A strong east coast sea breeze moved west across the peninsula and collided with an outflow boundary over Polk County, producing a strong thunderstorm that dropped quarter sized hail.
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.
A strong east coast sea breeze moved west across the peninsula and collided with an outflow boundary over Polk County, producing a strong thunderstorm that dropped quarter sized hail.
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 22, 2:45 PM EST, 4 hours 9 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY RUSKIN FL 345 PM EDT FRI MAY 22 2015 .SHORT TERM (TONIGHT-SATURDAY)... THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY IN PLACE ACROSS THE AREA WILL WASH OUT TONIGHT WITH HIGH PRESSURE BUILDING IN FROM THE NORTH THROUGH SATURDAY. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE DEVELOPING ALONG THE SEA BREEZE BOUNDARY ACROSS THE SOUTHERN HALF OF THE AREA AND WILL INCREASE IN COVERAGE THROUGH THE REST OF THE EVENING. POPS WILL BE A BIT HIGHER FOR SATURDAY AFTERNOON WITH THE GREATEST CHANCES SOUTH. EASTERLY FLOW WILL BE IN PLACE FOR SATURDAY WITH A WEAKER AFTERNOON SEA BREEZE DEVELOPING...ALLOWING FOR SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS TO DEVELOP IN THE AFTERNOON AND PUSH BACK TOWARDS THE GULF COAST IN THE EVENING. TEMPERATURES WILL BE IN THE 70S...WITH UPPER 60S ACROSS PORTIONS OF THE NATURE COAST. .LONG TERM (SATURDAY NIGHT-THURSDAY)... THE UPPER-LEVEL PATTERN FOR THE END OF THE WEEKEND FEATURES TROUGHING OVER THE WESTERN PART OF THE COUNTRY WITH A RIDGE OVER THE SOUTHEASTERN U.S. AT THE SURFACE...HIGH PRESSURE STARTS OUT OVER THE EASTERN SEABOARD...WITH AN EASTERLY WIND FLOW OVER THE FORECAST AREA. THIS WILL LEAD TO THE BEST CHANCES FOR AFTERNOON SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS CLOSER TO THE GULF COAST ON SUNDAY AS THERE WILL BE ENHANCED CONVERGENCE DUE TO THE WEST COAST SEA BREEZE AND MEAN EASTERLY FLOW. THE UPPER RIDGE WILL SHIFT EAST AND WEAKEN SOME THROUGH MONDAY AND TUESDAY AS A SHORTWAVE MOVES THROUGH THE CENTRAL PLAINS...WHILE THE POSITION OF THE SURFACE HIGH KEEPS AN EASTERLY SYNOPTIC FLOW IN PLACE THROUGH THE PERIOD. WE WILL AGAIN SEE THE HIGHEST RAIN CHANCES CLOSER TO THE COAST ON MONDAY BUT THEN BY TUESDAY AND THROUGH THURSDAY...GLOBAL MODELS CONTINUE TO SHOW DRIER AIR WORKING ITS WAY OVER THE REGION FROM THE EAST...SO RAIN CHANCES WILL BE ON THE LOW SIDE THROUGH MID-WEEK. && .AVIATION... VFR WILL PREVAIL...BUT SOME BRIEF MVFR PERIODS MAY BE POSSIBLE IN SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. NW WINDS WILL BECOME LIGHT AND VARIABLE OVERNIGHT THEN BECOME EASTERLY FOR SATURDAY. && .MARINE... A FRONTAL BOUNDARY WILL GRADUALLY DISSIPATE ACROSS THE AREA TONIGHT. HIGH PRESSURE WILL THEN BUILD INTO THE AREA FROM THE NORTH AND SHIFT WINDS TO THE EAST AND SOUTHEAST FOR SATURDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. EVENING EASTERLY WIND SURGES MAY CREATE A FEW HOURS OF SCEC OR SCA CONDITIONS EACH NIGHT. && .FIRE WEATHER... NO CONCERNS. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... TPA 74 93 75 89 / 20 60 60 50 FMY 73 93 73 89 / 50 60 60 40 GIF 73 92 74 89 / 40 40 40 30 SRQ 72 93 74 88 / 30 60 60 30 BKV 70 92 71 88 / 20 50 40 50 SPG 77 92 77 88 / 20 60 60 40 && .TBW WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... FL...NONE. GULF WATERS...NONE. && SHORT TERM/AVIATION/FIRE WEATHER/MARINE...24/HUBBARD LONG TERM/DECISION SUPPORT...05/CARLISLE
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY RUSKIN FL 448 AM EDT FRI MAY 22 2015 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- 873-876-230900- 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- COASTAL WATERS FROM TARPON SPRINGS TO SUWANNEE RIVER FL OUT 20 NM- COASTAL WATERS FROM ENGLEWOOD TO TARPON SPRINGS FL OUT 20 NM- COASTAL WATERS FROM BONITA BEACH TO ENGLEWOOD FL OUT 20 NM- WATERS FROM TARPON SPRINGS TO SUWANNEE RIVER FL OUT 20 TO 60 NM- WATERS FROM ENGLEWOOD TO TARPON SPRINGS FL OUT 20 TO 60 NM- WATERS FROM BONITA BEACH TO ENGLEWOOD FL OUT 20 TO 60 NM- 448 AM EDT FRI MAY 22 2015 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR WEST CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST FLORIDA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. ...THUNDERSTORM IMPACT... SUFFICIENT LOW LEVEL MOISTURE COMBINED WITH A FRONTAL TROUGH SINKING SOUTH THROUGH THE REGION AND THE SEA BREEZE CIRCULATIONS WILL SUPPORT SCATTERED THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT TODAY. THE BEST COVERAGE OF STORMS TODAY IS EXPECTED TO BE OVER INTERIOR LOCATIONS SOUTH OF THE I 4 CORRIDOR AND EAST OF THE I 75 CORRIDOR DURING THE LATE AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING HOURS. THUNDERSTORMS THAT DEVELOP TODAY WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING STRONG GUSTY WINDS...FREQUENT DEADLY LIGHTNING STRIKES...HEAVY RAINS...AND SMALL HAIL AS THEY MOVE TO THE SOUTH AND SOUTHEAST AROUND 10 MPH. REMEMBER IF THUNDER IS HEARD OR LIGHTNING IS OBSERVED MOVE INDOORS IMMEDIATELY. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY. ...THUNDERSTORM IMPACT... ADEQUATE LOW LEVEL MOISTURE COMBINED WITH DAYTIME HEATING AND THE SEA BREEZE BOUNDARIES WILL SUPPORT SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH THE UPCOMING HOLIDAY WEEKEND...WITH AN EAST TO SOUTHEAST STEERING FLOW FAVORING HIGHEST COVERAGE OF STORMS ALONG THE FLORIDA WEST COAST EACH DAY DURING THE LATE AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING HOURS. STORMS THAT DEVELOP WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING STRONG GUSTY WINDS...FREQUENT LIGHTNING STRIKES...HEAVY RAINS...AND SMALL HAIL. THUNDERSTORMS CHANCES WILL DECREASE TUESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY AS DRIER AIR MOVES INTO THE REGION. ...MARINE IMPACTS... STRONG HIGH PRESSURE BUILDING IN NORTH OF FLORIDA WILL BRING AN INCREASING EASTERLY WIND FLOW ACROSS THE GULF WATERS DURING THE UPCOMING WEEKEND AND INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK. THESE INCREASING WINDS WILL CREATE HAZARDOUS BOATING CONDITIONS FOR SMALL CRAFT OPERATORS...ESPECIALLY DURING THE LATE NIGHT AND EARLY MORNING HOURS AND MARINERS SHOULD EXERCISE CAUTION IF PLANNING ANY TRIPS INTO THE GULF DURING THE UPCOMING HOLIDAY WEEKEND. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE NEEDED TODAY. MCMICHAEL
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA / RUSKIN FL
318 PM EDT FRI MAY 22 2015
FLZ061-160-162-260-221945-
COASTAL CHARLOTTE-COASTAL SARASOTA-INLAND SARASOTA-DESOTO-COASTAL
SARASOTA-COASTAL CHARLOTTE-
318 PM EDT FRI MAY 22 2015
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT SARASOTA AND NORTHWESTERN
CHARLOTTE COUNTIES...
AT 317 PM EDT...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS OVER NORTH PORT...MOVING
NORTHEAST AT 5 MPH.
WINDS IN EXCESS OF 30 MPH AND PEA SIZE HAIL ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS
STORM.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
NORTH PORT...PORT CHARLOTTE...LAKE SUZY...MURDOCK...WARM MINERAL
SPRINGS AND EL JOBEAN.
TORRENTIAL RAINFALL IS ALSO OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM...AND MAY CAUSE
LOCALIZED FLOODING. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE THROUGH FLOODED
ROADWAYS.
FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IS OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM.
LIGHTNING CAN STRIKE 15 MILES AWAY FROM A THUNDERSTORM. SEEK A SAFE
SHELTER INSIDE A BUILDING OR VEHICLE.
LAT...LON 2699 8232 2719 8228 2707 8201 2698 8211
2699 8212 2697 8212 2694 8216
TIME...MOT...LOC 1917Z 205DEG 5KT 2701 8221SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA / RUSKIN FL
344 PM EDT FRI MAY 22 2015
FLZ265-222015-
INLAND LEE-INLAND LEE-
344 PM EDT FRI MAY 22 2015
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT NORTHEASTERN LEE COUNTY...
AT 344 PM EDT...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS OVER CHARLESTON PARK...OR
NEAR LEHIGH ACRES...MOVING EAST AT 5 MPH.
WINDS IN EXCESS OF 30 MPH AND PEA SIZE HAIL ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS
STORM.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
LEHIGH ACRES...CHARLESTON PARK...OLGA AND ALVA.
TORRENTIAL RAINFALL IS ALSO OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM...AND MAY CAUSE
LOCALIZED FLOODING. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE THROUGH FLOODED
ROADWAYS.
FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IS OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM.
LIGHTNING CAN STRIKE 15 MILES AWAY FROM A THUNDERSTORM. SEEK A SAFE
SHELTER INSIDE A BUILDING OR VEHICLE.
LAT...LON 2637 8171 2675 8167 2676 8166 2676 8157
2643 8156 2642 8158 2642 8165 2632 8166
2632 8169
TIME...MOT...LOC 1944Z 282DEG 6KT 2667 8159SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA / RUSKIN FL 504 PM EDT FRI MAY 22 2015 FLZ262-265-222130- INLAND LEE-INLAND CHARLOTTE- 504 PM EDT FRI MAY 22 2015 ...AN AREA OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT EASTERN CHARLOTTE COUNTY... AT 503 PM EDT...AN AREA OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WAS NEAR BABCOCK RANCH...OR 18 MILES NORTHWEST OF LABELLE...MOVING NORTH AT 10 MPH. WINDS IN EXCESS OF 30 MPH AND PEA SIZE HAIL ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM. LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE... BABCOCK RANCH. FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IS OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM. LIGHTNING CAN STRIKE 15 MILES AWAY FROM A THUNDERSTORM. SEEK A SAFE SHELTER INSIDE A BUILDING OR VEHICLE. LAT...LON 2703 8189 2703 8156 2677 8157 2677 8174 TIME...MOT...LOC 2103Z 165DEG 31KT 2694 8166 RD
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA / RUSKIN FL
546 PM EDT FRI MAY 22 2015
FLZ056-061-165-255-262-265-222230-
INLAND LEE-COASTAL LEE-INLAND LEE-INLAND MANATEE-INLAND
CHARLOTTE-DESOTO-HARDEE-
546 PM EDT FRI MAY 22 2015
...AN AREA OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT DESOTO...NORTHEASTERN
LEE...EASTERN CHARLOTTE...SOUTHWESTERN HARDEE AND EAST CENTRAL
MANATEE COUNTIES...
AT 544 PM EDT...A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WAS FROM NEAR ONA
SOUTHWARD ARCADIA AND INTO FT MYERS...NEARLY STATIONARY.
WINDS IN EXCESS OF 30 MPH AND PEA SIZE HAIL ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS
STORM.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
FORT MYERS...BONITA SPRINGS...ARCADIA...WAUCHULA...LEHIGH ACRES...
OLGA...BABCOCK RANCH...BUCKINGHAM...THREE OAKS...ONA...EAST DUNBAR...
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA AIRPORT...SAN CARLOS PARK...SOUTHEAST ARCADIA...
BABCOCK WEBB WMA...CHARLESTON PARK...ZOLFO SPRINGS...LIMESTONE...
BROWNVILLE AND NOCATEE.
FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IS OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM.
LIGHTNING CAN STRIKE 15 MILES AWAY FROM A THUNDERSTORM. SEEK A SAFE
SHELTER INSIDE A BUILDING OR VEHICLE.
LAT...LON 2635 8185 2635 8186 2636 8185 2637 8185
2706 8186 2729 8206 2757 8213 2755 8176
2699 8156 2643 8156 2642 8166 2632 8166
2632 8181
TIME...MOT...LOC 2144Z 162DEG 58KT 2714 8175
RDSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA / RUSKIN FL 606 PM EDT FRI MAY 22 2015 FLZ061-222230- DESOTO FL- 606 PM EDT FRI MAY 22 2015 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SOUTHEASTERN DESOTO COUNTY UNTIL 630 PM EDT... AT 606 PM EDT...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 10 MILES EAST OF SOUTHEAST ARCADIA...OR 11 MILES SOUTHEAST OF ARCADIA. THIS STORM WAS NEARLY STATIONARY. NICKEL SIZE HAIL AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM. THIS STORM WILL REMAIN OVER MAINLY RURAL AREAS OF SOUTHEASTERN DESOTO COUNTY. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... TORRENTIAL RAINFALL IS ALSO OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM...AND MAY LEAD TO FLASH FLOODING. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE THROUGH FLOODED ROADWAYS. FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IS OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM. LIGHTNING CAN STRIKE 15 MILES AWAY FROM A THUNDERSTORM. SEEK A SAFE SHELTER INSIDE A BUILDING OR VEHICLE. && LAT...LON 2705 8166 2705 8174 2722 8177 2721 8158 TIME...MOT...LOC 2206Z 198DEG 3KT 2714 8170 TPB
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA / RUSKIN FL
718 PM EDT FRI MAY 22 2015
FLZ052-056-057-061-262-230000-
HIGHLANDS-POLK-INLAND CHARLOTTE-DESOTO-HARDEE-
718 PM EDT FRI MAY 22 2015
...AN AREA OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT EASTERN DESOTO...
EASTERN HARDEE...HIGHLANDS AND SOUTH CENTRAL POLK COUNTIES...
AT 718 PM EDT...AN AREA OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WAS 7 MILES NORTHWEST
OF LAKE PLACID...MOVING SOUTH AT 5 MPH.
WINDS IN EXCESS OF 30 MPH AND PEA SIZE HAIL ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS
STORM.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
SEBRING...AVON PARK...LAKE PLACID...SEBRING REGIONAL AIRPORT...
VENUS...SYLVAN SHORES...CROOKED LAKE PARK...FROSTPROOF...HILLCREST
HEIGHTS...CREWSVILLE...PLACID LAKES...LAKE JOSEPHINE...ARCHBOLD...
AVON PARK EXECUTIVE AIRPORT...SEBRING SHORES AND BABSON PARK.
FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IS OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM.
LIGHTNING CAN STRIKE 15 MILES AWAY FROM A THUNDERSTORM. SEEK A SAFE
SHELTER INSIDE A BUILDING OR VEHICLE.
LAT...LON 2703 8156 2699 8157 2699 8161 2773 8170
2785 8156 2765 8134 2704 8126
TIME...MOT...LOC 2318Z 016DEG 22KT 2736 8147
RDThe Tampa radar (KTBW), 83 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 23:54 UTC.
2 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
Polk County Emergency Management relayed a report of quarter sized hail near Crooked Lake Park.
Polk County Emergency Management relayed a report of quarter sized hail in Winter Haven.
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, May 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: 567165, 567167.