A cold front moved to near Lake Okeechobee and then stalled. This caused numerous afternoon to early evening thunderstorms across the east coast region.
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 MFL wrote it up.
A cold front moved to near Lake Okeechobee and then stalled. This caused numerous afternoon to early evening thunderstorms across the east coast region.
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 Miami, FL wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Apr 27, 2:04 PM EST, 2 hours 53 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIAMI FL 304 PM EDT MON APR 27 2015 .DISCUSSION... SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS HAVE BEEN SLOW TO INITIATE EARLY THIS AFTERNOON. STILL MONITORING THE PROBABILITY OF STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORM POTENTIAL FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE AFTERNOON AND INTO THE EVENING HOURS. THERE ARE SEVERAL FACTORS AT PLAY THAT WILL ENHANCE THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT. FIRST OF ALL IS DIURNAL HEATING...WITH RECORD BREAKING HEAT RECENTLY...TEMPERATURES HAVE ALREADY SOARED INTO THE LOW 90S ALONG THE EAST COAST METRO AREAS AND INTO THE MID 90S ACROSS THE INTERIOR. SECONDLY...A WEAK COLD FRONT IS POSITIONED ACROSS CENTRAL FLORIDA AND IS SLOWLY MOVING TO THE SOUTH. AS IT DOES...SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD DEVELOP OUT AHEAD OF IT AND PUSH INTO SOUTH FLORIDA. THESE FACTORS COMBINED WITH ANY EAST COAST SEA BREEZE SHOULD PRODUCE A FEW STRONG AND POSSIBLY SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS MAINLY ACROSS THE EAST COASTAL AREAS THIS AFTERNOON. FAIRLY DECENT MID LEVEL FLOW IN THE 30-45 KT RANGE COULD ALSO SUSTAIN A FEW STORMS INTO THE EVENING HOURS. ISOLATED CONVECTION SHOULD LINGER THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT HOURS AS THE FRONT IS EXPECTED TO STALL. THE FRONT IS THEN EXPECTED TO PUSH BACK TO THE NORTH AS A WARM FRONT BY TUESDAY AS A POSITIVELY TILTED H5 TROUGH MOVES EAST AND INTO THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI VALLEY. THE ASSOCIATED SURFACE LOW WILL PUSH TO THE EAST ACROSS THE NORTHERN GULF COAST. THIS WILL SURGE ANOTHER DEEP SHIELD OF MOISTURE INTO THE AREA WITH PWAT VALUES NEARING 2 INCHES...RESULTING IN MORE EXTENSIVE COVERAGE OF AFTERNOON SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ON TUESDAY. THE BEST CHANCES FOR STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS LOOKS TO BE WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON AS ANOTHER COLD FRONT APPROACHES THE FLORIDA PENINSULA. THE AFOREMENTIONED SURFACE LOW IS EXPECTED TO DEEPEN AS IT PUSHES ACROSS THE BIG BEND REGION. AS IT DOES...IT WILL DRIVE A COLD FRONT THROUGH THE FLORIDA PENINSULA SOMETIME WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON OR EVENING. THE GFS BRINGS THE FRONT THROUGH THE AREA WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND IS CURRENTLY SLOWER WITH ITS PROGRESSION THAN THE ECMWF. EITHER WAY...EXPECT ANOTHER DAY OF FAIRLY WIDESPREAD CONVECTION WITH ISOLATED STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS POSSIBLE. THE FRONT SHOULD CLEAR THE AREA ON THURSDAY WITH ONLY LINGERING SHOWERS AND AN ISOLATED THUNDERSTORM OR TWO. MAINLY DRIER AND COOLER CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED IN THE WAKE OF THE FRONT WITH TEMPERATURES ACTUALLY NEAR TO SLIGHTLY BELOW NORMAL FRIDAY INTO SATURDAY. SLIGHT CHANCES FOR SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS RETURN LATE IN THE WEEKEND AS HIGH PRESSURE BEHIND THE FRONT SHIFTS INTO THE ATLANTIC ALLOWING A MORE EASTERLY FLOW REGIME TO RETURN. && .AVIATION... TEMPO TSRA GROUPS WERE ADDED BASED UPON CCFP FOR THIS AFTERNOON. SOME DISAGREEMENT CONTINUES AMONG GUIDANCE WITH REGARDS TO DURATION OF SEA BREEZE THIS AFTERNOON. THIS HAS IMPLICATIONS ON WHERE AND IF STORMS DEVELOP. HI RES LOCAL MODELS STILL IN FAVOR OF A FEW HOURS OF SEA BREEZE TODAY WHEREAS LAMP GUIDANCE HAS BEEN TRENDING AGAINST IT. STORMS MAY STILL BE ABLE TO FIRE EVEN WITHOUT A SEABREEZE, ALTHOUGH MORE NUMEROUS STORMS ARE EXPECTED WITH THE SURFACE CONVERGENCE THAT THE SEA BREEZE WILL PROVIDE. A FEW STORMS COULD BE STRONG WITH TEMPO IFR CONDS POSSIBLE. SLT CHC OF SOME BRIEF MVFR CIGS AT APF LATE TONIGHT AND EARLY TOMORROW. CONVECTION SHOULD BE MORE ROBUST TUESDAY AFTERNOON WITH A FEW UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCES ASSISTING DEVELOPMENT. && .MARINE... GENERALLY VARIABLE WINDS WILL PREVAIL ACROSS THE AREA WATERS AT 10 KNOTS OR LESS INTO TUESDAY WITH INCREASING CHANCES FOR SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS TUESDAY AFTERNOON. BY WEDNESDAY WINDS AND SEAS FORECAST TO INCREASE WITH SOUTHWEST WINDS IN THE 15 TO 20 KNOT RANGE WITH ATLANTIC WINDS FORECAST TO INCREASE FURTHER TO 20 TO 23 KNOT RANGE WEDNESDAY NIGHT. GULF AND ATLANTIC SEAS FORECAST TO REACH 4 TO 6 FEET IN THE OFF SHORE WATERS WEDNESDAY NIGHT. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... WEST PALM BEACH 74 86 71 85 / 40 70 60 70 FORT LAUDERDALE 77 90 74 89 / 30 60 50 70 MIAMI 76 91 76 89 / 30 50 50 60 NAPLES 76 88 75 80 / 20 50 50 80 && .MFL WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... FL...NONE. AM...NONE. GM...NONE. && SHORT TERM...10/CD LONG TERM....10/CD AVIATION...21/KM
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR SOUTH FLORIDA NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIAMI FL 1210 PM EDT MON APR 27 2015 AMZ610-630-650-651-670-671-FLZ063-066>075-168-172>174-GMZ656-657-676- 280415- LAKE OKEECHOBEE-BISCAYNE BAY- COASTAL WATERS FROM JUPITER INLET TO DEERFIELD BEACH, FL OUT 20 NM- COASTAL WATERS FROM DEERFIELD BEACH TO OCEAN REEF, FL OUT 20 NM- WATERS FROM JUPITER INLET TO DEERFIELD BEACH, FL EXTENDING FROM 20 NM TO 60 NM- WATERS FROM DEERFIELD BEACH TO OCEAN REEF, FL EXTENDING FROM 20 NM TO THE TERRITORIAL WATERS OF THE BAHAMAS-GLADES-HENDRY- INLAND PALM BEACH-METRO PALM BEACH-COASTAL COLLIER-INLAND COLLIER- INLAND BROWARD-METRO BROWARD-INLAND MIAMI DADE-METRO MIAMI DADE- MAINLAND MONROE-COASTAL PALM BEACH-COASTAL BROWARD- COASTAL MIAMI DADE-FAR SOUTH MIAMI DADE- COASTAL WATERS FROM CHOKOLOSKEE TO BONITA BEACH, FL OUT 20 NM- COASTAL WATERS FROM EAST CAPE SABLE TO CHOKOLOSKEE, FL OUT 20 NM- GULF WATERS FROM CHOKOLOSKEE TO BONITA BEACH, FL EXTENDING FROM 20 TO 60 NM- 1210 PM EDT MON APR 27 2015 ...A FEW SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS POSSIBLE, MAINLY EASTERN AREAS... ...HEAT INDICES ABOVE 100 DEGREES OVER THE EVERGLADES... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTH FLORIDA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT THUNDERSTORMS: SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP THIS AFTERNOON OVER MUCH OF SOUTH FLORIDA. SOME OF THESE THUNDERSTORMS MAY BE STRONG...BRINGING THREATS OF FREQUENT CLOUD-TO-GROUND LIGHTNING...GUSTY WINDS...AND HAIL. AN ISOLATED SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAN'T BE RULED OUT THIS AFTERNOON. WIND: STRONGER THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCE WIND GUSTS IN EXCESS OF 50 MPH. A FEW SEVERE WIND GUSTS OF 60 MPH CANT BE RULED OUT OVER EASTERN AREAS. HAIL: SMALL HAIL IS POSSIBLE IN STRONGER THUNDERSTORMS. HAIL TO THE SIZE OF QUARTERS CAN'T BE RULED OUT. FLOODING: TORRENTIAL DOWNPOURS OVER EAST COAST URBAN AREAS COULD LEAD TO LOCALIZED FLOODING. TEMPERATURES: HEAT INDICES OVER THE EVERGLADES WILL EXCEED 100 DEGREES TODAY. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY THUNDERSTORMS ARE LIKELY TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY...AND SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAN'T BE RULED OUT. A SLIGHT CHANCE FOR THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE THURSDAY AND FRIDAY. A RISK FOR RIP CURRENTS EXISTS ON GULF BEACHES WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY. SEAS MAY BECOME HAZARDOUS ACROSS THE GULF WATERS INTO THURSDAY, ASSOCIATED WITH A LATE WEEK COLD FRONT. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WIDESPREAD SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED, HOWEVER INDIVIDUAL SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT HIGH WIND, HAIL AND FLOODING TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORECAST OFFICE IN MIAMI. FOR MORE INFORMATION...VISIT THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MIAMI WEBSITE AT WWW.WEATHER.GOV/MIAMI.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIAMI FL
536 PM EDT MON APR 27 2015
FLZ071-072-172-272215-
INLAND BROWARD COUNTY FL-METRO BROWARD COUNTY FL-
COASTAL BROWARD COUNTY FL-
536 PM EDT MON APR 27 2015
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR FREQUENT TO EXCESSIVE
LIGHTNING...SMALL HAIL AND 45 TO 55 MPH WINDS FOR EASTERN BROWARD
COUNTY UNTIL 615 PM EDT...
* AT 536 PM EDT...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM
OVER INTERSECTION U.S. 27 PINES BLVD...OR NEAR MIRAMAR...MOVING
NORTHEAST AT 10 MPH.
* FREQUENT TO EXCESSIVE LIGHTNING...GUSTY WINDS FROM 45 TO 55 MPH...
SMALL HAIL...TORRENTIAL DOWNPOURS...OR A COMBINATION OF THESE ARE
POSSIBLE. LIGHTNING IS THE NUMBER ONE WEATHER RELATED KILLER IN
FLORIDA. TREES AND OPEN SHELTERS OFFER NO PROTECTION. THESE WINDS
CAN DOWN SMALL TREE LIMBS AND BRANCHES...AND BLOW AROUND UNSECURED
SMALL OBJECTS. SEEK SHELTER IN A SAFE BUILDING UNTIL THE STORM
PASSES.
* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
FORT LAUDERDALE...PEMBROKE PINES...HOLLYWOOD...MIRAMAR...DAVIE...
PLANTATION...SUNRISE...TAMARAC...LAUDERHILL...WESTON...LAUDERDALE
LAKES...DANIA BEACH...COOPER CITY...CHAMBERS ESTATES...MELROSE
PARK...ROYAL PALM RANCHES...INTERSECTION I-75 AND U.S. 27...PINES
BLVD AND UNIVERSITY DRIVE...PINE ISLAND RIDGE AND WASHINGTON PARK.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
TORRENTIAL RAINFALL IS ALSO OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM...AND MAY LEAD
TO STREET FLOODING. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE THROUGH FLOODED
ROADWAYS.
&&
LAT...LON 2610 8013 2596 8032 2596 8051 2600 8057
2627 8036
TIME...MOT...LOC 2136Z 219DEG 10KT 2601 8041
AKThe Miami radar (KAMX), 44 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:55 UTC.
6 hail, 1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A trained weather spotter reported quarter sized hail at the intersection of Pines Blvd. and NW 180th Ave.
An off duty NWS employee reported quarter sized hail at the intersection of Pines Blvd. and SW 186th Ave.
A trained weather spotter reported penny sized hail at the intersection of Sterling Rd. and NW 186th Ave.
A report was received through social media of quarter sized hail in Pembroke Pines.
A trained weather spotter reported penny sized hail at S 56th Ave. and Hollywood Blvd.
A trained weather spotter reported penny sized hail at the intersection of Johnson Road and Park Road.
A tree and several large branches down. Time was estimated based on radar.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Florida in 2015Every state in 2015This day in weather historyWarnings in Florida, April 2015
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: 573679, 573677, 573684, 573694, 573687, 573691, 573706.