Deep layer west-southwest flow setup favoring interior afternoon and evening sea breeze convection produces storms that cause downburst winds that damage a few structures near Avon Park in Highlands 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.
Deep layer west-southwest flow setup favoring interior afternoon and evening sea breeze convection produces storms that cause downburst winds that damage a few structures near Avon Park in Highlands County.
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 May 29, 1:37 PM EST, 3 hours 38 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Tampa Bay Ruskin FL 237 PM EDT Thu May 29 2025 .DISCUSSION... The pattern aloft this afternoon features weak ridging to the east of Florida with troughing to our west and shortwave energy over the southeast slowly spreading over the region. At the surface, the Atlantic ridge axis is south of the area with a trough to the north. The rest of today will feature a similar setup to the past few days, with the best thunderstorm chances over inland areas and the southwest Florida region. For tonight into Friday, troughing will deepen across the southeast, with a weak frontal boundary dropping into northern Florida. This will allow moisture to increase across the region ahead of the boundary, leading to increased rain chances starting tonight over the Gulf and coastal regions, then spreading over the rest of the local area for the rest of Friday and Friday night. The boundary will slowly sink southward on Saturday, with rain chances dropping by the afternoon and evening. While some moisture lingers over the southern part of the forecast area for Sunday, relatively drier air does make it over areas to the north, with dew points falling into the 60s rather than the 70s we have been seeing. Of course, it is the end of May/early June, so these slightly nicer conditions will not linger and warm and more humid conditions return for early next week, along with daily rain chances. && .AVIATION... (18Z TAFS) VFR conditions are expected outside of thunderstorm activity. Still think the best chances are for KLAL the rest of this afternoon, but some storms could pop up around southwest Florida sites for the next hour or so. Quiet conditions will start the overnight period, but rain chances will increase ahead of a frontal boundary starting over coastal sites Friday morning and then spreading to the rest of the terminals by the afternoon. && .MARINE... Winds will remain below headlines through tonight, then turn westerly and increase to exercise caution levels for parts of the waters late Friday through Friday night ahead of a frontal boundary. Rain and storm chances also increase over the Gulf starting tonight and continue through Saturday before diminishing north to south as winds also turn northwest. High pressure then builds back in, with winds decreasing further for Sunday into early next week. && .FIRE WEATHER... No fire weather concerns as deep moisture remains over the region and a frontal boundary brings showers and storms Friday into Saturday. No significant fog is expected. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... TPA 80 91 78 88 / 30 50 60 50 FMY 77 92 77 89 / 20 30 50 80 GIF 76 91 75 88 / 40 60 40 60 SRQ 78 90 77 87 / 30 40 70 60 BKV 71 90 71 87 / 30 50 60 40 SPG 80 89 78 86 / 40 50 70 60 && .TBW WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... FL...None. Gulf waters...None. &&
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Tampa Bay Area Ruskin FL
440 PM EDT Thu May 29 2025
FLZ043-248-292115-
Inland Hernando FL-Sumter FL-
440 PM EDT Thu May 29 2025
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT NORTHEASTERN SUMTER AND EAST
CENTRAL HERNANDO COUNTIES THROUGH 515 PM EDT...
At 439 PM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm over
Bushnell, moving northeast at 15 mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 50 mph and half inch hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects. Minor hail damage to vegetation is
possible.
Locations impacted include...
Webster, Coleman, Adamsville, Tarrytown, Center Hill, Sumterville,
Bushnell, Lake Panasoffkee, and Wildwood.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
&&
LAT...LON 2880 8195 2848 8196 2853 8219 2869 8219
2884 8209
TIME...MOT...LOC 2039Z 215DEG 10KT 2867 8211
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.50 IN
MAX WIND GUST...50 MPH
TBWPreliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Tampa Bay Ruskin FL
510 PM EDT Thu May 29 2025
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0440 PM Tstm Wnd Gst 1 E Bushnell 28.66N 82.11W
05/29/2025 M44 MPH Sumter FL Mesonet
Mesonet station 2101W FSWN Sumter Health
Dept.
&&
TBWSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service Tampa Bay Area Ruskin FL
516 PM EDT Thu May 29 2025
FLZ043-292145-
Sumter FL-
516 PM EDT Thu May 29 2025
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT SOUTHEASTERN SUMTER COUNTY
THROUGH 545 PM EDT...
At 515 PM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 8
miles southwest of Mascotte, moving northeast at 15 mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 50 mph and penny size hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects. Minor hail damage to vegetation is
possible.
Locations impacted include...
Webster, Tarrytown, and Center Hill.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
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 2838 8196 2841 8205 2842 8206 2852 8206
2853 8207 2853 8210 2859 8212 2867 8196
2858 8195
TIME...MOT...LOC 2115Z 245DEG 5KT 2849 8200
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.75 IN
MAX WIND GUST...50 MPH
TBWThe Tampa radar (KTBW), 84 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 22:16 UTC.
1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Highlands County EM relayed reports and pictures of 2 barns damaged by straight-line winds associated with a downburst from thunderstorms in the area. Mostly minor damage consisting of metal siding or roofing peeled away from the structures.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Florida in 2025Every state in 2025This day in weather historyWarnings in Florida, May 2025
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: 1267951.