Florida Weather

[Florida1118]

Oddball Severe Thunderstorm in extreme South Florida:

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
FLC086-121900-
/O.NEW.KMFL.SV.W.0021.110512T1827Z-110512T1900Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIAMI FL
227 PM EDT THU MAY 12 2011

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MIAMI HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...
CENTRAL MIAMI-DADE COUNTY IN SOUTH FLORIDA.

* UNTIL 300 PM EDT

* AT 226 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS HAVE
DETECTED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING QUARTER SIZE
HAIL...AND DAMAGING WINDS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH. THIS STORM WAS
LOCATED 6 MILES NORTH OF HOMESTEAD GENERAL AIRPORT...AND MOVING
SOUTH AT 25 MPH.

* THE STORM WILL AFFECT...
THE REDLAND...
REDLAND...
HOMESTEAD GENERAL AIRPORT...
FLORIDA CITY...
ROYAL PALM RANGER STATION...
AND SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

FREQUENT LIGHTNING IS OCCURRING WITH THIS THUNDERSTORM. IF
OUTDOORS...STAY AWAY FROM ISOLATED HIGH OBJECTS SUCH AS TREES AND
AVOID WATER. MOVE INDOORS OR INSIDE A VEHICLE IF POSSIBLE. AVOID
USING THE TELEPHONE UNLESS IT IS AN EMERGENCY. TRY TO UNPLUG
UNNECESSARY ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES BEFORE THE THUNDERSTORM APPROACHES.

&&

LAT...LON 2537 8046 2539 8072 2564 8061 2565 8049
TIME...MOT...LOC 1827Z 013DEG 20KT 2558 8058

$$

[jdray]

The smoke from Okefenokee fire has been helping to cool things down a tad every day this week here in NE Florida. Unfortunately, in exchange for slightly cooler temps, we get to smell smoke all day.

Interesting writeup on how the smoke is affecting temp and the sea breeze:
http://www.srh.noaa.gov/news/display_cm ... 2&source=0

Honey Prairie Wildfire Boundary
by Angie Enyedi, NWS Jacksonville

The Honey Prairie wildfire continued to burn across the Okefenokee Swamp the evening of May 8th. The plume from the fire was very thick and, around 5 pm, extended generally east of the fire. Visibilities as low a 1 mile were reported in Kingsland, Georgia, about 40 miles ENE of the ground fire. Prevailing surface winds at the Jacksonville International Airport (JAX), were expected to remain WSW through the evening, which would keep the smoke north of the airport terminal. However, between 5:30 pm and 6 pm local time, winds shifted to the NNE at JAX and the smoke plume invaded the terminal's skies. What caused the wind shift?

At 5 pm, the JAX observation reported surface winds from the NW. The visible satellite image from 5:15 pm EDT showed the southern edge of the smoke plume north of JAX, and the observation reported P6SM visibility (greater than 6 statute miles for surface visibility). A quick glance at the 0.5 degree elevation slice from the NWS Jacksonville 88-D Radar showed the east coast sea breeze front making slow progress inland (prevailing WSW flow today), but also an interesting boundary moving slowly SSE north of JAX. This boundary looked like it coincided with the southern fringe of the smoke plume. At this time, it is believed that this boundary developed due to the thermal gradient between the cooler air under the thick smoke plume and the warmer air just outside of the plume, where JAX was reporting 90 degrees at 5 pm. This boundary was slowly moving SSE as the coast sea breeze approached from the east, both headed toward JAX. Please refer to Image 1, satellite and radar data from just before 5 pm through about 5:15 pm.

By 6 pm, the two boundaries merged just north of JAX, then the hybrid boundary moved south-southwest and crossed JAX by 6 pm. The observation from JAX at 6 pm reported a temperature drop to 84 degrees and wind shift to the northeast. Visibility was 4SM due to smoke. Please refer to Image 2 for satellite and radar data between 5:31 pm and 6 pm.

It is amazing how microscale meteorology can alter the weather so quickly and create drastic changes!

[JonathanBelles]

Finally some rain moving in up here. Very dry over Georgia, so we'll see if it hold together in the next few hours to give us round one of showers tonight.

[JonathanBelles]

Some damage here in Tallahassee as a severe thunderstorm moved through about an hour and a half ago. Mainly trees down and power outages on the west side of town. 57mph wind gust was reported at the Love Building at the FSU main campus.

[dizzyfish]

I went to the local Hurricane Expo today with hubby and happened to speak with Daniel Noah, Warning Coordination Met. He was telling us about the budget hit they took this year. 30% cut.

A couple things he mentioned....

The printing fund is in the dumper
All employee cell phones cut
4 out of 5 (yes, you read that right) vehicles were cut

He mentioned a couple other things but those stood out.

30% is a whole lot of cutting.

[vbhoutex]

I went to the local Hurricane Expo today with hubby and happened to speak with Daniel Noah, Warning Coordination Met. He was telling us about the budget hit they took this year. 30% cut.

A couple things he mentioned....

The printing fund is in the dumper
All employee cell phones cut
4 out of 5 (yes, you read that right) vehicles were cut

He mentioned a couple other things but those stood out.

30% is a whole lot of cutting.

So much for our congress persons listening to the constituents about not cutting ESSENTIAL services. I have to stop now or ban myself.

[fci]

Amazing lightning show off to the east tonight from thunderstorms moving away from the Palm Beach Coast.

I hope other S2K'ers saw the show!

[AdamFirst]

Beautiful blue skies this morning for the shuttle launch have given way to patchy cloudiness...kind of gloomy.

[Scorpion]

Only got .35 inches here... still way dry

[psyclone]

it's downright autumnal by mid may standards. shutting off the ac and opening windows and doors at this time of the year is a real treat. naturally, it won't last with heat and humidity slated to return by the weekend for what will probably be a multimonth stay.

[gatorcane]

it's downright autumnal by mid may standards. shutting off the ac and opening windows and doors at this time of the year is a real treat. naturally, it won't last with heat and humidity slated to return by the weekend for what will probably be a multimonth stay.

It's ironic to see nws discussion mention "good radiational cooling" words for tonight when we are 3 days before the median start date of the rainy season. Lows will be in the 50s across interior south Florida tonight far away from the coast. But looks like you are right and the humidity returns in a hurry for the weekend.

[Tampa Bay Hurricane]

Hot across interior central Florida. Currently 95 Degrees at Plant City and Tampa Vandenberg Airports, and approaching
95 in Lakeland as well.
Some thunderstorms have developed Southeast of Tampa Bay inland along the west coast
seabreeze.

[psyclone]

the heat is back and this time it's here for the duration.

[Tampa Bay Hurricane]

Highs hit 97 Degrees in Lakeland and Plant City, and 95 at Tampa Executive.
http://www.weather.gov/data/obhistory/KPCM.html

[flwxwatcher]

Looking like some rain starting this week-end if the GFS is correct. Keeping fingers crossed.

[JonathanBelles]

Surface map of the southeastern US. The afternoon sea breeze is seen pushing east across FL and away from the coast in GA. Mountains of high pressure are seen in the northern Gulf of Mexico and in the Atlantic (not pictured). Strong low pressure area is just moving into the picture in Oklahoma. Green X's signify points that I removed from my analysis.

[Scorpion]

So this looks like one of, if not the driest May on record here. Only slight chances of rain in the next 10 days. I wonder if it will ever rain again

[psyclone]

four pileus clouds visible simultaneously atop convective towers to the east of here this evening in response to the seabreeze meet & greet. great light show too. the rainy season is finally closing in.

[flwxwatcher]

Got.86 inches of rain from some late evening T-storms last night. Looking like more on tap for later today for the Lakeland area.

[Tampa Bay Hurricane]

The HEAT is On!!! Tampa Vandenberg Airport at 97*F Currently. Tampa International at a relatively cool 90*F.