A squall line developed ahead of a cold front moving southeast through the eastern Gulf of Mexico and Florida Peninsula. Some of these thunderstorms produced damaging wind gusts.
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 squall line developed ahead of a cold front moving southeast through the eastern Gulf of Mexico and Florida Peninsula. Some of these thunderstorms produced damaging wind gusts.
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 Jan 23, 8:16 PM EST, 7 hours 34 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Tampa Bay Ruskin FL
816 PM EST Wed Jan 23 2019
.UPDATE...
Early evening water vapor satellite imagery is showing a
band of convection along and ahead of the cold front quickly
moving from the central Gulf of Mexico into the eastern
Gulf. Breezy southerly winds ahead of the front today have
allowed surface dew points to rise into the 60s across much
of the forecast area, creating an environment favorable for
numerous thunderstorms to roll through the forecast area
overnight.
The forecast looks on track with thunderstorms moving into
the Nature Coast after midnight, then reaching the Tampa Bay
area by around day break, with a few strong and damaging
storms possible. The main forecast concern remains the
potential for coastal flooding along the coast of Levy and
Citrus Counties overnight. In addition, the onshore flow
will produce an elevated risk of rip currents along area
beaches. Only minor adjustments were made to the forecast
for the next few hours to keep up with observation trends.
Otherwise, no significant changes are planned for the
evening update.
&&
.AVIATION...
VFR conditions will start to deteriorate after midnight
tonight with lowering ceilings ahead of an approaching
squall line and cold front. A few showers or storms will be
possible overnight ahead of the front, with the main line of
storms moving through area terminals during the morning
hours. Otherwise, winds will remain gusty through the
period, veering from southerly this evening, to westerly
behind the front Thursday morning.
&&
.MARINE...
Winds are continuing to pick up over the coastal waters
ahead of an approaching cold front, with the Small Craft
Advisory conditions over the offshore waters this evening
expanding towards the coast overnight. In addition to the
strong gradient winds and associated building seas, a line
of thunderstorms will move through the waters tonight and
Thursday morning, creating locally hazardous boating
conditions. High pressure will build in behind the front on
Thursday, allowing conditions to improve through the
weekend.
&&
.Preliminary Point Temps/PoPs...
TPA 64 67 45 62 / 90 90 0 0
FMY 67 72 50 66 / 50 90 0 10
GIF 65 70 43 63 / 70 90 0 0
SRQ 64 68 48 63 / 80 90 0 0
BKV 62 67 39 62 / 90 80 0 0
SPG 63 66 48 61 / 80 90 0 0
&&
.TBW WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
FL...Beach Hazards Statement through Thursday evening for
Coastal Manatee-Coastal Sarasota.
High Rip Current Risk through Friday afternoon for Coastal
Charlotte-Coastal Hillsborough-Coastal Lee-Coastal
Manatee-Coastal Sarasota-Pinellas.
Gulf waters...Small Craft Advisory until 10 AM EST Thursday for Waters
from Bonita Beach to Englewood FL out 20 to 60 NM-
Waters from Englewood to Tarpon Springs FL out 20 to
60 NM-Waters from Tarpon Springs to Suwannee River FL
out 20 to 60 NM.
Small Craft Advisory until 10 AM EST Thursday for Coastal
waters from Englewood to Tarpon Springs FL out 20 NM-
Coastal waters from Tarpon Springs to Suwannee River
FL out 20 NM-Tampa Bay waters.
&&
18/FlemingHazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Tampa Bay Ruskin FL 545 AM EST Wed Jan 23 2019 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- 873-876-240000- 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- 545 AM EST Wed Jan 23 2019 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for West Central And Southwest Florida. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight. ...THUNDERSTORM IMPACT... Showers and thunderstorms are expected to develop late tonight ahead of a cold front. A few of these thunderstorms could become strong to severe and will be capable of producing strong damaging winds...an isolated tornado or waterspout...locally heavy rains... and frequent deadly lightning strikes. ...MARINE IMPACTS... Breezy southeast to south winds will continue across the coastal waters today and tonight with wind speeds near 20 knots along with some higher gusts which will create hazardous boating conditions for small craft operators. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday. ...THUNDERSTORM IMPACT... The showers and thunderstorms will continue to move across the region during Thursday morning. A few of the thunderstorms will still be capable of producing strong damaging winds...locally heavy rains...and frequent deadly lightning strikes. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotters should monitor the weather and self activate if needed tonight. PRC
Special Weather Statement National Weather Service Tampa Bay Area - Ruskin FL 328 AM EST Thu Jan 24 2019 FLZ142-148-149-242-248-249-241100- Coastal Citrus-Coastal Hernando-Coastal Pasco-Inland Citrus- Inland Hernando-Inland Pasco- Including the cities of Crystal River, Homosassa, Hernando Beach, Bayport, Port Richey, Hudson, Inverness, Brooksville, Spring Hill, Dade City, and Zephyrhills 328 AM EST Thu Jan 24 2019 ...Strong Thunderstorms Approaching the Florida Nature Coast... A line of strong thunderstorms is approaching the Florida Nature Coast early this morning. While gusty showers are already impacting the region, the strongest storms are expected to begin moving ashore from the Gulf of Mexico between 4AM and 7AM this morning. These storms will contain heavy downpours and gusty winds...likely adversely impacting the early morning commute. The potential exists for a few isolated storms within this line to contain locally damaging winds or even a brief tornado. Residents of the Nature Coast should monitor the weather conditions early this morning and be prepared to take action should warnings become necessary. The thunderstorms...and any associated threat for severe weather should push east of the region by the mid morning hours. Mroczka
Special Weather Statement National Weather Service Tampa Bay Area - Ruskin FL 336 AM EST Thu Jan 24 2019 FLZ050-151-155-160-251-255-260-241100- Pinellas-Coastal Hillsborough-Coastal Manatee-Coastal Sarasota- Inland Hillsborough-Inland Manatee-Inland Sarasota- Including the cities of St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Largo, Tampa, Apollo Beach, Westchase, Bradenton, Anna Maria Island, Venice, Sarasota, Englewood, Brandon, Plant City, Sun City Center, Parrish, Lakewood Ranch, Myakka City, and North Port 336 AM EST Thu Jan 24 2019 ...Strong Thunderstorms Approaching West-Central Florida Coast... A line of strong thunderstorms is approaching the west-central Florida coast early this morning. While gusty showers are already impacting the region, the strongest storms are expected to begin moving ashore from the Gulf of Mexico between 5AM and 7AM this morning for Pinellas and Hillsborough counties...and between 6AM and 8AM for Manatee and Sarasota counties. These storms will contain heavy downpours and gusty winds...likely adversely impacting the early morning commute. Conditions support a few isolated storms within this line to contain locally damaging winds or even a brief tornado. Residents of the Tampa Bay area should monitor the weather conditions early this morning and be prepared to take action should warnings become necessary. The thunderstorms...and any associated threat for severe weather should push east of the region by the middle to late morning hours. Mroczka
The Jacksonville radar (KJAX), 141 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 08:48 UTC.
6 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Five large oak and pine trees were knocked down near the 12000 block of NE 80th Avenue, and two power poles were snapped. Additionally, a tree fell on a house near the intersection of SE 5th Avenue and SE 4th Street in Chiefland.
Straight line winds caused damage near the intersection of Hartford Street and Citrus Hills Boulevard. Large trees were uprooted, powerlines knocked down, siding ripped off of a house, and an aluminum pool cage was destroyed by the winds.
The NOS/CO-OPs station at Clearwater Beach recorded a 51 knot thunderstorm wind gust.
Wind gusts destroyed a metal shed, flipped over a pontoon boat sitting on a trailer, and ripped part of a barn free, landing on top of a truck. Several trees and power lines were also knocked down, blocking roads.
Minor damage was found to a mobile home in the Palm Grove Rental Resort. Nearby in Parish, large sections of vinyl fences were blown out by the wind.
At amateur radio operator measured a wind gust of 60 MPH near Interstate 75 and Bee Ridge Road.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Florida in 2019Every state in 2019This day in weather historyWarnings in Florida, January 2019
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: 794930, 794669, 794670, 794931, 794933, 794932.