Sub-severe thunderstorms formed across the peninsula during the early afternoon hours. They produced numerous cloud-to-ground lightning strikes across the area, with two separate lightning fatalities reported.
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.
Sub-severe thunderstorms formed across the peninsula during the early afternoon hours. They produced numerous cloud-to-ground lightning strikes across the area, with two separate lightning fatalities reported. Additionally, thunderstorm wind damage was reported to a carport.
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 May 14, 2:40 PM EST, 38 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY RUSKIN FL 340 PM EDT WED MAY 14 2014 .SHORT TERM (TONIGHT-FRIDAY)... SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE TO STREAM NORTHEAST ACROSS THE CWA THIS AFTERNOON. HAVE NOTICED SEVERAL SITES WITH OBS SHOWING WINDS TURNING ONSHORE RECENTLY...AND ALSO NOTE THE SEA BREEZE BOUNDARY ON RADAR IN PINELLAS COUNTY STRETCHING INTO MANATEE AND SARASOTA COUNTIES. WITH THE BACKGROUND SOUTHEASTERLY FLOW IN PLACE...NOT EXPECTING THE SEA BREEZE TO MAKE MUCH OF A MOVE INLAND AT ALL...AND STILL EXPECT THE IMMEDIATE COASTAL AREAS...ESPECIALLY FROM TAMPA BAY SOUTHWARD...TO SEE THE HIGHEST RAIN CHANCES THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. THE COLD FRONT THAT IS CURRENTLY STRETCHING THROUGH THE SOUTHEAST WILL CONTINUE ITS PROGRESS EASTWARD TONIGHT AS THE PARENT UPPER- LEVEL TROUGH SWINGS THROUGH THE EASTERN HALF OF THE COUNTRY. HIGH MOISTURE CONTENT WITH FORCING FROM ASCENT ASSOCIATED WITH THE TROUGH WILL ALLOW FOR ADDITIONAL SHOWER AND THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY TONIGHT. THURSDAY WILL BE A MOSTLY CLOUDY DAY WITH ADDITIONAL RAINFALL EXPECTED THROUGH THE DAY AND INTO THE FIRST PART OF THURSDAY NIGHT. IT SHOULD NOT BE A COMPLETE WASH-OUT...BUT EXPECT THAT ALL AREAS SHOULD SEE SOME RAIN. THE FRONT WILL PASS THROUGH THE AREA BY DAYBREAK FRIDAY WITH DRIER AIR THEN MOVING INTO THE AREA. FRIDAY WILL BE QUITE A NICE DAY WITH TEMPERATURES IN THE LOWER TO MID 80S AND DEW POINTS IN THE 40S AND 50S. && .LONG TERM (FRIDAY NIGHT - TUESDAY)... HIGH PRESSURE OVER THE WESTERN GULF WILL EXPAND EASTWARD ACROSS THE PENINSULA FRIDAY NIGHT INTO THE WEEKEND AND REMAIN IN CONTROL THROUGH THE BEGINNING OF NEXT WEEK. AS THE HIGH EXPANDS EAST WINDS WILL DIMINISH ACROSS THE REGION FRIDAY NIGHT. THE LIGHT WINDS COMBINED WITH THE DRIER AIR MASS AND CLEAR SKIES WILL SUPPORT A MUCH COOLER NIGHT ACROSS THE REGION WITH OVERNIGHT LOWS FALLING TO BELOW SEASONAL NORMS WITH LOWS IN THE MID 50S ACROSS THE NATURE COAST AND UPPER 50S TO LOWER 60S CENTRAL INTERIOR AND SOUTH. AFTER A COOL START SATURDAY MORNING TEMPERATURES WILL REBOUND BACK TO NEAR SEASONAL LEVELS DURING THE AFTERNOON UNDER SUNNY SKIES. PLEASANT WEATHER WITH CLEAR NIGHTS AND SUNNY DAYS WILL CONTINUE ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA SUNDAY THROUGH TUESDAY AS HIGH PRESSURE REMAINS IN CONTROL...WITH SEASONAL LEVEL TEMPERATURES CONTINUING. && .AVIATION... VFR CONDITIONS EXPECTED OUTSIDE OF THUNDERSTORMS...WHICH WILL BRING BRIEF IFR/LIFR CONDITIONS TO IMPACTED SITES. MODELS ARE HINTING AT MVFR CIGS TONIGHT...BUT FOR NOW WILL HOLD OFF ON INCLUDING IN TAFS. && .MARINE... WINDS WILL BE OUT OF THE SOUTHEAST AT AROUND 15 KNOTS OR LESS THROUGH THURSDAY AND WILL THEN TURN TO THE NORTHWEST AND INCREASE INTO THE 15-20 KNOT RANGE THURSDAY EVENING AND TO NEAR SMALL CRAFT CRITERIA FOR A TIME EARLY FRIDAY MORNING. WAVE HEIGHTS WILL INCREASE STARTING THURSDAY NIGHT AND WILL INCREASE UP TO AROUND 8 FEET BY FRIDAY BEFORE SUBSIDING. WINDS AND SEAS ARE EXPECTED TO REMAIN BELOW HEADLINES FOR THE WEEKEND. && .FIRE WEATHER... NO CONCERNS FOR THURSDAY. DRIER AIR WILL BE MOVING INTO THE AREA ON FRIDAY BEHIND A COLD FRONT..WITH A FEW HOURS OF CRITICALLY LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES POSSIBLE FOR THE NORTHERN HALF OF THE REGION FRIDAY AFTERNOON. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... TPA 73 84 67 81 / 60 70 30 10 FMY 72 86 71 84 / 60 80 30 10 GIF 72 84 66 84 / 50 80 30 10 SRQ 73 83 69 79 / 60 70 30 10 BKV 72 83 65 81 / 60 80 30 10 SPG 75 82 69 81 / 60 70 30 10 && .TBW WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... FL...NONE. GULF WATERS...NONE. && SHORT TERM/AVIATION/MARINE/FIRE WEATHER...05/CARLISLE PREVIOUS LONG TERM...57/MCMICHAEL
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY RUSKIN FL 503 AM EDT WED MAY 14 2014 FLZ043-050-052-056-057-061-139-142-148-149-151-155-160-162-165- 239-242-248-249-251-255-260-262-265-GMZ830-836-850-853-856-870- 873-876-150915- SUMTER-PINELLAS-POLK-HARDEE-HIGHLANDS-DESOTO-COASTAL LEVY- COASTAL CITRUS-COASTAL HERNANDO-COASTAL PASCO- COASTAL HILLSBOROUGH-COASTAL MANATEE-COASTAL SARASOTA- COASTAL CHARLOTTE-COASTAL LEE-INLAND LEVY-INLAND CITRUS- INLAND HERNANDO-INLAND PASCO-INLAND HILLSBOROUGH-INLAND MANATEE- INLAND SARASOTA-INLAND CHARLOTTE-INLAND LEE-TAMPA BAY WATERS- CHARLOTTE HARBOR AND PINE ISLAND SOUND- 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 WED MAY 14 2014 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR WEST CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST FLORIDA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. ...THUNDERSTORM IMPACT... ABUNDANT MOISTURE STREAMING INTO THE REGION COMBINED WITH A TROPICAL WAVE OVER THE EASTERN GULF OF MEXICO WILL SUPPORT NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS WEST CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST FLORIDA TODAY. AN EAST SOUTHEAST STEERING FLOW WILL PUSH THUNDERSTORMS TO THE WEST AND NORTHWEST DURING THE DAY WITH THE GREATEST COVERAGE OF STORMS LIKELY TO SET UP ALONG AND TO THE WEST OF THE I 75 CORRIDOR DURING THE AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING HOURS. LOCALLY HEAVY RAINS...FREQUENT DEADLY LIGHTNING STRIKES...AND GUSTY WINDS WILL BE POSSIBLE. ...FLOOD IMPACT... LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL WILL BE POSSIBLE TODAY. THE HEAVY RAIN MAY PRODUCE SOME MINOR FLOODING OF LOW LYING AND POOR DRAINAGE AREAS AS WELL AS THE PONDING OF WATER ON ROADWAYS...AND MOTORISTS SHOULD EXERCISE CAUTION. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. ...THUNDERSTORM IMPACT... NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED ON THURSDAY AS A COLD FRONT MOVES SOUTH THROUGH THE REGION. A DEVELOPING SOUTHWEST STEERING FLOW WILL PUSH STORMS TO THE EAST AND NORTHEAST WITH HIGHEST RAIN CHANCES SETTING UP OVER INLAND LOCATIONS DURING THE AFTERNOON HOURS. LOCALLY HEAVY RAINS...STRONG GUSTY WINDS... AND FREQUENT DEADLY LIGHTNING STRIKES WILL BE POSSIBLE. PLEASANT DRY WEATHER IS EXPECTED FRIDAY THROUGH TUESDAY AS HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS IN OVER THE REGION. ...FLOOD IMPACT... LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL WILL AGAIN BE POSSIBLE ON THURSDAY AS A COLD FRONT AND WEAK AREA OF LOW PRESSURE EFFECTS THE REGION. THE HEAVY RAIN MAY PRODUCE MINOR FLOODING OF LOW LYING AND POOR DRAINAGE AREAS AS WELL AS THE PONDING OF WATER ON ROADWAYS AND MOTORISTS SHOULD EXERCISE CAUTION. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE NEEDED TODAY. MCMICHAEL
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL
403 PM EDT WED MAY 14 2014
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0347 PM TSTM WND GST SPG ALBERT WHITTED AIRP 27.76N 82.64W
05/14/2014 M43 MPH PINELLAS FL ASOS
&&
BMROCZKAThe Tampa radar (KTBW), 41 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 20:18 UTC.
2 lightning, 1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A male construction worker at 7245 102nd Lane North in Seminole was struck and killed by a lightning strike.
A 71 year old man was fishing in a lake at Edward Medard Park when he was apparently struck and killed by lightning. The man was found face down in the water just after 7 PM with signs of electrocution.
Broadcast media relayed a report with pictures of a carport that was damaged by thunderstorm wind gusts.
As the offices recorded each death: direct deaths were caused by the weather itself, indirect ones by something it set in motion.
| Event | Date | Age | Sex | Where | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lightning, Pinellas | 2014-05-14 | 40 | Male | Outside/Open Areas | Direct |
| Lightning, Hillsborough | 2014-05-14 | 71 | Male | Outside/Open Areas | Direct |
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, May 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: 506440, 506947, 507880.