Early summer environment of moderate shear and instability contributed to the development of strong storms that produced wind damage near Sebring 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.
Early summer environment of moderate shear and instability contributed to the development of strong storms that produced wind damage near Sebring 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 Jun 2, 2:05 PM EST, 2 hours 40 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Tampa Bay Ruskin FL
305 PM EDT Tue Jun 2 2026
...New DISCUSSION, AVIATION, MARINE, FIRE WEATHER...
.KEY MESSAGES...
Updated at 305 PM EDT Tue Jun 2 2026
- More widespread showers and storms will move south through the
area tonight and Wednesday, with the strongest storms capable
of producing damaging winds gusts and frequent lightning.
- Drier air filters into the region beginning late in the day on
Wednesday and into Thursday as a rare late season front moves
through the area.
- Gradual return to more typical summertime pattern over the
weekend.
&&
.DISCUSSION...
Issued at 305 PM EDT Tue Jun 2 2026
A trough is digging over the Eastern Seaboard, with an attendant
cold front being slowly dragged south as this occurs. Weak ridging
across the FL peninsula is being eroded in response. As the frontal
boundary slowly sinks southward, a deeper moisture is being advected
over the area. The 900 to 700mb dry later noted this morning is
diminishing, and PWATs are increasing. With increasing instability
likely across the region over the next several hours, showers and
some thunderstorms should begin to develop over the next few hours.
Unlike a typical summer day, increasing instability could allow for
additional showers to develop overnight, keeping rain chances
anywhere from 30% to 70%. Gradually, rain chances will decrease
through the day from north to south as drier air filters in and weak
high pressure settles across the state. While temperatures won't
drop much, the lower humidity should make Thursday especially feel
pretty nice for early June.
Ridging stays in place through much of the weekend and into early
next week. As the surface high shifts farther east, the flow will
gradually veer to an E and then ESE flow. As this occurs, some
moisture will return, and a few storms will be possible, mainly
across the southern half of the FL peninsula. By early next week,
another trough will dig south and suppress the ridge axis. This
could favor another round of WSW flow and the rather oppressive
warm and humid weather like what we've experienced for much of the
last few days. If this system can dig far enough south like this
one, then another frontal system could push south and dry the
region out again towards the middle of next week.
&&
.AVIATION...
(18Z TAFS)
Issued at 305 PM EDT Tue Jun 2 2026
There is an increasing potential for mainly showers to impact
terminals beginning later today and into tomorrow. This
afternoon/evening, there is also a window for some thunderstorms to
impact terminals as well. Gusty winds and MVFR conditions should be
expected in the vicinity. Once a frontal boundary moves south
tomorrow, some drier air should filter in, keeping rain chances much
lower for the remainder of the week.
&&
.MARINE...
Issued at 305 PM EDT Tue Jun 2 2026
Marine conditions are expected to deteriorate over the next 18 to 20
hours as a frontal boundary moves southward into the region. Expect
more storms to develop over coastal waters, and winds to increase to
20 to 25 knots, with some higher gusts. In response, seas will
build. This has necessitated the issuance of a Small Craft Advisory
across coastal waters beginning tomorrow and lasting until winds
subside Friday. Once winds subside, seas will gradually settle as
well, with quieter marine conditions returning this weekend.
&&
.FIRE WEATHER...
Issued at 305 PM EDT Tue Jun 2 2026
Most areas are likely to see at least some rain over the next 24
hours, with RH values keeping fire weather concerns low through this
time. Drier air and gust winds begin to filter into the area late
tomorrow and into Thursday. RH values will drop in response, and
some higher dispersions will be possible as well, with some northern
sections of the Nature Coast potentially looking at a window for
critical RH values on Thursday. Moisture gradually increases Friday
and through the weekend, with no significant fire weather
concerns thereafter.
&&
.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
TPA 75 84 71 85 / 60 30 10 20
FMY 76 86 72 84 / 30 60 30 60
GIF 73 83 69 84 / 60 30 0 20
SRQ 75 86 70 86 / 40 50 20 30
BKV 71 85 65 86 / 60 20 0 20
SPG 76 86 73 87 / 60 40 10 20
&&
Sea Breeze Thunderstorm Regime For Wednesday: 4
Sea Breeze Thunderstorm Regime For Thursday: 3
For additional information on sea breeze regimes, go to:
https://www.weather.gov/tbw/ThunderstormClimatology
&&
.TBW WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
FL...None.
Gulf waters...Small Craft Advisory from 6 AM Wednesday to 2 AM EDT Friday for
Coastal waters from Bonita Beach to Englewood FL out 20 NM-
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-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.
&&
FlannerySpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service Tampa Bay Area Ruskin FL
520 PM EDT Tue Jun 2 2026
FLZ056-057-061-022200-
DeSoto FL-Highlands FL-Hardee FL-
520 PM EDT Tue Jun 2 2026
...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL IMPACT NORTHERN HIGHLANDS...SOUTHEASTERN
HARDEE AND NORTHEASTERN DESOTO COUNTIES THROUGH 600 PM EDT...
At 520 PM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking strong thunderstorms along
a line extending from near Sebring to near Wauchula. Movement was
southeast at 10 mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts of 40 to 50 mph.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects.
Locations impacted include...
Sebring, Avon Park, Wauchula, Lake Placid, Sebring Regional Airport,
Sylvan Shores, Lake Istokpoga, Sweetwater, Zolfo Springs, Cornwell,
Sebring Shores, Lake Josephine, Lorida, Avon Park Air Force Range,
and Crewsville.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
&&
LAT...LON 2726 8168 2753 8186 2761 8123 2756 8119
2755 8121 2753 8121 2751 8120 2749 8121
2748 8118 2744 8114 2741 8114 2739 8112
2738 8110 2738 8107 2735 8103
TIME...MOT...LOC 2120Z 315DEG 8KT 2755 8143 2751 8172
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.00 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH
TBWThe Tampa radar (KTBW), 94 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:42 UTC.
1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Local EM reports tree and roof damage at an auto dealership near Sebring.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Florida in 2026Every state in 2026This day in weather historyWarnings in Florida, June 2026
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: 1355088.