Scattered thunderstorms developed over the Florida Peninsula during the afternoon. A lightning strike from one of these storms caused a structure fire in Pinellas county.
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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.
Scattered thunderstorms developed over the Florida Peninsula during the afternoon. A lightning strike from one of these storms caused a structure fire in Pinellas county. Additionally, a gustnado caused wind damage to some manufactured homes.
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 Jul 3, 8:24 AM EST, 3 hours 36 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Tampa Bay Ruskin FL 924 AM EDT Mon Jul 3 2017 .SHORT TERM (Today)... Atlantic high pressure reaches west to the Gulf of Mexico with an axis bisecting central Fl. The gradient is relaxed with light winds that become westerly in an afternoon sea breeze. The sea breeze boundaries along with day time heating and a moist column (a PWAT of 1.82 inches on the TBW sounding this morning) will result in another day of showers and thunderstorms. These are already ongoing on the Gulf and will translate onshore during the rest of the morning then increase in coverage for the afternoon. With the loss of daytime heating and the collapse of the sea breeze in the late afternoon and early evening the showers and storms will begin to wind down and drift back to the Gulf. Forecasts generally on track and will make minor tweaks as needed. && .AVIATION... 03/12Z-04/12Z. Increasing high-mid clouds and VCNTY TSRA BTWN 16Z-03Z with brief MVFR/IFR CIGS/VSBY PSBL. Light winds this morning gradually veer to westerly for the afternoon. && .MARINE... Atlantic high pressure ridging across Fl and out over the Gulf will continue with a relaxed gradient...allowing light winds to veer to westerly during the afternoon. Main concern will be thunderstorms with locally higher winds and seas. && .Preliminary Point Temps/PoPs... TPA 90 79 91 78 / 40 30 40 20 FMY 93 77 93 76 / 40 30 40 20 GIF 93 75 94 76 / 50 30 50 20 SRQ 91 78 91 77 / 30 30 30 20 BKV 92 75 92 74 / 40 30 50 20 SPG 90 80 91 79 / 30 30 30 20 && .TBW WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... FL...None. Gulf waters...None. && UPDATE/AVIATION/MARINE/FIRE WEATHER...09/Rude UPPER AIR...42/Norman DECISION SUPPORT...69/Close
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Tampa Bay Ruskin FL 358 AM EDT Mon Jul 3 2017 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- 873-876-032000- 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- 358 AM EDT Mon Jul 3 2017 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for West Central And Southwest Florida. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight. ...THUNDERSTORM IMPACT... Ample moisture combined with daytime heating and the sea breeze circulations will support scattered to numerous thunderstorms over the region today, with the greatest coverage of storms expected over inland locations during the afternoon and early evening hours. Thunderstorms that develop today will move slow and erratic so locally heavy rainfall amounts will be possible in some locations which may cause some minor flooding of low lying and poor drainage areas, as well as the ponding of water on roadways. In addition to the rain, frequent deadly lightning strikes and strong gusty winds will accompany the storms. Remember if lightning is observed or thunder is heard move indoors immediately. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Tuesday through Sunday. ...THUNDERSTORM IMPACT... Scattered to numerous thunderstorms can be expected each day through the period with the greatest storm coverage continuing over inland locations during the afternoon and early evening hours. Storms that develop will continue to move slow and erratic with some locally heavy rainfall amounts expected daily along with frequent lightning strikes and gusty winds. Residents and visitors planning Independence Day outdoor activities should keep an eye to the sky and be ready to move indoors immediately if lightning is observed or thunder is heard. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation will not be needed today. Fleming
Special Weather Statement National Weather Service Tampa Bay Area Ruskin FL 1206 PM EDT MON JUL 3 2017 FLZ050-031630- Pinellas- 1206 PM EDT MON JUL 3 2017 ...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT CENTRAL PINELLAS COUNTY... At 1205 PM EDT, a strong thunderstorm was located over Pinellas Park, moving northwest at 5 mph. Winds up to 40 mph are possible with this storm. Locations impacted include... Clearwater, Largo, Pinellas Park, Seminole, St. Petersburg, Bay Pines, South Highpoint, Feather Sound, West And East Lealman, Harbor Bluffs, Ridgecrest, Kenneth City, Belleair, Belleair Bluffs, Belleair Beach, Belleair Shore, Sawgrass Lake Park, Lealman, Saint Pete Clearwater Airport and Walsingham Park. 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 10 miles away from a thunderstorm. Seek a safe shelter inside a building or vehicle. LAT...LON 2783 8263 2776 8273 2792 8287 2798 8269 TIME...MOT...LOC 1605Z 145DEG 5KT 2784 8271 TBW
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL
1231 PM EDT MON JUL 03 2017
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1221 PM HAIL 5 SSW CLEARWATER 27.90N 82.80W
07/03/2017 M0.70 INCH PINELLAS FL TRAINED SPOTTER
SPOTTER REPORTED DIME SIZE HAIL EAST OF INDIAN ROCKS
BEACH.
&&
NORMANThe Tampa radar (KTBW), 49 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 16:59 UTC.
1 lightning, 1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Pinellas County 911 reported that a lightning strike caused a fire in the attic of an apartment complex in Dunedin, severely damaging two of the units. Three fire fighters were injured while attempting to put out the fire.
State emergency management and broadcast media reported damage to manufactured homes from a gustnado. Cell phone video showed brief swirling winds but no condensation funnel. The winds snapped wooden sign posts and pulled vinyl skirting and siding off of some of the homes, although nearby tree branches appeared unaffected.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Florida in 2017Every state in 2017This day in weather historyWarnings in Florida, July 2017
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: 701450, 701830.