS
AFTERNOON WITH MLCAPE VALUES OF 2000-3000 J/KG. THIS COMBINED WITH A
VERY MOIST BOUNDARY LAYER...AS EVIDENT ON THE MORNING KTBW RAOB
SHOULD ALLOW FOR THE POTENTIAL OF STRONG TO SEVERE TSTM DEVELOPMENT.
EXCESSIVE LIGHTNING...DAMAGING WINDS AND SOME HAIL WILL BE POSSIBLE
ALONG WITH VERY HEAVY RAINFALL. LATEST HRRR MODEL RUN SEEMS TO HAVE
A GRASP ON THE CURRENT CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY OVER THE PENINSULA. IT
SUGGESTS THAT THE BULK OF THE TSTMS CURRENTLY OVER ORANGE...LAKE AND
SEMINOLE COUNTIES WILL GRADUALLY MOVE INTO THE CWA OVER THE NEXT
HOUR OR SO. THE HRRR GUIDANCE SUGGEST THAT A SOMEWHAT LINEAR BAND OF
TSTMS WILL MOVE INTO INTERIOR SECTIONS OF THE AREA AROUND 21-22Z.
THE TAMPA BAY METRO AREA WILL LIKELY SEE ITS BEST CHANCE OF TSTM
ACTIVITY AROUND 23Z AND STORMS SHOULD BEGIN TO EXIT THE COAST AROUND
1-2Z THIS EVENING WITH LINGERING SHOWERS POSSIBLE OVER LAND AREAS
INTO THE EARLY OVERNIGHT HOURS.

SOMEWHAT DRIER AIR WILL MOVE INTO THE AREA TOMORROW WHICH COULD
SERVE AS LIMITING FACTOR FOR SHOWER AND TSTM COVERAGE UNTIL A TAD
LATER INTO THE AFTERNOON. NORTHERN ZONES WILL SEE THE DRIER AIR
FIRST AND BECAUSE OF THIS...LOWER RAIN CHANCES ARE FORECAST FOR THE
NATURE COAST NORTHWARD. STILL FEEL ENOUGH MOISTURE WILL BE IN PLACE
FROM TAMPA BAY SOUTH TO KEEP AROUND 40 POPS IN PLACE.

ON SUNDAY THE DRY AIR BECOMES WELL ESTABLISHED OVER MOST OF THE
REGION. MODELS STILL SHOW SOME POTENTIAL FOR SEA BREEZE INITIATED
STORMS...BUT THE OVERALL COVERAGE SHOULD BE QUITE A BIT LOWER THAN
TODAY AND SATURDAY WITH HIGHEST RAIN CHANCES DOWN SOUTH.

.LONG TERM (MONDAY THROUGH NEXT THURSDAY)...
LONG TERM PERIOD WILL BEGIN NEXT MONDAY WITH A PATTERN DOMINATED BY
LARGE SCALE UPPER RIDGING CENTERED OVER THE SE CONUS. RESIDUAL
ENERGY / WEAK TROUGHING LOOKS TO LINGER FROM OFF THE CAROLINA COAST
SOUTH AND SOUTHWEST TO THE SOUTHERN PORTION OF THE FLORIDA
PENINSULA. WEAK SUPPRESSION FROM THE UPPER RIDGE ALONG WITH THE
ADVECTION OF DRIER AIR DOWN FROM THE NORTH AND NORTHEAST AROUND THE
SYNOPTIC CIRCULATION LOOKS TO BRING SOME LESS FAVORABLE ATMOSPHERIC
CONDITIONS FOR DEEP CONVECTION TO PORTION OF THE AREA DURING THE
FIRST HALF OF THE WORK WEEK. BOTH THE GFS/ECMWF AGREE ON THE DRY AIR
BECOMING ENTRENCHED OVER THE NORTHERN HALF OF THE FORECAST
AREA...HOWEVER THE GFS IS MORE DRAMATIC WITH THIS DRYING...AND ALSO
MORE EXPANSIVE WITH THE DRIER MID-LEVEL AIR TO THE SOUTH.

EITHER WAY...A DECREASE IN THE OVERALL COVERAGE OF SHOWERS AND
STORMS FROM WHAT IS FORECAST OVER THE WEEKEND LOOKS LIKELY. BEST
CHANCES FOR SCATTERED AFTERNOON/EVENING STORMS MONDAY THROUGH
WEDNESDAY EXISTS SOUTH OF I-4...AND ESPECIALLY FROM PUNTA GORDA
SOUTHWARD...WHERE THE MORE "FAVORABLE" MOISTURE PROFILE WILL BE
COINCIDENT WITH EASTERLY LOW LEVEL FLOW TO FOCUS SEA-BREEZE
CONVERGENCE. EVEN STILL...ONLY GOING WITH 30-40% RAIN CHANCES FOR
THESE SOUTHERN ZONES...AND LESSER 20-30% RAIN CHANCES FOR THE
CENTRAL AND NATURE COAST ZONES. WITH THE UPPER RIDGE NEARBY...AND
THE POTENTIAL FOR LESS CONVECTIVE COVERAGE...DAYTIME TEMPS SHOULD
AVERAGE OUT A BIT ABOVE NORMAL.

DURING THE LAST COUPLE DAYS OF THE FORECAST PERIOD...THERE IS SOME
INDICATIONS IN THE GLOBAL GUIDANCE OF A SLOW RETURN OF DEEP MOISTURE
FROM THE EAST AND SOUTHEAST. ONCE AGAIN...THE GFS IS THE MOST
STUBBORN TO HOLD ON TO THE DRIER AIR (ESPECIALLY FROM TAMPA
NORTHWARD)...WHILE THE ECMWF RETURNS THE ENTIRE REGION TO A MORE
FAVORABLE COLUMN FOR DEEP CONVECTION BY FRIDAY. MID/UPPER LEVEL
MOISTURE FIELDS CAN BE SOMEWHAT QUESTIONABLE IN NWP GUIDANCE AT THE
LONGER RANGES...AND CERTAINLY WOULD NOT WANT TO "HANG MY HAT" ON ANY
ONE MODEL SOLUTION. WILL BLEND THE MORE RELIABLE SOLUTION...WHICH
SUGGESTS CHANCE 30-40% POPS FOR BOTH THURSDAY AND FRIDAY. MORE
MOISTURE SUCH AS THE ECMWF ADVERTISES WOULD LEAD TO HIGHER POPS BY
FRIDAY...AND LESS FAVORABLE CONDITIONS AS THE GFS ADVERTISES WOULD
LEAD TO LOWER POPS...ESPECIALLY FOR THE NATURE COAST ZONES.

&&

.AVIATION...
VFR CONDITIONS CURRENTLY PREVAIL ACROSS WEST-CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST
FLORIDA WITH VCTS AT ALL TERMINALS THROUGH 01Z. I HAVE INCLUDED A
TEMPO GROUP FOR BRIEF MVFR/IFR CEILINGS AND VISIBILITIES AT ALL
TERMINAL SITES BETWEEN 06/21Z AND 06/24Z AS SCATTERED SHOWERS AND
STORMS DEVELOP OVER THE REGION. WINDS WILL BE VARIABLE IN VICINITY
OF THUNDERSTORMS WITH POSSIBLE STRONG GUSTS NEAR 40 KNOTS. STORMS
WILL DIMINISH BY 07/01Z...LEAVING PREVAILING VFR CONDITIONS ONCE
AGAIN UNDER A SCT-BKN HIGH LEVEL CIRRUS CANOPY.

&&

.MARINE...
HIGH PRESSURE CONTINUES TO PROVIDE EASTERLY FLOW THROUGH INTO NEXT
WEEK OVER THE WATERS. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED MOST
DAYS...WITH LATE AFTERNOON AND EVENING THUNDERSTORMS COMING FROM THE
EAST POTENTIALLY CREATING HIGHER WINDS AND WAVES FOR MARINERS.
OTHERWISE...THERE MIGHT BE SOME WINDS AND WAVES NEARING CAUTIONARY
CRITERIA EARLY NEXT WEEK DUE TO OVERNIGHT EASTERLY WIND SURGES.

&&

.FIRE WEATHER...NO SIGNIFICANT FIRE WEATHER PROBLEMS BUT STAGNANT
HIGH PRESSURE OVER THE REGION WILL FAVOR LIGHT WINDS AND LIGHT
TRANSPORT WINDS RESULTING IN LOW DISPERSIONS FOR THE NEXT COUPLE
OF DAYS.

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
TPA  76  92  74  90 /  30  30  20  30
FMY  75  92  74  92 /  40  40  30  40
GIF  74  94  71  93 /  20  30  10  20
SRQ  75  92  73  91 /  30  30  20  30
BKV  70  92  69  92 /  30  30  20  20
SPG  79  90  77  89 /  30  30  20  30

&&

.TBW WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
FL...NONE.
GULF WATERS...NONE.
&&

SHORT TERM/FIRE WEATHER...11/MCKAUGHAN
LONG TERM...14/MROCZKA
AVIATION...74/WYNN
MARINE...02/GARCIA
Hazardous weather outlook, Sep 6, 10:56 AM EST, 4 hours 24 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY RUSKIN FL
1156 AM EDT FRI SEP 6 2013

FLZ039-042-043-048>052-055>057-060>062-065-GMZ830-850-853-856-870-
873-876-070500-
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-
1156 AM EDT FRI SEP 6 2013

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR WEST CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST
FLORIDA.

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT.

...THUNDERSTORM IMPACT...
A LIGHT FLOW NORTH AND WEAK EASTERLY FLOW SOUTH WILL KEEP THE SEA
BREEZE FROM MOVING INLAND ALL THAT RAPIDLY THIS AFTERNOON. AMPLE
MOISTURE AND INSTABILITY WILL COMBINE WITH DAYTIME HEATING...THE
SEA BREEZES AND OUTFLOW BOUNDARIES TO CAUSE SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS
AFTERNOON AND EVENING THUNDERSTORMS.

THE MAIN HAZARDS WITH THE STRONGER STORMS WILL BE LOCALLY HEAVY
RAINFALL...DAMAGING DOWNBURST WINDS...FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND
LIGHTNING...AND PEA TO QUARTER SIZED HAIL. DUE TO SATURATED
SOILS...ANY SLOW MOVING STORMS ARE LIKELY TO RESULT IN LOCALIZED
STREET AND SMALL STREAM FLOODING. FUNNEL CLOUDS AND WATERSPOUTS
CANNOT BE RULED OUT LATER TODAY...PARTICULARLY ALONG THE COAST
FROM TAMPA BAY SOUTHWARD WHERE BOUNDARY COLLISIONS ARE EXPECTED TO
OCCUR.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY.

...THUNDERSTORM IMPACT...
A CONTINUED ACTIVE PATTERN OF AFTERNOON AND EVENING SHOWERS AND
STORMS SHOULD CONTINUE ON SATURDAY. THEREAFTER DURING THE SECOND
HALF OF THE WEEKEND AND EARLY PORTION OF NEXT WEEK...DRIER AIR
ARRIVING ALOFT SHOULD HELP TO DECREASE THE COVERAGE OF DAILY
SHOWERS AND STORMS.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTERS SHOULD MONITOR THE WEATHER AND SELF ACTIVATE IF NEEDED.

GARCIA

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Sep 6, 2:12 PM EST, 1 hour 8 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL
312 PM EDT FRI SEP 6 2013

FLZ042-062000-
CITRUS-
312 PM EDT FRI SEP 6 2013

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT CENTRAL CITRUS COUNTY...

AT 312 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS DETECTED
STRONG THUNDERSTORMS LOCATED NEAR CITRUS HILLS...OR NEAR BEVERLY
HILLS...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 10 MPH...WILL AFFECT RIVER LAKES
MANOR...ARBOR LAKES...BEVERLY HILLS AND INVERNESS...UNTIL 400 PM EDT.

GUSTY WINDS 35 TO 45 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE. FREQUENT LIGHTNING IS
EXPECTED. TO BE SAFE GO INDOORS IMMEDIATELY. IF CAUGHT
OUTSIDE...FIND A LOW SPOT...AND STAY AWAY FROM TALL OBJECTS. THESE
STORMS MAY PRODUCE PEA SIZE HAIL. TORRENTIAL RAINS WILL REDUCE
VISIBILITY TO NEAR ZERO AND WILL CAUSE PONDING OF WATER ON ROADWAYS.

&&

LAT...LON 2898 8238 2874 8222 2873 8224 2871 8251
      2891 8257
TIME...MOT...LOC 1912Z 335DEG 7KT 2886 8243
Special weather statement, Sep 6, 2:16 PM EST, 1 hour 4 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL
316 PM EDT FRI SEP 6 2013

FLZ049>051-062000-
PASCO-HILLSBOROUGH-PINELLAS-
316 PM EDT FRI SEP 6 2013

...A SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR NORTH CENTRAL
PINELLAS...NORTHWESTERN HILLSBOROUGH AND SOUTHWESTERN PASCO COUNTIES
FOR A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WITH STRONG WIND GUSTS VALID UNTIL 400 PM
EDT...

AT 316 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS DETECTED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM LOCATED NEAR LAKE FERN...OR 7 MILES WEST OF
LUTZ...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 5 MPH WILL AFFECT ODESSA...TRINITY...LAKE
FERN AND CHEVAL.

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.
HAIL UP TO PENNY SIZE MAY OCCUR. 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. TORRENTIAL RAINS WILL
REDUCE VISIBILITY TO NEAR ZERO AND WILL CAUSE PONDING OF WATER ON
ROADWAYS.

&&

LAT...LON 2811 8234 2803 8255 2820 8274 2831 8257
TIME...MOT...LOC 1916Z 322DEG 6KT 2815 8258
Special weather statement, Sep 6, 2:22 PM EST, 58 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL
322 PM EDT FRI SEP 6 2013

FLZ048-049-062015-
HERNANDO-PASCO-
322 PM EDT FRI SEP 6 2013

...A SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR NORTH CENTRAL
PASCO AND SOUTH CENTRAL HERNANDO COUNTIES FOR A STRONG THUNDERSTORM
WITH STRONG WIND GUSTS VALID UNTIL 415 PM EDT...

AT 323 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS DETECTED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM LOCATED NEAR GARDEN GROVE...OR 6 MILES SOUTHWEST
OF BROOKSVILLE...NEARLY STATIONARY...WILL AFFECT BROOKSVILLE...GARDEN
GROVE...HERNANDO COUNTY AIRPORT AND SPRING HILL.

THIS INCLUDES INTERSTATE 75 BETWEEN EXITS 285 AND 293.

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.
HAIL UP TO PENNY SIZE MAY OCCUR. 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. TORRENTIAL RAINS WILL
REDUCE VISIBILITY TO NEAR ZERO AND WILL CAUSE PONDING OF WATER ON
ROADWAYS.

&&

LAT...LON 2842 8215 2827 8241 2846 8258 2860 8244
TIME...MOT...LOC 1923Z 311DEG 1KT 2847 8243
Local storm report, Sep 6, 2:36 PM EST, 44 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY RUSKIN FL
336 PM EDT FRI SEP 6 2013

...TIME...  ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
...DATE...  ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0321 PM     TSTM WND GST     2 N MASARYKTOWN         28.47N 82.46W
09/06/2013  M41 MPH          HERNANDO           FL   ASOS

            ASOS STATION HERNANDO COUNTY AIRPORT /BKV/

&&

IRIS SYSTEM
Special weather statement, Sep 6, 2:48 PM EST, 32 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL
348 PM EDT FRI SEP 6 2013

FLZ052-062030-
POLK-
348 PM EDT FRI SEP 6 2013

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT NORTH CENTRAL POLK COUNTY...

AT 348 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS DETECTED
STRONG THUNDERSTORMS LOCATED 6 MILES EAST OF WITHLA...OR 12 MILES
WEST OF MGM STUDIOS...MOVING EAST AT 10 MPH...WILL AFFECT RURAL
NORTHERN POLK COUNTY...UNTIL 430 PM EDT.

THIS INCLUDES INTERSTATE 4 BETWEEN EXITS 44 AND 48.

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. THESE STORMS MAY PRODUCE PEA
SIZE HAIL. TORRENTIAL RAINS WILL REDUCE VISIBILITY TO NEAR ZERO AND
WILL CAUSE PONDING OF WATER ON ROADWAYS.

&&

LAT...LON 2811 8176 2828 8195 2835 8188 2835 8187
      2837 8186 2837 8180 2835 8178 2835 8166
      2834 8165 2827 8165 2826 8163
TIME...MOT...LOC 1948Z 292DEG 10KT 2832 8176

The radar

The Tampa radar (KTBW), 59 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 20:21 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

1 hail, 1 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Pasco

When
September 6, 3:20 PM EST to 3:25 PM EST
Where
Pasco County, 0.25 mi N of Drexel
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
28.234, -82.470

Hail of up to the size of quarters was reported on Lake Thomas Road in Land O' Lakes.

Lightning, Hillsborough

When
September 6, 5:09 PM EST
Where
Hillsborough County, 1.83 mi E of Ruskin
Property damage
$25,000
Reported by
NWS Employee
Coordinates
27.705, -82.400

The National Weather Service Forecast Office in Ruskin, FL was struck by lightning causing widespread damage to electronics across the office. Several computer motherboards, monitors, security systems, a HAM radio, and internet routers were all damaged. Time was estimated from the point when several computer systems failed.

What these are

Hail
Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
Lightning
A lightning strike that killed, injured or caused damage.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Florida in 2013Every state in 2013This day in weather historyWarnings in Florida, September 2013

Sources

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: 476082, 476376.