A surface front was stalled across N Florida with a moist and unstable air mass in place. A mid level short wave trough passed over the area in the afternoon which fueled a few strong to severe storms which initiated along the sea breezes and outflows.
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.
A surface front was stalled across N Florida with a moist and unstable air mass in place. A mid level short wave trough passed over the area in the afternoon which fueled a few strong to severe storms which initiated along the sea breezes and outflows. Activity moved offshore of the Atlantic coast into the evening hours.
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 May 19, 2:43 PM EST, 47 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Jacksonville FL 343 PM EDT THU MAY 19 2016 .SHORT TERM /THROUGH SUNDAY/... Numerous storms are moving through southeast Georgia this afternoon along a broad surface trough that is in the process of slipping south towards the FL/GA border. Scattered storms across northeast Florida have been drifting east out ahead of the predominant Gulf Coast seabreeze towards the Atlantic Coast. LAPS CAPE analysis currently shows over 3000 J/KG in the area from Gainesville to Jacksonville. All of this activity is converging towards the Jacksonville area and will likely culminate there as the outflow boundaries merge with the two seabreezes in the next hour or two with storms becoming numerous to widespread down the I-95 corridor. All storms will be capable of locally heavy downpours, frequent lightning and gusty winds. A few of the strongest storms will be capable of damaging wind gusts, small hail and excessive lightning. Another round of thunderstorms is expected to move into our northwest zones through late this afternoon as the surface boundary continues to drift south across a very moist and unstable atmosphere. This area of thunderstorms will drift south towards northern Florida this evening and may hold together long enough to produce a second round of storms across northern Florida as well. All of this activity is being enhanced by upper level energy associated with a series of shortwave troughs. Some leftover activity may linger past midnight tonight but the bulk of the action will be either over or winding down completely with only an isolated storm or two possible near the Atlantic coast after midnight. Some fog or low stratus may develop again late tonight into early tomorrow morning similar to this morning. This will likely slow the onset of heating tomorrow morning which will delay the Atlantic seabreeze again, resulting in another active convective afternoon similar to today with numerous to widespread storms developing within a very moist and unstable environment. An upper trough will begin to dig into southeast Georgia by tomorrow evening and this will enhance thunderstorm activity, keeping it going at least through the evening hours and likely past midnight as well. Strong to severe storms will be possible tomorrow afternoon and evening with heavy downpours, large hail, and damaging wind gusts all possible. Fri night... Scattered to numerous showers and storms will likely be ongoing as shortwave trough pushes across the SE states in combination with frontal boundary and weak low pres over AL-GA-SC. Plenty of moisture to work with to keep some threat of showers and possibly few storms into the overnight hours as well as they push w to e around 25 kt in mean 500-1000 mb flow. Highest chances look to be in SE GA where stronger shortwave energy and moisture will reside. With area firmly in the warm sector...humid conditions expected with lows around 70 deg. Saturday through Sunday...expectation is that a couple of sfc lows will be across the Carolinas with a trailing cold front SW into the Nrn Gulf Coast. The front is expected to move ese with possible enhanced low level forcing over extreme nrn FL and far SE GA as well as near the e coast sea breeze. We expect showers/storms Saturday ahead of the front but with drier air beginning to filter in aloft would expect coverage to be more in the scattered range. A few storms could be strong given MLCAPE of about 1500-2000 J/kg and effective shear in the 20-30 kt range. Highs should push into the mid to possibly upper 80s with wsw flow at 10-15 kt and gusty with humid conditions with dewpoints near upper 60s/near 70. By Saturday night and Sunday...sfc low pres will lifts newd off the e coast while frontal boundary continues to sag swd. Lingering sct showers and storms Saturday night will likely fade/diminish after midnight while the less humid conditions filter in with lows in the mid 60s to around 70. Front will push down the state Sunday with drier air-mass expected with PWATs down to 1-1.25 inches. Sfc high pres will move in through the TN and Ohio Valley areas allowing low level winds to turn nw-nely. Certainly more comfortable temps from about lower to mid 80s with dewpoints in the lower to mid 60s...especially in SE GA. There is a low end chance of showers or a few storms over the ern and most srn zones where low level moisture will pool in the aftn. && .Long Term (Monday-Thursday)... Pattern shift continues to develop as the trough that was over the srn and central CONUS moves off the E Coast of the U.S., providing for a drier and subsident regime as the mid and upper level flow is nwly in between the departing western ATLC trough and a building ridge upstream from the Great Lakes extending southward over the GOMEX. High pressure builds into the region and settles over SE GA and NE FL mid week. Winds shift to easterly on Tuesday and then east-southeast on Wednesday with precipitable water values slowly recovering from near 1 inch on Monday to 1.2-1.3 inches by Wednesday/Thursday as SFC High moves from over the region Monday to further offshore over the adjacent Atlantic each day. Temperatures will be near normal. && .AVIATION... Storms will become numerous across the Jacksonville area around 20z and last for an hour or two through late this afternoon. This has been accounted for in the TAFS and more specific details will be added for each terminal as we go through the rest of the afternoon. Strong gusty winds and IFR conditions in heavy downpours will be possible with the strongest storms. We will get a break through the early evening hours before potentially another round of storms approach from the northwest late this evening. We have used PROB30 groups for now to show this potential. Patchy fog and low clouds may produce MVFR to possibly IFR conditions late tonight into tomorrow morning. Another active day of storms is expected again tomorrow afternoon. && .MARINE... A frontal boundary will remain stalled over the waters the next couple of days. A cold front will approach the waters Saturday and cross the waters Saturday night. These boundaries coupled with a very moist and unstable atmosphere will bring increased shower and thunderstorm activity through Saturday. Prevailing onshore winds generally less than 15 knots will veer to the southwest Friday night and Saturday ahead of the cold front and then become Northwest Sunday morning behind the front. The threat of storms will end on Sunday with no storms expected through early next week. Northeasterly winds will develop Sunday afternoon and continue through early next week but no headlines are anticipated. RIP CURRENTS: LOW RISK. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... AMG 67 84 69 85 / 60 80 70 40 SSI 71 82 71 84 / 60 60 60 50 JAX 70 87 70 87 / 60 70 50 50 SGJ 72 85 71 85 / 40 60 40 50 GNV 70 88 70 87 / 30 60 50 50 OCF 70 89 70 87 / 30 60 40 40 && .JAX Watches/Warnings/Advisories... FL...None. GA...None. AM...None. && Shuler/Shashy/
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSONVILLE FL 353 PM EDT THU MAY 19 2016 AMZ450-452-454-470-472-474-FLZ020>025-030>033-035>038-040-124-125- GAZ132>136-149>154-162>166-200745- 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- 353 PM EDT THU MAY 19 2016 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHEAST FLORIDA... SOUTHEAST GEORGIA AND THE ADJACENT COASTAL WATERS. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT... NUMEROUS TO WIDESPREAD THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE ACROSS SOUTHEAST GEORGIA AND ALONG THE I-95 CORRIDOR OF NORTHEAST FLORIDA THROUGH THIS EVENING. A FEW SEVERE STORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF DAMAGING WIND GUSTS AND EXCESSIVE CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING. LOCALLY HEAVY DOWNPOURS MAY LEAD TO LOCALIZED FLOODING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY... AN APPROACHING COLD FRONT WILL BRING NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS TO THE AREA FRIDAY AFTERNOON INTO SATURDAY MORNING. A FEW STORMS MAY BE STRONG AND PRODUCE STRONG WIND GUSTS IN ADDITION TO FREQUENT LIGHTNING. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS ARE REQUESTED TO SELF ACTIVATE IF WARNINGS ARE ISSUED FOR THEIR AREA. 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
341 PM EDT THU MAY 19 2016
GAZ132-149-192030-
ATKINSON GA-COFFEE GA-
341 PM EDT THU MAY 19 2016
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SOUTHERN COFFEE AND NORTHERN
ATKINSON COUNTIES UNTIL 430 PM EDT...
AT 341 PM EDT...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 8
MILES NORTHEAST OF ALAPAHA...OR 10 MILES SOUTHWEST OF AMBROSE...MOVING
EAST AT 35 MPH.
HAIL UP TO NICKEL SIZE IN DIAMETER...EXCESSIVE CLOUD-TO-GROUND
LIGHTNING AND GUSTY WINDS OF 45 TO 55 MPH CAN BE EXPECTED ALONG WITH
POSSIBLE MINOR DAMAGE.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
DOUGLAS AND AMBROSE.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
REPORT DAMAGE TO THE NEAREST LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY OR YOUR COUNTY
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.
LAT...LON 3147 8314 3147 8312 3150 8310 3151 8308
3156 8306 3161 8306 3159 8267 3131 8270
3139 8312 3140 8313 3140 8314 3143 8314
3146 8315
TIME...MOT...LOC 1941Z 284DEG 29KT 3148 8313
NELSONSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSONVILLE FL
355 PM EDT THU MAY 19 2016
GAZ132-149-150-192045-
ATKINSON GA-WARE GA-COFFEE GA-
355 PM EDT THU MAY 19 2016
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR NORTHWESTERN WARE...SOUTHEASTERN
COFFEE AND SOUTHEASTERN ATKINSON COUNTIES UNTIL 445 PM EDT...
AT 355 PM EDT...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR
COGDELL...OR 10 MILES SOUTHEAST OF PEARSON...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 15
MPH.
EXCESSIVE CLOUD-TO-GROUND LIGHTNING AND GUSTY WINDS OF 45 TO 55 MPH
CAN BE EXPECTED ALONG WITH POSSIBLE MINOR DAMAGE.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
WAYCROSS...NICHOLLS...PEBBLE HILL...DIXIE UNION...MILLWOOD...BICKLEY AND
AXSON.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
REPORT DAMAGE TO THE NEAREST LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY OR YOUR COUNTY
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.
LAT...LON 3155 8262 3153 8259 3147 8260 3147 8253
3133 8239 3129 8239 3129 8237 3127 8236
3123 8231 3117 8267 3118 8267 3118 8273
3124 8285
TIME...MOT...LOC 1955Z 236DEG 13KT 3121 8271
NELSONSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSONVILLE FL
403 PM EDT THU MAY 19 2016
FLZ024-025-124-125-192045-
COASTAL NASSAU FL-INLAND DUVAL FL-COASTAL DUVAL FL-INLAND NASSAU FL-
403 PM EDT THU MAY 19 2016
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR CENTRAL NASSAU AND DUVAL COUNTIES
UNTIL 445 PM EDT...
AT 403 PM EDT...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG
A LINE EXTENDING FROM NASSAU VILLAGE-RATLIFF TO NAS JAX. MOVEMENT WAS
NORTHEAST AT 20 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...
JACKSONVILLE...FERNANDINA BEACH...ORANGE PARK...CALLAHAN...JACKSONVILLE
INTERNATIONAL ARPT...PONTE VEDRA BEACH...UNF...MANDARIN...ARLINGTON...
YULEE...NEPTUNE BEACH...ORTEGA...CRAIG FIELD...SAN MARCO...RIVERSIDE...
RATLIFF...NAS JAX...NASSAU VILLAGE-RATLIFF...OCEANWAY AND BAYMEADOWS.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
REPORT DAMAGE TO THE NEAREST LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY OR YOUR COUNTY
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.
TORRENTIAL RAINFALL IS ALSO OCCURRING WITH THESE STORMS...AND MAY LEAD
TO LOCALIZED FLOODING. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE THROUGH FLOODED
ROADWAYS.
FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IS OCCURRING WITH THESE STORMS.
LIGHTNING CAN STRIKE 10 MILES AWAY FROM A THUNDERSTORM. SEEK A SAFE
SHELTER INSIDE A BUILDING OR VEHICLE.
&&
LAT...LON 3020 8137 3025 8144 3021 8143 3022 8142
3023 8142 3020 8141 3018 8144 3012 8168
3019 8168 3019 8175 3052 8202 3073 8145
3021 8133
TIME...MOT...LOC 2003Z 238DEG 16KT 3050 8179 3021 8165
HESSSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSONVILLE FL
408 PM EDT THU MAY 19 2016
FLZ023-192100-
BAKER FL-
408 PM EDT THU MAY 19 2016
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SOUTHERN BAKER COUNTY UNTIL 500
PM EDT...
AT 408 PM EDT...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR
OLUSTEE...OR 14 MILES NORTHWEST OF RAIFORD...MOVING EAST AT 15 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...
MACCLENNY...GLEN ST. MARY...SANDERSON AND OLUSTEE.
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.
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 3036 8217 3036 8216 3037 8213 3037 8210
3036 8209 3036 8205 3015 8205 3014 8245
3020 8246 3030 8246
TIME...MOT...LOC 2008Z 264DEG 12KT 3023 8238
HESSSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSONVILLE FL 418 PM EDT THU MAY 19 2016 GAZ150>152-192100- BRANTLEY GA-PIERCE GA-WARE GA- 418 PM EDT THU MAY 19 2016 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR EAST CENTRAL WARE...SOUTH CENTRAL PIERCE AND SOUTHWESTERN BRANTLEY COUNTIES UNTIL 500 PM EDT... AT 417 PM EDT...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 7 MILES SOUTHWEST OF BRAGANZA...OR 11 MILES SOUTH OF WAYCROSS...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 20 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... WAYCROSS...BRAGANZA AND FORT MUDGE. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... REPORT DAMAGE TO THE NEAREST LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY OR YOUR COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT. LAT...LON 3116 8200 3101 8219 3104 8243 3127 8226 TIME...MOT...LOC 2017Z 234DEG 16KT 3105 8233 NELSON
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSONVILLE FL
426 PM EDT THU MAY 19 2016
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0415 PM TSTM WND GST 3 ENE KINGSLAND 30.81N 81.61W
05/19/2016 E50 MPH CAMDEN GA NWS EMPLOYEE
&&
AWALKERThe Moody AFB radar (KVAX), 51 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 20:30 UTC.
1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A tree was blown down and blocked Manor Millwood Road. The time of damage was based on radar. The cost of damage was estimated for the event to be included in StormData.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Georgia in 2016Every state in 2016This day in weather historyWarnings in Georgia, May 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: 629383.