Active weather pattern with mean layer mid level trough carving southward across the SE region and a surface front across the Appalachians. Strong wind shear combined with instability produced severe storms during the afternoon and evening.
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 JAX wrote it up.
Active weather pattern with mean layer mid level trough carving southward across the SE region and a surface front across the Appalachians. Strong wind shear combined with instability produced severe storms during the afternoon and evening. A couple of tornadoes touched down in SE Georgia.
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 Jacksonville, FL wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Apr 1, 2:40 PM EST, 2 hours 2 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSONVILLE FL 340 PM EDT FRI APR 1 2016 ...SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE STORMS ACROSS SE GA THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT... ...MARGINAL RISK OF SEVERE STORMS ON SATURDAY... .SHORT TERM...STORMS NOW OVER SW GA WILL SLOWLY MOVE EAST INTO SE GA THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. INCREASING INSTABILITY AND SHEAR WILL LIKELY PRODUCE A SEVERE THREAT PRODUCING DAMAGING WINDS AND POSSIBLY AN ISOLATED TORNADO OVER SE GA AND POSSIBLY THE SUWANNEE VALLEY. RAIN AND THUNDERSTORMS EXPECTED TO SPREAD SE INTO NE FL LATE TONIGHT AND SATURDAY MORNING AS UPPER TROUGH AND COLD FRONT APPROACH. MARGINAL SEVERE THREAT WILL CONTINUE ON SATURDAY AS FRONT SLOWLY PUSHES SE ACROSS THE AREA. MODERATE TO HEAVY RAIN WILL BE POSSIBLE IN THE NEXT 24 HOURS WITH RAINFALL TOTALS MOSTLY IN THE 1 TO 2 INCH RANGE. TEMPERATURES WILL REMAIN ABOVE AVERAGE WITH HUMID CONDITIONS CONTINUING UNTIL FRONTAL PASSAGE SATURDAY AFTERNOON. SATURDAY NIGHT...MID LEVEL SHORTWAVE TROUGH WILL ROTATE SLOWLY ESE IN MEAN LAYER TROUGH OVER THE SERN U.S. THIS WILL CONTINUE TO HELP DRIVE THE COLD FRONT SWD INTO CENTRAL AND THEN SRN FL. WEAK HIGH PRES WILL BUILD IN AT THE SFC FROM THE W WITH COOLER AND DRIER AIR MOVING ON NWLY FLOW. COOL ADVECTION N/NW WINDS OF ABOUT 5-10 MPH WITH FCST LOW TEMPS INTO THE UPPER 40S N TO LOWER 50S S ZONES...THAT COULD OTHERWISE BE A FEW DEGREES COOLER WITHOUT THE WIND. SUNDAY THROUGH MONDAY...GENERALLY QUIET AND NICE WX EXPECTED WITH A DRY AIRMASS/CLEAR SKIES AND COOLER TEMPS THAN PRIOR DAYS. WEAK HIGH PRES WILL MOVE EWD FROM LOWER MS VALLEY EWD TO SERN U.S AND CENTRAL AND NRN FL. THE COOLER DAY LOOKS TO BE SUNDAY WITH TEMPS MAINLY 70- 75. TEMPS COULD A BIT COOLER SUNDAY NIGHT DUE TO NEAR CALM WINDS...HAVE MID 40S IN SE GA AND UPPER 40S OVER MOST OF NE FL. TEMPS WARM UP MONDAY TO THE UPPER 70S UNDER FULL SUN. .LONG TERM...ANOTHER WEAK FRONTAL BOUNDARY LOOKS TO MOVE SWD OVER THE AREA LATE TUESDAY THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT...BUT TOO DRY FOR ANY PRECIP. SFC HIGH PRES WILL MOVE BEHIND THIS BOUNDARY ALLOWING OUR WINDS TO BECOME N THEN TO NE AND E ON WEDNESDAY. RESULTING ONSHORE FLOW MAY PUSH HIGHS BACK DOWNWARD ALONG THE COASTAL AREAS TO LOWER 70S...BUT MID TO UPPER 70S TOWARD THE I-75 CORRIDOR. YET ANOTHER COLD FRONT FORECAST TO MOVE IN FROM THE NW THURSDAY AND RESULT IN A CHANCE OF SHOWERS. FOR NOW WE HAVE 30-50 PERCENT CHANCE OF RAIN THURSDAY THOUGH THIS MAY BE A LITTLE GENEROUS DUE TO A LACK OF A MORE SUBSTANTIAL MOISTURE RETURN. WITH TSTMS PROBS RELATIVELY LOW AND CONTINUITY WITH PRIOR FCST...LEFT THUNDER OUT OF THE FCST AT THIS TIME. AFTER THIS LATTER FRONTAL PASSAGE...TEMPS ARE FCST TO DROP BACK DOWN BELOW NORMAL ON FRIDAY TO UPPER 60S AND LOWER 70S. && .AVIATION...MOSTLY VFR THIS AFTERNOON WITH CIGS AROUND 4KFT AND GUSTS TO AROUND 20 KNOTS. ISOLATED TO SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS POSSIBLE TIL AROUND 00Z THIS EVENING...MORE LIKELY NEAR THE EAST COAST SEABREEZE FRONT WHICH WILL BE PINNED NEAR THE COAST DUE TO MODERATE SW WINDS. STORMS EXPECTED TO INCREASE LATE TONIGHT TOWARDS MORNING WITH IFR CONDITIONS LIKELY AFTER 10Z. && .MARINE...SOUTH TO SW WINDS WILL INCREASE TONIGHT AHEAD OF SLOWLY APPROACHING COLD FRONT. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL INCREASE OVER THE GA WATERS TONIGHT AND OVER THE FL WATERS TOWARDS MORNING. WINDS WILL SHIFT TO THE NW SATURDAY AFTERNOON AS THE FRONT PUSHES TOWARDS THE SE. SCEC CONDITIONS EXPECTED LATE TONIGHT OFFSHORE AND POSSIBLY ADVISORY CONDITIONS ON SATURDAY. RIP CURRENTS: LOW RISK THROUGH SATURDAY. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... AMG 67 74 47 72 / 80 70 0 0 SSI 67 75 50 68 / 70 70 10 0 JAX 71 78 52 72 / 50 70 10 0 SGJ 70 80 54 68 / 30 70 20 0 GNV 71 77 52 74 / 40 70 10 0 OCF 71 79 52 75 / 30 70 20 0 && .JAX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... FL...NONE. GA...NONE. AM...NONE. && ZIBURA/SHASHY/WALSH
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSONVILLE FL 538 PM EDT FRI APR 1 2016 AMZ450-452-454-470-472-474-FLZ020>025-030>033-035>038-040-124-125- GAZ132>136-149>154-162>166-020830- COASTAL WATERS FROM ALTAMAHA SOUND TO FERNANDINA BEACH FL OUT 20 NM- COASTAL WATERS FROM FERNANDINA BEACH TO ST. AUGUSTINE FL OUT 20 NM- COASTAL WATERS FROM ST. AUGUSTINE TO FLAGLER BEACH FL OUT 20 NM- WATERS FROM ALTAMAHA SOUND GA TO FERNANDINA BEACH FL FROM 20 TO 60 NM- WATERS FROM FERNANDINA BEACH TO ST. AUGUSTINE FL FROM 20 TO 60 NM- WATERS FROM ST. AUGUSTINE TO FLAGLER BEACH FL FROM 20 TO 60 NM- HAMILTON-SUWANNEE-COLUMBIA-BAKER-INLAND NASSAU-INLAND DUVAL-UNION- BRADFORD-CLAY-ST. JOHNS-GILCHRIST-ALACHUA-PUTNAM-FLAGLER-MARION- COASTAL NASSAU-COASTAL DUVAL-COFFEE-JEFF DAVIS-BACON-APPLING- WAYNE-ATKINSON-WARE-PIERCE-BRANTLEY-INLAND GLYNN-COASTAL GLYNN- ECHOLS-CLINCH-CHARLTON-INLAND CAMDEN-COASTAL CAMDEN- 538 PM EDT FRI APR 1 2016 ...SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IN SOUTHEAST GEORGIA REST OF THE AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT... ...TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 75 FOR SOUTHEAST GEORGIA AND EXTREME NORTHEAST FLORIDA THROUGH THIS EVENING... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHEAST FLORIDA... SOUTHEAST GEORGIA AND THE ADJACENT COASTAL WATERS. .DAY ONE...REST OF TODAY AND TONIGHT... SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED REST OF THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT OVER SOUTHEAST GEORGIA AND THE WESTERN SUWANNEE VALLEY...WITH SCATTERED MAINLY AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING THUNDERSTORMS EXPECTED ELSEWHERE IN NORTHEAST AND NORTH CENTRAL FLORIDA. THE STORM PREDICTION CENTER HAS PLACED MOST OF SOUTHEAST GEORGIA WITHIN A SLIGHT RISK FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT...WITH DAMAGING WIND GUSTS AND ISOLATED TORNADOES POSSIBLE. A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT THROUGH 9 PM FOR SOUTHEAST GEORGIA...SOUTHEAST GEORGIA ADJACENT COASTAL WATERS AND NASSAU COUNTY IN NORTHEAST FLORIDA. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY... A MARGINAL RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IS EXPECTED OVER EXTREME SOUTHEASTERN GEORGIA...NORTHEAST AND NORTH CENTRAL FLORIDA ON SATURDAY AS A COLD FRONT MOVES THROUGH OUR REGION. STRONGER ACTIVITY WILL PRODUCE STRONG WIND GUSTS AND HEAVY DOWNPOURS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... STORM SPOTTERS ACROSS SOUTHEAST GEORGIA ARE ASKED TO SELF-ACTIVATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING WHEN WATCHES AND/OR WARNINGS ARE ISSUED. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION...VISIT THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN JACKSONVILLE WEBSITE ON THE INTERNET AT WEATHER.GOV/JAX.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSONVILLE FL
428 PM EDT FRI APR 1 2016
GAZ150-152-012115-
BRANTLEY GA-WARE GA-
428 PM EDT FRI APR 1 2016
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SOUTHWESTERN BRANTLEY AND EAST
CENTRAL WARE COUNTIES UNTIL 515 PM EDT...
AT 428 PM EDT...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 12
MILES NORTH OF STEPHEN FOSTER STATE PARK...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 40 MPH.
HAIL UP TO NICKEL SIZE IN DIAMETER AND GUSTY WINDS OF 45 TO 55 MPH
CAN BE EXPECTED ALONG WITH POSSIBLE MINOR DAMAGE.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
BRAGANZA AND FORT MUDGE.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
REPORT DAMAGE TO THE NEAREST LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY OR YOUR COUNTY
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.
FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IS OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM.
LIGHTNING CAN STRIKE 10 MILES AWAY FROM A THUNDERSTORM. SEEK A SAFE
SHELTER INSIDE A BUILDING OR VEHICLE.
&&
LAT...LON 3122 8227 3122 8223 3120 8219 3122 8215
3126 8214 3110 8198 3101 8224 3101 8241
3094 8242 3093 8246 3100 8251
TIME...MOT...LOC 2028Z 236DEG 37KT 3099 8240
NELSONSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSONVILLE FL
433 PM EDT FRI APR 1 2016
FLZ024-GAZ164>166-012115-
INLAND NASSAU FL-CHARLTON GA-INLAND CAMDEN GA-COASTAL CAMDEN GA-
433 PM EDT FRI APR 1 2016
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR NORTHWESTERN NASSAU...
SOUTHEASTERN CHARLTON AND SOUTHWESTERN CAMDEN COUNTIES UNTIL 515 PM
EDT...
AT 433 PM EDT...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM OVER
ST. GEORGE...OR 11 MILES WEST OF CALLAHAN...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH.
GUSTY WINDS OF 45 TO 55 MPH CAN BE EXPECTED ALONG WITH POSSIBLE MINOR
WIND DAMAGE.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
ST. MARYS...KINGSLAND...HILLIARD...WOODBINE...CALLAHAN...KINGS BAY BASE...
ST. GEORGE...KINGS FERRY AND COLESBURG.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
REPORT DAMAGE TO THE NEAREST LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY OR YOUR COUNTY
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.
LAT...LON 3072 8162 3074 8163 3073 8163 3073 8166
3074 8166 3070 8168 3068 8167 3042 8202
3055 8217 3099 8175 3080 8152
TIME...MOT...LOC 2033Z 224DEG 31KT 3055 8203
HESSSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSONVILLE FL
507 PM EDT FRI APR 1 2016
FLZ024-124-GAZ154-165-166-012200-
INLAND NASSAU FL-COASTAL NASSAU FL-INLAND CAMDEN GA-COASTAL GLYNN GA-
COASTAL CAMDEN GA-
507 PM EDT FRI APR 1 2016
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR NORTHEASTERN NASSAU...SOUTH
CENTRAL GLYNN AND CAMDEN COUNTIES UNTIL 600 PM EDT...
AT 507 PM EDT...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 8
MILES WEST OF YULEE...OR 9 MILES NORTHEAST OF CALLAHAN...MOVING
NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH.
HAIL UP TO NICKEL SIZE IN DIAMETER AND GUSTY WINDS OF 45 TO 55 MPH
CAN BE EXPECTED ALONG WITH POSSIBLE MINOR DAMAGE.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
ST. MARYS...KINGSLAND...BRUNSWICK...ST. SIMONS ISLAND...FERNANDINA BEACH...
WOODBINE...KINGS BAY BASE...YULEE...KINGS FERRY...JEKYLL ISLAND...
CUMBERLAND ISLAND...HARRIETTS BLUFF...COLESBURG AND DOVER BLUFF.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
REPORT DAMAGE TO THE NEAREST LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY OR YOUR COUNTY
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.
TORRENTIAL RAINFALL IS ALSO OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM...AND MAY LEAD
TO LOCALIZED FLOODING. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE THROUGH FLOODED
ROADWAYS.
&&
LAT...LON 3079 8142 3066 8140 3058 8160 3058 8165
3055 8167 3057 8170 3054 8174 3083 8190
3120 8142 3110 8136
TIME...MOT...LOC 2107Z 240DEG 30KT 3065 8172
HESSSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSONVILLE FL
517 PM EDT FRI APR 1 2016
GAZ133-135-012200-
JEFF DAVIS GA-APPLING GA-
517 PM EDT FRI APR 1 2016
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR APPLING AND EASTERN JEFF DAVIS
COUNTIES UNTIL 600 PM EDT...
AT 516 PM EDT...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR
GRAHAM...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 55 MPH.
GUSTY WINDS OF 45 TO 55 MPH CAN BE EXPECTED ALONG WITH POSSIBLE MINOR
DAMAGE. DOPPLER RADAR HAS INDICATED WEAK ROTATION WITHIN THIS STORM.
TORNADOES MAY DEVELOP WITH LITTLE OR NO ADVANCED WARNING.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
BAXLEY...HAZLEHURST...GRAHAM...PLANT HATCH AND PINE GROVE.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
REPORT DAMAGE TO THE NEAREST LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY OR YOUR COUNTY
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.
A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 900 PM EDT FOR SOUTHEASTERN
GEORGIA.
LAT...LON 3194 8228 3190 8219 3191 8213 3190 8212
3190 8211 3186 8212 3183 8206 3182 8209
3177 8209 3177 8213 3175 8213 3168 8248
3171 8252 3167 8252 3167 8264 3192 8264
3196 8257 3195 8249 3197 8247
TIME...MOT...LOC 2116Z 239DEG 47KT 3174 8252
NELSONSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSONVILLE FL 518 PM EDT FRI APR 1 2016 FLZ033-037-038-012200- FLAGLER FL-ST. JOHNS FL-PUTNAM FL- 518 PM EDT FRI APR 1 2016 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR NORTHERN FLAGLER...SOUTHEASTERN ST. JOHNS AND SOUTHEASTERN PUTNAM COUNTIES UNTIL 600 PM EDT... AT 518 PM EDT...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM OVER POMONA PARK...MOVING EAST AT 35 MPH. HAIL UP TO NICKEL SIZE IN DIAMETER AND GUSTY WINDS OF 45 TO 55 MPH CAN BE EXPECTED ALONG WITH POSSIBLE MINOR DAMAGE. LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE... PALM COAST...SAINT AUGUSTINE...PALATKA...FLAGLER BEACH...BUNNELL... CRESCENT CITY...POMONA PARK...HASTINGS...ANDALUSIA...EAST PALATKA...SAINT AUGUSTINE BEACH...MARINELAND...SATSUMA...SAINT AUGUSTINE SHORES...SAINT AUGUSTINE SOUTH...CRESCENT BEACH...ORANGE MILLS...VILANO BEACH...FEDERAL POINT AND SAN MATEO. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... REPORT DAMAGE TO THE NEAREST LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY OR YOUR COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT. TORRENTIAL RAINFALL IS ALSO OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM...AND MAY LEAD TO LOCALIZED FLOODING. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE THROUGH FLOODED ROADWAYS. && LAT...LON 2947 8109 2942 8164 2959 8169 3002 8130 TIME...MOT...LOC 2118Z 255DEG 29KT 2953 8158 HESS
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSONVILLE FL
520 PM EDT FRI APR 1 2016
GAZ135-136-151-012200-
WAYNE GA-APPLING GA-PIERCE GA-
520 PM EDT FRI APR 1 2016
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR CENTRAL PIERCE...SOUTHEASTERN
APPLING AND WAYNE COUNTIES UNTIL 600 PM EDT...
AT 519 PM EDT...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM OVER
BRISTOL...OR NEAR PATTERSON...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 50 MPH.
GUSTY WINDS OF 45 TO 55 MPH CAN BE EXPECTED ALONG WITH POSSIBLE MINOR
DAMAGE. DOPPLER RADAR HAS INDICATED WEAK ROTATION WITHIN THIS STORM.
TORNADOES MAY DEVELOP WITH LITTLE OR NO ADVANCED WARNING.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
JESUP...BLACKSHEAR...PATTERSON...SCREVEN...ODUM...OFFERMAN...BRISTOL...
DOCTORTOWN AND BROADHURST.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
REPORT DAMAGE TO THE NEAREST LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY OR YOUR COUNTY
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.
A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 900 PM EDT FOR SOUTHEASTERN
GEORGIA.
LAT...LON 3182 8202 3178 8198 3179 8196 3176 8194
3175 8191 3173 8191 3171 8188 3167 8185
3165 8181 3166 8181 3161 8177 3159 8172
3130 8220 3141 8237 3147 8230 3149 8230
3149 8227 3153 8223 3156 8225 3183 8205
TIME...MOT...LOC 2119Z 224DEG 44KT 3145 8219
NELSONThe Jacksonville radar (KJAX), 95 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:39 UTC.
1 funnel cloud. Local standard time, as filed.
A funnel cloud was observed in Crescent Beach and moved offshore about 1 mile before dissipating. Event time approximated.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Florida in 2016Every state in 2016This day in weather historyWarnings in Florida, April 2016
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: 624043.