Florida, 2021

Tornado and Tropical Storm in Florida, September 8 to 11, 2021

September 8 to 11, 2021 · NWS TAE · 14 events in 11 counties and zones

Tropical Storm Mindy developed just southwest of the area and moved northeastward, bringing with it heavy rain and gusty winds with several reports of trees and power lines down and some flooding. Two homes were damaged in Leon county from falling trees, but no injuries were reported.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 9 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

  • Tornadoes
  • Tropical storms and surge
  • Floods
  • Wind
  • Hail
  • Winter weather
  • Heat and drought
  • Cold
  • Fire, smoke and dust
  • Marine and coastal
  • Other

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
$95,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
14

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.

What happened

The episode as NWS TAE wrote it up.

Tropical Storm Mindy developed just southwest of the area and moved northeastward, bringing with it heavy rain and gusty winds with several reports of trees and power lines down and some flooding. Two homes were damaged in Leon county from falling trees, but no injuries were reported. One brief tornado occurred in a rural, forested area of Wakulla county with no structural damage.

What forecasters said that day

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 Tallahassee, FL wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Sep 8, 2:12 PM CST, 2 hours 58 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Sep 8, 2:12 PM CST, 2 hours 58 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Tallahassee FL
412 PM EDT Wed Sep 8 2021

.NEAR TERM [Through Thursday]...

Main story through the the next 24 hours will be the tropical
disturbance across northern portions of the Gulf of Mexico as it
moves slowly northeast towards the northeast Gulf Coast. The
organization of this feature, currently with the identifier 91L,
has improved markedly over the last 12 hours. Despite these recent
trends of organization, the greatest threats with this system
continue to revolve around heavy rain, life-threatening rip
currents, and the low end potential for tornadoes. While there are
concerns for the winds due to the nature of this system, strong
wind gusts will likely be confined to any of the outer bands of
this feature, and the greatest potential for tropical storm force
gusts will be along the coastline.

Due to the limited development time for this feature and the small
nature of the wind field, coastal flooding impacts are not
expected, but water levels could run slightly above normal. The
main impacts from a hydrologic prospective will be the flooding
rains (described in more detail below in the hydrology section).

Whatever is left of this tropical disturbance by Thursday
afternoon, it should be well east of the forecast area. Northwest
flow will take over behind this disturbance with only isolated
chances for showers/storms expected for the afternoon period on
Thursday.

.SHORT TERM [Thursday Night Through Friday Night]...

A weak, diffuse boundary will remain draped across the southeast FL
Big Bend through the day Friday. Quite a moisture gradient sets up
over the area with PWATs ranging from as low as 0.75 inches in
southeast AL to near 1.75 inches in the southeast Big Bend. This
will keep a low-end chance for showers/storms in play for the
southeast Big Bend. Meanwhile, the drier air on the backside of this
boundary will squash rain chances to less than 20% elsewhere in the
CWA. In fact, it will feel quite refreshing outside of the southeast
FL Big Bend where dew points will be in the upper 50s to middle 60s.

High temperatures will be in the upper 80s across the area. Low
temperatures will range from the middle 60s in the northwest zones
to the lower 70s in the southeastern zones.

.LONG TERM [Saturday Through Wednesday]...

A quick-passing shortwave trough passes over the area on Sunday, but
with dry air in place, little impact is expected. A weak ridge
builds in over the southeast US in its wake, which elongates into
next week. This leaves us in an easterly flow pattern next week.

Our hint of drier air is short lived as low-level winds become more
southeasterly again this weekend, bringing back an increase in
moisture and dew points back to the 70s. This pattern remains in
tact through the middle of next week. Isolated to scattered showers
and storms will be possible each day, primarily in the afternoons.
The better chances (about 30-45%) will be over the Florida counties
with lower chances inland.

&&

.AVIATION...
[Through 18Z Thursday]

VFR/MVFR conditions will prevail through today with occasional
periods of IFR in bands of heavy rain into the overnight hours.
Winds will be out of the southeast then will gradually become
northwesterly by tomorrow after the tropical disturbance moves
through the region. In the overnight hours, IFR/LIFR conditions
will prevail, especially across our inland terminals, while
another round of widespread showers and isolated thunderstorms
move through overnight.

&&

.MARINE...

Marine conditions quickly deteriorate tonight as a tropical
disturbance passes over our area tonight. As a result, seas will
build to 4 to 8 feet, and winds will increase to 20 to 25 knots
tonight. Some gusts of 30 to 35 knots are possible. Winds and waves
quickly diminish during the day Thursday. Seas will then remain
about 1 to 2 feet with winds around 5 to knots through the
remainder of the period.

&&

.FIRE WEATHER...

A very wet pattern is underway through tonight and Thursday.
Outside of low dispersions across the FL Panhandle, there are no
other fire weather concerns.

&&

.HYDROLOGY...

Expect areas of heavy rainfall to continue, especially near the
coast through the afternoon and evening in association with the
tropical system. Model guidance has been in good agreement today
with the placement of additional heavy rainfall along the coast or
just inland. The expectation is for an additional 2-4 inches of
rain with isolated 6 inch maximum amounts on top of what occurred
this morning. Given recent rainfall and saturated soils from
Panama City eastward along and south of I-10, a flash flood watch
remains in effect.

Riverine impacts should be limited to the smaller creeks and
streams of the Florida Panhandle and Big Bend (Econfina and Bear
Creeks, Sopchoppy River, and possibly the Steinhatchee River)
where any flooding should stay within the minor flood category.

&&

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation is not requested. However, spotters are always
encouraged to safely report significant weather conditions when they
occur (while following all local, state, and CDC guidelines) by
calling the office or tweeting us @NWSTallahassee.

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...

Tallahassee   71  88  69  89  70 /  90  40  10  20  10
Panama City   72  87  68  87  69 /  80  40  20  10  10
Dothan        69  86  64  86  65 /  50  30   0  10  10
Albany        71  88  65  87  67 /  70  30   0  10  10
Valdosta      71  86  67  87  68 /  80  40  10  20  10
Cross City    74  86  72  88  72 /  80  60  30  40  20
Apalachicola  73  85  71  85  72 /  90  50  20  20  20

&&

.TAE WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
FL...Flash Flood Watch through Thursday morning for Calhoun-Central
     Walton-Coastal Bay-Coastal Dixie-Coastal Franklin-Coastal
     Gulf-Coastal Jefferson-Coastal Taylor-Coastal Wakulla-
     Inland Bay-Inland Dixie-Inland Franklin-Inland Gulf-Inland
     Taylor-Inland Wakulla-Lafayette-Liberty-South Walton-
     Washington.

     High Rip Current Risk through late Thursday night for Coastal
     Bay-Coastal Franklin-Coastal Gulf-South Walton.

GA...None.
AL...None.
GM...Small Craft Advisory until 7 AM CDT Thursday for Coastal waters
     from Mexico Beach to Apalachicola FL out 20 NM-Coastal
     waters from Mexico Beach to Okaloosa Walton County Line FL
     out 20 NM-Waters from Apalachicola to Mexico Beach FL from
     20 to 60 NM-Waters from Mexico Beach to Okaloosa Walton
     County Line FL from 20 to 60 NM.

     Small Craft Advisory until 2 PM EDT Thursday for Apalachee Bay
     or Coastal Waters From Keaton Beach to Ochlockonee River FL
     out to 20 Nm-Coastal Waters From Ochlockonee River to
     Apalachicola Fl out to 20 Nm-Coastal waters from Suwannee
     River to Keaton Beach FL out 20 NM-Waters from Suwannee
     River to Apalachicola FL from 20 to 60 NM.

&&

NEAR TERM...Dobbs
SHORT TERM...Young
LONG TERM...Young
AVIATION...Dobbs
MARINE...Young
FIRE WEATHER...Montgomery
HYDROLOGY...Godsey

In the hours before

Local storm report, Sep 8, 1:32 PM CST, 3 hours 38 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TALLAHASSEE FL
332 PM EDT WED SEP 8 2021

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0300 PM     MARINE TSTM WIND C-TOWER                 29.40N 84.85W
09/08/2021  M48 MPH          GMZ755             FL   OTHER FEDERAL

            A MEASURED WIND GUST OF 42 KNOTS AT C TOWER.

&&

KGG

The radar

The Eglin Afb radar (KEVX), 46 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 23:08 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

9 tropical storm, 4 flash flood, 1 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.

Flash Flood, Bay

When
September 8, 5:10 PM CST to 8:30 PM CST
Where
Bay County, 0.03 mi SE of Lynn Haven to 1.47 mi W of Lynn Haven
Cause
Heavy Rain / Tropical System
Reported by
Emergency Manager
Coordinates
30.230, -85.640

Some pockets of flooding occurred in the Lynn Haven area that had remained saturated after recent rainfall.

Flash Flood, Bay

When
September 8, 7:00 PM CST to 8:30 PM CST
Where
Bay County, 0.65 mi ENE of Parker to 0.74 mi NW of Parker
Cause
Heavy Rain / Tropical System
Reported by
911 Call Center
Coordinates
30.134, -85.590

A portion of Lake Dr in Parker was underwater.

Tropical Storm, Coastal Franklin

When
September 8, 8:00 PM EST to September 9, 1:00 AM EST
Where
Coastal Franklin forecast zone
Property damage
$5,000
Reported by
Emergency Manager
Coordinates
29.812, -84.800 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Trees and power lines were blown down.

Tropical Storm, Inland Franklin

When
September 8, 8:00 PM EST to September 9, 1:00 AM EST
Where
Inland Franklin forecast zone
Property damage
$5,000
Reported by
Emergency Manager
Coordinates
29.812, -84.800 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Trees and power lines were blown down.

Tornado, Wakulla

When
September 8, 8:08 PM EST to 8:13 PM EST
Where
Wakulla County, 3.15 mi SW of Arran to 3.27 mi WSW of Arran
Rating
EF0
Path length
1.45 mi
Path width
50 yd
Reported by
NWS Employee
Coordinates
30.160, -84.450

A brief tornado touched down in a forested area of rural Wakulla county and tracked across Forest Road 365 before lifting. There were no structures in the path to damage, and only tree damage occurred. A tornadic debris signature (TDS) was observed on TLH radar.

Tropical Storm, Coastal Wakulla

When
September 8, 10:00 PM EST to September 9, 1:00 AM EST
Where
Coastal Wakulla forecast zone
Property damage
$5,000
Reported by
Emergency Manager
Coordinates
30.148, -84.376 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Trees and power lines were blown down.

Tropical Storm, Inland Wakulla

When
September 8, 10:00 PM EST to September 9, 1:00 AM EST
Where
Inland Wakulla forecast zone
Property damage
$50,000
Reported by
Emergency Manager
Coordinates
30.148, -84.376 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A total of 21 trees were blown down, two of which were on houses. In addition, 10 power lines were blown down.

Tropical Storm, Leon

When
September 8, 11:00 PM EST to September 9, 1:00 AM EST
Where
Leon forecast zone
Property damage
$10,000
Reported by
Emergency Manager
Coordinates
30.458, -84.278 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Two homes were damaged, briefly trapping one person, but no injuries were reported. Many trees and power lines were blown down, knocking out power to 9157 residents. Overall property damage totaled near or less than $10K. A semi-truck overturned on I-10 east bound due to the strong winds.

Tropical Storm, Coastal Jefferson

When
September 8, 11:00 PM EST to September 9, 1:00 AM EST
Where
Coastal Jefferson forecast zone
Property damage
$5,000
Reported by
Emergency Manager
Coordinates
30.424, -83.900 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Trees and power lines were blown down.

Tropical Storm, Inland Jefferson

When
September 8, 11:00 PM EST to September 9, 1:00 AM EST
Where
Inland Jefferson forecast zone
Property damage
$5,000
Reported by
Emergency Manager
Coordinates
30.424, -83.900 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Trees and power lines were blown down. The majority of the trees that were downed were large oak trees south of Highway 27 and Waukeenah Highway. All of Duke customers south of Highway 27 were without power.

Tropical Storm, Madison

When
September 8, 11:00 PM EST to September 9, 1:00 AM EST
Where
Madison forecast zone
Property damage
$5,000
Reported by
Emergency Manager
Coordinates
30.444, -83.470 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Trees and power lines were blown down.

Tropical Storm, Coastal Taylor

When
September 8, 11:00 PM EST to September 9, 1:00 AM EST
Where
Coastal Taylor forecast zone
Property damage
$5,000
Reported by
Emergency Manager
Coordinates
30.020, -83.619 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Trees and power lines were blown down.

Flash Flood, Leon

When
September 9, 12:22 AM EST to 1:30 AM EST
Where
Leon County, 0.5 mi SSE of Tallahassee Community College to 0.33 mi SE of Tallahassee Community College
Cause
Heavy Rain / Tropical System
Reported by
911 Call Center
Coordinates
30.433, -84.338

One foot of water was reported over the road near the intersection of Jackson Bluff Road and Chipley Street.

Flash Flood, Bay

When
September 11, 4:03 PM CST to 4:45 PM CST
Where
Bay County, 2.24 mi NNW of Magnolia Beach to 2.58 mi NNW of Magnolia Beach
Cause
Heavy Rain
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
30.181, -85.732

Flooding was reported along Highway 98 between the Hathaway Bridge and East Ave. There was a report of a car floating in the street, and water in a mini storage business. A ham reported 2.25 inches of rain in one hour.

What these are

Flash Flood
Flooding that begins within six hours of the rain that causes it, or of a dam or levee failure or ice jam release, often with deadly speed.
Tropical Storm
A tropical cyclone with sustained winds of 34 to 63 knots (39 to 73 mph).
Tornado
A violently rotating column of air in contact with the ground and extending from a thunderstorm, filed with its path, width and Fujita or Enhanced Fujita rating from the damage survey.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Florida in 2021Every state in 2021This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Florida, 2021Warnings in Florida, September 2021The 2021 hurricane season

Sources

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: 982144, 982145, 982159, 982160, 978429, 982161, 982162, 982163, 982164, 982165, 982166, 982167, 982146, 982147.