Tornadoes · United States · Florida · 2005
F1 tornado, Bradenton, Florida, July 9, 2005
This F1 tornado ran 0.5 miles across Manatee County on July 9, 2005, touching down at 6:00 AM EDT and reaching 150 yards wide. It killed nobody, and did $210,000 of property damage.
The rating scale
Tracks are drawn in the color of the rating. The Fujita scale rates the damage rather than measuring the wind: the speeds are what that damage is taken to imply.
F040 to 72 mph
Light damage. Surface peeled off some roofs, gutters and siding damaged, branches broken, shallow-rooted trees pushed over.
F173 to 112 mphthis tornado
Moderate damage. Roofs badly stripped, mobile homes overturned or badly damaged, exterior doors lost, windows broken.
F2113 to 157 mph
Considerable damage. Roofs torn off well-built houses, frame homes shifted on their foundations, mobile homes destroyed, large trees snapped or uprooted, cars lifted off the ground.
F3158 to 206 mph
Severe damage. Whole stories of well-built houses destroyed, large buildings badly damaged, trains overturned, trees debarked, heavy cars lifted and thrown.
F4207 to 260 mph
Devastating damage. Well-built houses leveled, structures with weak foundations moved some distance, cars thrown and large missiles generated.
F5261 to 318 mph
Incredible damage. Strong frame houses swept off their foundations, car-sized missiles thrown more than 100 meters, steel-reinforced concrete badly damaged, high-rise buildings deformed.
Unrated
The survey recorded a tornado but could not put a number on it, most often because it crossed open country and damaged nothing a rating can be read from.
The record
- Rating
- F1
- Date
- July 9, 2005
- Touchdown
- 6:00 AM EDT (10:00 UTC)
- Path length
- 0.5 miles (0.8 km)
- Path width
- 150 yards (137 m)
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- $210,000
- County
- Manatee County
- Touchdown point
- 27.530, -82.430
- Lift-off point
- 27.480, -82.400
- Record number
- 278
What the Weather Service recorded
A tornado related to Hurricane Dennis in the Hidden Oaks and Greyhawk Landing communities collapsed a large concrete block barn with a metal roof as one of the walls was pushed inward, shredded several pool cages, and uprooted many trees. The maximum wind was estimated at 90 MPH.
From NOAA NCEI's Storm Events Database, the narrative the local forecast office wrote for Storm Data.
The warnings
No tornado warning for this county appears in the archive as in force at the moment the tornado touched down.
Every warning and watch covering the touchdown point that day, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service products. Lead time is measured from the issue of the warning in force to the touchdown time in the database, both of which were recorded to the minute by different people.
The forecast that day
The Storm Prediction Center had this point in a Slight Risk, with a 0.05 chance of a tornado within 25 miles. The outlook in force was issued at 05:40 UTC.
SPC's Day 1 convective outlook as it stood when the tornado began, read at the touchdown point. The same archive is on the radar archive.
What forecasters said that day
The local office's own words before the tornado touched down, 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 tornado touched down at Jul 9, 4:45 AM EDT, 1 hour 15 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Jul 9, 4:45 AM EDT, 1 hour 15 minutes before
WEST CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST FLORIDA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL 445 AM EDT SAT JUL 9 2005 .UPDATE...WILL UPDATE ZONES AND COASTALS TO UPGRADE THE TROPICAL STORM WATCH FROM ANCLOTE KEY TO SUWANNEE RIVER TO A TROPICAL STORM WARNING AS PER LATEST TPC ADVISORY. PREVIOUS DISCUSSION FOLLOWS WITH UPDATED W/W/A SECTION... .SHORT TERM (TODAY - MONDAY)...OUTER FEEDER BANDS CONTINUE TO MOVE RAPIDLY NORTHWEST ACROSS THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN FORECAST AREA EARLY THIS MORNING WELL AHEAD OF HURRICANE DENNIS WHICH HAS NOW JUST EMERGED OFF THE NORTH COAST OF CUBA. AS DENNIS CONTINUES TO MOVE NORTHWEST OVER THE ADJACENT GULF WATERS INCREASING SHEAR WITHIN THE ATMOSPHERE WILL SUPPORT SMALL SHORT LIVED TORNADOES WITHIN THESE BANDS ACROSS THE REGION TODAY THROUGH SUNDAY AS THE FAVORABLE RIGHT FRONT QUADRANT OF DENNIS MOVES OVER THE REGION THROUGH TONIGHT. MODEL CONSENSUS AND OFFICIAL TPC TRACK KEEPS DENNIS ROUGHLY 200 MILES TO THE WEST OF THE TAMPA BAY AREA...WHICH SHOULD KEEP THE WORSE CONDITIONS CONFINED TO THE COASTAL WATERS...HOWEVER WITH THE FORECAST AREA ON THE EASTERN SIDE OF DENNIS (STRONGEST SIDE) STRONG SQUALLS WITH VERY HEAVY RAINS AND WIND GUSTS UP TO TROPICAL STORM STRENGTH ARE LIKELY TO IMPACT COASTAL COUNTIES FROM LEE COUNTY NORTH TO PASCO COUNTY TODAY THROUGH SUNDAY...WITH THESE CONDITIONS SPREADING NORTH TO MY NORTHERN MOST ZONES THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. FURTHER INLAND WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO INCREASE INTO THE 20 TO 25 MPH RANGE WITH GUSTS UP TO TROPICAL STORM FORCE IN SQUALLS ALONG WITH VERY HEAVY RAINS. EXTENSIVE CLOUD COVER AND HIGH RAIN CHANCES WILL KEEP TEMPS SLIGHTLY BELOW NORMAL THROUGH SUNDAY. BASED ON THE LATEST OFFICIAL TRACK OF DENNIS BY TPC...NO CHANGES TO THE CURRENT WATCHES/WARNINGS STATUS LISTED BELOW...BUT IF NEEDED WILL MAKE ANY ADJUSTMENTS IN A QUICK UPDATE LATER THIS MORNING AFTER THE NEXT ADVISORY ISSUANCE AROUND 5 AM EDT. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON DENNIS...SEE OUR HURRICANE LOCAL STATEMENT (HLSTBW). .LONG TERM (MON NIGHT - FRI)...HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE AXIS WILL FILL IN BEHIND WHATS LEFT OF DENNIS. BY LATE TUE A SECONDARY HIGH WILL BREAK OFF INTO THE CENTRAL GULF. FL WILL BE IN THE WEAKNESS IN BETWEEN. MODEL GUIDANCE SUGGESTING THAT THE REMAINS OF DENNIS WILL REMAIN OVER THE APPALACHIANS WITH GENERAL TROUGHINESS FILLING IN THE WEAKNESS. YESTERDAY ATTM GUIDANCE HAD A RIDGING OVER CENTRAL FL BY THE END OF THE PERIOD...SO THIS IS QUITE THE FLIP FLOP. FOR NOW THE NEWER SOLN LOOKS MORE REASONABLE GIVEN LATEST TPC FORECAST. EITHER WAY...WELL HAVE SCT AFTN SHOWERS AND TSTMS EACH DAY...WITH TEMPS NEAR CLIMO EACH DAY. && .MARINE...CONDITIONS OVER THE ADJACENT GULF COASTAL WATERS WILL DETERIORATE RAPIDLY FROM SOUTH TO NORTH TODAY AS HURRICANE DENNIS MOVES NORTHWEST INTO THE EASTERN GULF. BASED ON THE CURRENT OFFICIAL TRACK OF DENNIS VIA TPC...TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS WITH GUSTS TO HURRICANE FORCE WILL IMPACT THE OUTER COASTAL WATERS FROM BONITA BEACH NORTH TO ENGLEWOOD BEGINNING LATER THIS MORNING...WITH THESE CONDITIONS SPREADING FURTHER NORTH DURING THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. CLOSER TO SHORE...WINDS WILL BE INCREASE INTO THE 20 TO 25 KNOTS RANGE WITH GUSTS TO TROPICAL STORM FORCE LATER THIS MORNING THROUGH TONIGHT. INCREASING WINDS AND SEAS WILL LEAD TO COASTAL FLOODING PROBLEMS...WITH TIDES EXPECTED TO RUN SOME 4 TO 6 FEET ABOVE NORMAL. MARINERS ARE URGED TO REMAIN IN PORT. && .FIRE WEATHER...HIGH RAIN CHANCES WILL PRECLUDE ANY RED FLAG CONDITIONS OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS...HOWEVER STRONG 20 FOOT AND TRANSPORT WINDS WILL MAKE FOR VERY HIGH DISPERSION INDICES TODAY THROUGH SUNDAY. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... TPA 86 77 86 79/ 100 70 50 40 FMY 86 77 87 76/ 100 70 50 40 GIF 86 76 86 76/ 100 70 50 40 SRQ 86 78 86 78/ 100 70 50 40 BKV 87 77 86 78/ 100 80 60 40 && .TBW WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... TORNADO WATCH 626 UNTIL 9 AM EDT FOR MANATEE...SARASOTA...HARDEE... DESOTO...HIGHLANDS...CHARLOTTE AND LEE COUNTIES. TROPICAL STORM WARNING FROM BONITA BEACH TO SUWANNEE RIVER. WIND ADVISORY 8 AM TODAY UNTIL 8 AM SUNDAY FOR SUMTER...POLK... HARDEE AND HIGHLANDS COUNTIES. FLOOD WATCH 8 AM TODAY UNTIL 8 AM SUNDAY ALL ZONES. SHORT TERM...JCM LONG TERM/UPDATE....RJS
In the hours before
Special weather statement, Jul 9, 12:02 AM EDT, 5 hours 58 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL 1202 AM EDT SAT JUL 9 2005 FLZ061-062-090445- CHARLOTTE-DE SOTO- 1202 AM EDT SAT JUL 9 2005 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT NORTHEAST CHARLOTTE AND SOUTHERN DESOTO... ...A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS WITH GUSTY WINDS...AN OUTER RAIN BAND FROM HURRICANE DENNIS...IS MOVING NORTHWEST AT 30 MPH...AND WILL AFFECT BABCOCK RANCH AND FORT OGDEN...UNTIL 1245 AM EDT. GUSTY WINDS 40 TO 50 MPH MAY CAUSE LOOSE OBJECTS TO BLOW AROUND. MINOR DAMAGE TO TREE LIMBS AND WIRES IS POSSIBLE. FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IS EXPECTED. IF CAUGHT OUTSIDE...CROUCH DOWN IN A LOW SPOT...AWAY FROM TALL OBJECTS. TORRENTIAL RAINS WILL CAUSE PONDING OF WATER ON ROADS...AND MINOR FLOODING OF POOR DRAINAGE AREAS. RJS
The air that afternoon
The radiosonde launches on either side of the tornado, from the nearest station that was launching then, drawn and analyzed the way Storm Lab does: the same diagram, the same parcel and shear definitions SPC's mesoanalysis uses.
Tampa Bay, FL (KTBW), 00:00Z
10.0 hours before the tornado, 22 km from the path. July 9, 2005.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 877 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -52 J/kg
- Surface CAPE
- 953 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 847 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 13 kt
- 0-1 km bulk shear
- 16 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 90 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 137 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.0
- 0-3 km lapse rate
- 5.2 K/km
Tampa Bay, FL (KTBW), 12:00Z
2.0 hours after it, 22 km from the path. July 9, 2005.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 77 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -118 J/kg
- Surface CAPE
- 0 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 739 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 0 kt
- 0-1 km bulk shear
- 0 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 0 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 0 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.0
- 0-3 km lapse rate
- 3.7 K/km
The radar
The Tampa radar (KTBW), 22 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the touchdown began at 10:00 UTC.
Open the radar archive at this moment, over the track
Reflectivity and velocity, decoded from the Level II archive in the browser. Volumes take a few seconds to open the first time.
What was reported nearby
Local storm reports within 60 km of the path, in the three hours either side.
| Time (UTC) | Report | Where | County | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 09:50 UTC | TORNADO | 1 S Wauchula | Hardee, FL | EMERGENCY MANAGER DID STORM SURVEY. DAMAGE PATH WAS 1/2 MILE LONG AND 200 YARDS WIDE. ONE OLDER HOME HAD THE ROOF TORN OFF AND WAS ROTATED OFF ITS FOUNDATION. DAMAGE AMOUNT AROUND 35 THOUSAND DOLLARS. |
| 10:00 UTC | TORNADO | Bradenton | Manatee, FL | 2 HOMES WITH MINOR DAMAGE. TREE DOWN ON A CAR. |
| 10:30 UTC | TORNADO | Tampa | Hillsborough, FL | HAM RADIO REPORT OF A TORNADO TOUCHDOWN NEAR THE PORT OF TAMPA. BUILDING AND TREE DAMAGE REPORTED. |
| 10:55 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | Pinellas Park | Pinellas, FL | TREES DOWN. ESTIMATED WIND GUST OF 60 MPH. |
| 10:55 UTC | TROPICAL STORM | Pinellas Park | Pinellas, FL | TREES DOWN. ESTIMATED WIND GUST OF 60 MPH. |
| 10:58 UTC | TORNADO | Saint Petersburg | Pinellas, FL | LAW ENFORCEMENT RELAY REPORT OF A PUBLIC SIGHTING OF A TORNADO TOUCHDOWN. TREES DOWN. |
| 11:15 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | Brandon | Hillsborough, FL | NUMEROUS TREE BRANCHES DOWN AT THE CORNER OF BRYON AND LUMSDEN. |
| 11:15 UTC | TROPICAL STORM | Brandon | Hillsborough, FL | NUMEROUS TREE BRANCHES DOWN AT THE CORNER OF BRYON AND LUMSDEN. |
From the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service local storm reports.
This ground now
The live radar over the trackEvery 2005 tornado in FloridaEvery tornado in Florida since 1950Warnings in force in Florida nowThe forecast where you are
The other tornadoes of July 9, 2005
8 more were confirmed in the United States that day.
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| July 9 | 5:50 AM EDT | F0 | Hardee, FL | 1.0 | 100 | $50,000 | ||
| July 9 | 6:30 AM EDT | F0 | Hillsborough, FL | 0.6 | 40 | $40,000 | ||
| July 9 | 6:30 AM EDT | F0 | Hillsborough, FL | 0.3 | 40 | |||
| July 9 | 6:55 AM EDT | F0 | Pinellas, FL | 0.1 | 40 | |||
| July 9 | 12:00 PM EDT | F0 | Hillsborough, FL | 0.5 | 40 | |||
| July 9 | 2:40 PM EDT | F0 | Citrus, FL | 0.7 | 40 | |||
| July 9 | 6:54 PM MDT | F0 | Lincoln, CO | 0.1 | 50 | |||
| July 9 | 10:40 PM EDT | F0 | Suwannee, FL | 1.0 | 25 |
What this means
Ratings are the survey's, read off the damage rather than measured; the rating scale is above. Tornado counts rise through the record as reporting improved, so a year in the 1950s is not comparable with one today except for the strongest tornadoes, which were always noticed.
Sources
NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database, 1950-2025, the official record kept by NOAA's Storm Prediction Center.