A prolonged strong onshore wind resulted in numerous strong rip current along the beaches of northwest Florida on May 15th, as well as a few days prior. There was one rip current fatality in Escambia County Florida.
Every event with a place to put it; 1 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. 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 MOB wrote it up.
A prolonged strong onshore wind resulted in numerous strong rip current along the beaches of northwest Florida on May 15th, as well as a few days prior. There was one rip current fatality in Escambia County Florida.
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 Mobile, AL wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at May 1, 11:57 AM CST, 3 hours 3 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion...UPDATED National Weather Service Mobile AL 1257 PM CDT Fri May 1 2020 .NEAR TERM UPDATE /Now Through Saturday/...Hourly temperature trend remains on the forecast track, set to max out this afternoon in the upper 70s to lower 80s under sunny skies. A light south to southwest surface wind will develop this afternoon and continue into the weekend as a weak seabreeze moves inland, and surface high pressure slips east of the area. The upper trough along the eastern seaboard will continue to move eastward passing over the Western Atlantic, while a weak upper ridge builds over the deep south. Other than a few passing cirrus clouds, skies will remain clear as the dry period continues. The combination of a dry air mass across the region, and clear skies/light winds overnight, expect another cool morning on Saturday. Therefore, went with a combination of guidance values instead on the warmer NBM values. Low temperatures tonight will be 3 to 6 degrees below normal, ranging from 50 to 55 degrees most areas, and from 55 to 60 degrees along the coast. High temperatures Saturday will be 1 to 5 degrees above normal, ranging from 82 to 86 degrees inland areas, and around 80 degrees along the coast. /22 && .AVIATION... 18Z issuance...VFR conditions will prevail over the next 24 hours. A light south to southwest surface wind will develop this afternoon and continue into the weekend as a weak seabreeze moves inland, and surface high pressure slips east of the area. /22 && .PREV DISCUSSION... /issued 624 AM CDT Fri May 1 2020/ AVIATION... 12Z issuance...VFR conditions continue for the next 24 hours. A light west to northwest flow prevails today over interior areas while over the coastal counties a southerly flow near 5 to 10 knots develops midday into the afternoon. A light and variable flow follows for tonight. /29 PREV DISCUSSION... /issued 330 AM CDT Fri May 1 2020/ NEAR TERM /Now Through Saturday/...A highly amplified upper trof over the easternmost states well off into the western Atlantic as a broad upper ridge over the central states weakens somewhat while building into the eastern states. A light southwesterly flow is established over the forecast area as a surface ridge over the central Gulf coast states becomes oriented over the northern Gulf. Dry conditions are expected to continue through Saturday. Highs today will be around 80 then highs on Saturday will be mainly in the lower to mid 80s. Lows tonight will be in the mid 50s except for near 60 at the immediate coast. There is a low risk of rip currents through Saturday. /29 SHORT TERM /Saturday night Through Sunday night/...A surface low pressure system located over the Great Lakes and southern Canada Saturday evening will progress eastward, eventually being located over Maine and off the northeastern coast by early Monday morning. At the same time, the cold front associated with this low will make its way over the central Plains and upper Mississippi Valley overnight Sunday and begin moving over the Tennessee Valley by early Monday morning. An upper level shortwave trough will traverse the Great Lakes and northeastern CONUS during this time as well. Meanwhile, upper level ridging as well as surface high pressure will be the main theme for the northern Gulf coast through the short term period. Sensible weather Saturday night through Sunday night will consist of mostly clear skies and no rain chances. Low temperatures are expected to be in the mid to upper 50s north of I-10 (inland) and in the lower to mid 60s south of I-10 (coast) late Saturday night. Highs Sunday afternoon will then be in the mid to upper 80s inland and in the lower to mid 80s near the coast. Some breezy conditions are also possible during the afternoon on Sunday due to a tightening pressure gradient developing during this time. Lows late Sunday night will then be slightly warmer because of an increase in south to southwest flow during the afternoon and evening. Thus, temperatures are expected to be in the lower 60s inland and in the mid to upper 60s near the coast. /26 EXTENDED TERM /Monday Through Thursday/...Not much of a change is expected from the previous forecast package for the extended period. A ridge of surface high pressure continues over the Gulf coast region through Tuesday night. Afterwards, a weak cold front is expected to sag south across the area on Wednesday as a shortwave trough aloft begins to develop over the eastern half of the country. There will be some decent moisture return ahead of this frontal system, with PWATS around 1.5 to 1.75 inches pooled up along the front. Have kept the slight PoP over the northern half of the forecast area for Wednesday and Wednesday evening in association with the front when we could see some isolated showers and thunderstorms. The front then drops south of the forecast area by Thursday, with slightly cooler and somewhat drier air returning. Temperatures will be downright hot for daytime highs on Monday and Tuesday, with highs in the upper 80s and lower 90s inland and in the low to mid 80s at the coast, but a little cooler Wednesday and especially Thursday (low to mid 80s) in association with and behind the front. Nighttime lows Monday and Tuesday nights are expected to be in the mid to upper 60s with few spots seeing lower 70s. Temperatures will then cool to the upper 50s inland and lower 60s near the coast by Wednesday night. /12 MARINE...Light to moderate northerly winds become southwesterly today with a southerly flow prevailing through Tuesday. Expect a localized increase in winds near the coast each afternoon due to the sea breeze. /29 && .MOB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... AL...None. FL...None. MS...None. GM...None. && This product is also available on the web at: http://weather.gov/mob
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Mobile AL 331 AM CDT Fri May 1 2020 ALZ051>060-261>266-FLZ201>206-MSZ067-075-076-078-079-020845- Choctaw-Washington-Clarke-Wilcox-Monroe-Conecuh-Butler-Crenshaw- Escambia-Covington-Mobile Inland-Baldwin Inland-Mobile Central- Baldwin Central-Mobile Coastal-Baldwin Coastal-Escambia Inland- Escambia Coastal-Santa Rosa Inland-Santa Rosa Coastal- Okaloosa Inland-Okaloosa Coastal-Wayne-Perry-Greene-Stone-George- 331 AM CDT Fri May 1 2020 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of south central Alabama...southwest Alabama...northwest Florida and southeast Mississippi. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight No hazardous weather is expected at this time. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Saturday through Thursday No hazardous weather is expected at this time. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Activation of SkyWarn Severe Storm Spotter networks is not expected through Thursday. GMZ630>636-650-655-670-675-020845- Northern Mobile Bay-Southern Mobile Bay-Mississippi Sound- Perdido Bay-Pensacola Bay System-Western Choctawhatchee Bay- Eastern Choctawhatchee Bay- Coastal waters from Pensacola FL to Pascagoula MS out 20 NM- Coastal waters from Okaloosa Walton County Line FL to Pensacola FL out 20 NM- Waters from Pensacola FL to Pascagoula MS from 20 to 60 NM- Waters from Okaloosa Walton County Line FL to Pensacola FL from 20 to 60 NM- 331 AM CDT Fri May 1 2020 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of the coastal waters of Alabama and northwest Florida. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight No hazardous weather is expected at this time. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Saturday through Thursday No hazardous weather is expected at this time.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 rip current. Local standard time, as filed.
A 43 year old man drowned near the Flora-Bama Lounge.
As the offices recorded each death: direct deaths were caused by the weather itself, indirect ones by something it set in motion.
| Event | Date | Age | Sex | Where | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rip Current, Escambia Coastal | 2020-05-15 | 43 | Male | In Water | Direct |
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Florida in 2020Every state in 2020This day in weather historyWarnings in Florida, May 2020
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: 894099.