A squall line moved across northwest Florida during the morning hours of March 16th. Although no reports of severe weather were received, lightning did damage a home.
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 TAE wrote it up.
A squall line moved across northwest Florida during the morning hours of March 16th. Although no reports of severe weather were received, lightning did damage a home. In addition, heavy rainfall of 3-5 inches caused some rivers and streams to come out of their banks with areal flooding reported in some areas.
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 Tallahassee, FL wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Mar 16, 8:14 AM CST, 4 hours 16 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TALLAHASSEE FL
1014 AM EDT Sun Mar 16 2014
.Near Term [Through Today]...
A highly amplified upper level trough is digging across the Srn
Plains and forecast to sweep across the Arklatex today and tonight.
At the surface, this has aided in cyclogenesis, with a surface low
over central Arkansas with a cold front extending to its SSW across
NW Louisiana and Ern Texas. Another low over western-central Alabama
has a boundary extending from it SWward across SW Alabama, Srn
Mississippi, and SE Louisiana. Ahead of this secondary surface low,
winds from the south are bringing lots of Gulf moisture into the
area. The 12Z TLH sounding showed a PWAT of 1.13", which is about
130% of normal. With the lift from the boundary, moisture from the
Gulf, and just enough instability to get things started, a squall
line is crossing the southeast, currently (9 AM EDT) in SE
Mississippi and SW Alabama. Because of the amplified upper level
pattern, we have very high vertical wind shear in place, 0-1km shear
of around 40kts and 0-6km shear of around 60-70kts along and ahead
of the line of thunderstorms. Despite low surface CAPE values
(500-1000 J/kg), mid-level lapse rates and increased instability
from diabatic heating will help sustain convection in these storms
today. As these storms move into our area late this morning-early
this afternoon, the main threats will be severe winds (in excess of
58 MPH) and tornadoes, particularly in SE Alabama and the Florida
Panhandle. Local hi-res guidance shows widespread 3-4" rainfall
between today and tomorrow with locally higher rainfall amounts of
4-6" possible, so flash flooding will be a concern today as well.
&&
.Aviation...
[Through 12Z Monday] Severe thunderstorms possible today with a
squall line slowly crossing the area. As these storms approach the
area, cigs will deteriorate to MVFR with IFR vsbys likely as the
heavy thunderstorms arrive. Winds will generally be from the south
or southwest today, but be very gusty and more variable in the
heavy thunderstorms.
&&
.Prev Discussion [450 AM EDT]...
.Short Term [Tonight Through Tuesday]...
The heavy rain and severe threat will be ending tonight as the
cold front sweeps from west to east across the CWA. However, with
deep layer moisture remaining in place, rain chances will continue
until the axis of the sharp upper trough clears to our east on
Tuesday. PoPs will be categorical all zones tonight and then
tapered likely west to categorical east. PoPs get trimmed to lower
end chance west to likely east Monday night and then 20-30% PoP
for the eastern third of CWA Tuesday morning. In the wake of the
cold front, a cooler airmass will spread over the area on Monday
with highs holding in the 60s to around 70 degrees area wide.
Warmer temps with highs generally in the 70s can be expected on
Tuesday.
.Long Term [Tuesday Night Through Sunday]...
Shortwave impulses will continue to propagate through the upper
level pattern through the long term period, but will stay too far
north of us to enhance rainfall in the southeast again until the
weekend. Temperatures will be near normal, with highs in the upper
60s to mid 70s and lows in the mid to upper 40s.
Friday night, the models diverge a bit with the GFS showing an
amplified trough over the central and northern plains, enhancing
surface cyclogenesis, with a cold front passage across the Ern
CONUS on Saturday. The Euro on the other hand, shows two far less
amplified Nrn and Srn stream troughs, with weaker cyclogenesis
over the Great Lakes from the Nrn trough and weakly enhanced
divergence over the Nrn GOMEX from the Srn trough. Both patterns
mean increased rain chances for the weekend, but vary in which
areas are more likely to get rain. A model blend of the two
solutions has the highest chances (about 30%) for our western
zones.
.Marine...
Winds and seas will increase to Small Craft Advisory levels this
morning as a storm system approaches from the west. The advisory
has been expanded eastward to include Apalachee Bay and the Big
Bend nearshore waters. Conditions will begin to improve tonight
with winds and seas decreasing and remaining below headline levels
from Monday through the remainder of the week.
.Fire Weather...
With plenty of wet weather expected to end the weekend and start the
beginning of next week, no fire weather concerns are expected over
the next several days.
.Hydrology...
As a low pressure system slowly approaches from the west, showers
and thunderstorms will overspread the Tri-state region beginning
today and continue at least through Monday night. Widespread
rainfall accumulations with this system are expected to be around
1.5-2.5 inches. Local hi-res guidance suggests that locally higher
amounts of 4 to 6 inches will be possible with stronger storms,
particularly in SE Alabama and the Florida Panhandle and a Flash
Flood Watch has been issued for those areas.
The widespread rainfall data values of 1.5-2.5 inches anticipated
are forecast to bring a few area rivers to action/bank full stage by
mid week- the Withlacoochee River at Pinetta, the St. Marks River at
Newport, the Apalachicola River at Blountstown, and several points
along the Ochlockonee River. Ensemble guidance suggests a 30% chance
that the St. Marks River at Newport and the Kinchafoonee Creek at
Dawson may rise to minor flood stage by mid-next week. In addition,
with local rainfall totals of 4 to 6 inches possible with stronger
storms, additional rises of area rivers may be possible.
For the latest hydrology information, please visit:
water.weather.gov/ahps2/index.php?wfo=tae
&&
.Preliminary Point Temps/PoPs...
Tallahassee 72 62 69 54 75 / 90 100 80 50 10
Panama City 69 61 68 53 70 / 100 90 70 40 10
Dothan 70 59 68 51 71 / 100 80 60 30 10
Albany 71 60 69 53 70 / 100 80 80 50 10
Valdosta 76 62 69 57 74 / 80 100 90 70 30
Cross City 76 65 72 58 76 / 50 90 100 70 30
Apalachicola 69 62 68 54 70 / 80 100 80 50 10
&&
.TAE Watches/Warnings/Advisories...
FL...Flash Flood Watch through Monday evening for Calhoun-Central
Walton-Coastal Bay-Coastal Gulf-Holmes-Inland Bay-Inland
Gulf-Inland Walton-Jackson-South Walton-Washington.
GA...None.
AL...Flash Flood Watch through Monday evening for Coffee-Dale-Geneva-
Henry-Houston.
GM...Small Craft Advisory until 6 PM EDT this evening for Apalachee
Bay-Coastal waters From Ochlockonee River to Apalachicola
FL out to 20 NM-Coastal waters from Suwannee River to
Keaton Beach FL out 20 NM-Coastal waters from Apalachicola
to Destin FL out 20 NM-Waters from Suwannee River to
Apalachicola FL from 20 to 60 NM-Waters from Apalachicola
to Destin FL from 20 to 60 NM.
&&
NEAR TERM...MOORE
SHORT TERM...BARRY
LONG TERM...MOORE
AVIATION...MOORE
MARINE...BARRY
FIRE WEATHER...GOULD
HYDROLOGY...BARRY/MOOREPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TALLAHASSEE FL
1235 PM EDT SUN MAR 16 2014
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1048 AM TSTM WND DMG 5 NNE ENTERPRISE 31.37N 85.82W
03/16/2014 COFFEE AL BROADCAST MEDIA
LARGE PECAN TREE DOWN PARTIALLY BLOCKING COFFEE COUNTY RD
700. OTHER TREES AND POWER LINES DOWN ACROSS COFFEE
COUNTY. PER WTVY-TV. CORRECTED TIME.
&&
CORRECTED FOR TIME.
08-LAMERSPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TALLAHASSEE FL
122 PM EDT SUN MAR 16 2014
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1250 PM LIGHTNING ALBANY 31.58N 84.18W
03/16/2014 DOUGHERTY GA BROADCAST MEDIA
REPORT OF A HOUSE FIRE IN ALBANY DUE TO LIGHTNING
&&
DVDPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TALLAHASSEE FL
141 PM EDT SUN MAR 16 2014
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0133 PM HAIL 3 N FUNSTON 31.24N 83.87W
03/16/2014 E0.25 INCH COLQUITT GA TRAINED SPOTTER
PEA SIZE HAIL AT THE CROSSROAD OF TUCKER AND
FUMSTAN/SISBEE RD.
&&
BOLDENPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TALLAHASSEE FL
156 PM EDT SUN MAR 16 2014
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1141 AM TSTM WND GST 2 W COWARTS 31.19N 85.34W
03/16/2014 E60 MPH HOUSTON AL TRAINED SPOTTER
SPOTTER ESTIMATED WIND GUSTS OF 60 MPH WITH BRANCHES
BROKEN
&&
DVDPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TALLAHASSEE FL
216 PM EDT SUN MAR 16 2014
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1145 AM TSTM WND DMG 1 SSE KINSEY 31.28N 85.34W
03/16/2014 HOUSTON AL LAW ENFORCEMENT
CABLE LINE PULLED DOWN BY STRONG WINDS AT THE 250 BLOCK
OF NOMAD CIRCLE
&&
DVDPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TALLAHASSEE FL
218 PM EDT SUN MAR 16 2014
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0213 PM NON-TSTM WND DMG 5 S MOODY AFB 30.91N 83.19W
03/16/2014 LOWNDES GA EMERGENCY MNGR
LARGE TREES DOWN, POWER LINES DOWN AND TRANSFORMERS BLOWN
STRONG WINDS ARE WELL AHEAD OF LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS.
&&
CJMThe Eglin Afb radar (KEVX), 48 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 18:27 UTC.
2 flood, 1 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.
Lightning destroyed a home on Oak Forest Road in the Hiland Park area of Lynn Haven. Monetary damage was estimated.
Heavy rainfall of 3 to 5 inches during March 16th saturated the ground and produced flooding around the town of Mayo. A local state of emergency was declared by the town due to flooding.
Widespread heavy rainfall of 3 to 5 inches over a 12 to 24 hour period led to local creeks and streams rising out of their banks and producing areal flooding across numerous county roads and neighborhood roads. Several county maintained roads were washed out or had culverts damaged. Public works repaired or replaced at least 6 culverts and positioned 100 sandbags to divert water. Affected roads included Mt. Gilead Church Rd, Bernard Johnson Rd, Blue Bar Rd, Calvin Morgan Rd, River Rd NE, Preston Sheffield Rd, Glennis Cruce Rd, and Dekle Beach Rd. Jody Morgan Rd was closed due to two damaged culverts. The county has repaired 6 Culverts at $7730 total with 10 load lime rock at $1000 total.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Florida in 2014Every state in 2014This day in weather historyWarnings in Florida, March 2014
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: 495636, 495798, 495812.