Historical Florida tornadoes and tornado outbreaks

[MiamiensisWx]

Notable severe weather events and tornado outbreaks in Florida

Notable events in central FL

February 22-23, 1998 - Volusia/Brevard/Osceola/Orange

Description: The 1998 tornado outbreak remains the deadliest severe weather event to affect the state. This large outbreak partially contributed to the large number of tornadoes to affect the state in February 1998. As a result, the month became the most active February recorded in the state.

Note: Also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1998_Kissimmee_tornado_outbreak.

February 2, 1998 - Pasco/Glades/Saint Lucie

Description: This event produced three tornadoes on the central peninsula. A F0 event affected the immediate vicinity southwest of Dade City in Pasco County. Later, a F1 tornado struck Glades County near Lakeport. Finally, a F0 tornado briefly touched down and affected the Saint Lucie area. See the south FL section for further synoptic information and details on this outbreak.

April 4, 1966 - Pinellas/Hillsborough/Polk/Osceola/Orange/Brevard

Description: Long tracked supercell produced multiple tornadoes and "spin ups" across the central Florida peninsula. Initially, a squall line with embedded supercells transected the western Florida coast during the morning hours. Bow echo moved over the Tampa Bay region around 8:00 a.m. and produced two tornadoes, one of which became an intense event. The first tornado touched down near Largo, Florida (Pinellas County), damaging several homes and residences in the Saint Petersburg area. It steadily tracked east-northeast and demolished more than 100 homes on the northern side of Tampa, including a multi-story building. Another tornado touched down fifteen minutes later than its predecessor near the Sunshine Skyway Bridge and tossed a vehicle into the air. Although the official SPC database indicates this tornado tracked more than 100 miles across central Florida, the damages in Polk County were likely associated with the preceding tornado and additional tornadoes spawned by the supercell. This tornado was likely short lived after it caused damages on the Sunshine Skyway Bridge. As the supercell moved inland, it transitioned to a more discrete structure from the squall line. The Tampa tornado continued to progress inland and entered Polk County, causing the most severe damage in its life (F4) to homes north of Lakeland. The small communities of Gibsonia and Galloway were adversely affected by the long lived tornado. At the same time, another tornado touched down south and east of Lakeland and moved east-northeast near Highland City. Severe thunderstorm winds damaged aircraft at the local airport near Lakeland. The two tornadoes co-existed and simultaneously caused further damages near Auburndale, Winter Haven, Davenport, and Haines City. The F4 tornado destroyed many trailers north of Auburndale and Haines City, while the second tornado directly struck Winter Haven and communities south of Haines City. The latter tornado may have continued into Brevard County and the Rockledge area, but the tornado related destruction in the county may have been associated with another tornado spawned by the cyclic supercell. This event transected the Indian River, destroying a shopping center and frame homes (F2) near the Atlantic Ocean in Cocoa Beach prior to lifting. The former F4 event eventually crossed into the Cocoa area and lifted over Merritt Island. Severe thunderstorm winds produced gusts in excess of 70 mph at Cape Canaveral, which flipped an unoccupied missile launch tower. In total, the tornadic supercell caused 11 deaths, all of which were associated with the strongest (F4) tornado. More than 530 injuries were reported. It remains one of only two estimated F4 or EF4 (violent) events to affect the state; the other event occurred in Polk County on April 15, 1958. The 1966 F4 tornado's path was nearly continuous, with a consistent swath of damages reported in several areas across the peninsula. Brief gaps separated areas of observed damages. In total, it has been estimated that the tornado was on the ground for 80 percent of its documented life. It is possible that the official path length of more than 130 miles is too long, and the small gaps between damage swaths suggests that the "single" F4 tornado may have been multiple tornadoes as well. In total, six counties were affected by the tornadoes.

Note: Also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1966_Tampa_tornado_family.

April 15, 1958 - Saint Johns/Manatee/Polk/Saint Lucie

Description: In total, at least four confirmed tornadoes touched down over the Florida peninsula, each of which affected four counties. An unusually high percentage (75 percent) of the events were strong to violent tornadoes. Two of the tornadoes were estimated at F3 strength, and one was assessed as a F4 in retrospect. One short lived tornado in Manatee County was a F1 event. The first tornado of the day touched down in rural Polk County around noon, inflicting F4 structural damage and causing seven injuries. Twenty minutes later, another tornado touched down on Anastasia Island east of Saint Augustine, where it produced F3 damage to buildings and injured nine people prior to moving offshore. At the same time, a weak tornado briefly affected Manatee County in the vicinity of Ruskin. Around 1:09 p.m., the most destructive tornado of the event tracked from rural suburbs through Fort Pierce, where flying debris injured 20 people. The tornado caused F3 structural damage and extensively affected numerous buildings. The Saint Lucie County event remains the strongest tornado to strike the county. Although final data indicates four tornadoes across the state, evidence suggests that the total may have been greater. Additionally, some of the Fujita scale ratings for this event may be suspect, depending on the anchoring and integrity of the structures affected. Some ratings may have been erroneously high.

Note: Also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/April_1958_Florida_tornado_outbreak.

Notable events in south FL

April 5, 1925 (Miami, FL area) - Slow moving tornado becomes the deadliest tornado to affect Dade County in south Florida, where five deaths are reported. Parent supercell produces hail to three inches (7.6 cm) in diameter, which is comparable to a baseball in terms of size. Damages and types of construction suggest that the tornado may have been a marginal F3 event. The largest dairy farm and operational center in the state is demolished near Hialeah. Length of path is uncertain, but the tornado tracked from "the Everglades" to Biscayne Bay, where it was a rain wrapped tornado and waterspout. Eyewitness accounts and newspaper articles suggest 50 residences were damaged or destroyed by the tornado, which was viewed by a large number of people and motorists for nearly one hour.

Note: Also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1925_Miami_tornado.

April 10, 1956 (Hollywood/Dania, FL area) - A strong (F2) tornado touches down near Perry Airport in Hollywood and tracks northeast to the vicinity of Dania, Florida. Tornado destroys an old jai-alai and several mobile homes in the adjacent areas. Winds damaged the roofing material of an elementary school and broke many windows. 20 injuries were reported. Although the SPC Storm Data indicates the tornado caused F3 structural damage, the peak damages were limited to poorly constructed/anchored mobile homes and the frail jai-alai.

March 1, 1980 (Broward/Palm Beach) - Another marginal F3 tornado occurs in Broward County, where its formation is influenced by an approaching cold front with strong kinematics across southeastern Florida. Tornado touches down south of the Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport near Oakland Park, and it moves northeast across Interstate 95. Numerous buildings and some schools receive extensive damages from the tornado. One death occurs when strong winds sweep a person off a condo balcony. Winds also toss a small fishing boat, depositing it on transmission wires. Tornado eventually tracks across Pompano Beach and moves offshore between Hillsboro Inlet and Atlantic Boulevard. Path width reached 500 yards, which is unusually large for a tornado in south Florida. A weaker tornado also touched down near southern Boca Raton, where it produced F1 structural damage.

February 2, 1998 (Glades/Monroe/Dade/Broward) - This event was very significant across central and southern Florida, resulting in 12 tonadoes on February 2. An active southern stream and a deepening 500 mb trough over the Gulf of Mexico contributed to the intensification of a surface low west of the southern Florida peninsula. Upper level wind vectors intensified and aided strong divergence over the region of the baroclinic cyclogenesis. Frontogenesis occurred as the surface low deepened, and the tightening of the wind fields backed the low level winds over southern Florida. A warm front rapidly lifted north over the Florida Keys and southern Florida, heralded by warm air advection spreading north. An intensifying low level jet and strong low level shear supported the development of supercells over the Straits of Florida and Monroe County Keys during the early morning hours. At this time, the best kinematics were occurring within this region southeast of the surface low. Several supercells exhibited rotation and hook echoes over the Straits of Florida. One supercell featured a radar presentation that was faintly reminescent of a Plains supercell. The strongest rotation was noted when it was located south of the lower Florida Keys. Although the rotation weakened markedly and the hook echo became significantly less defined, a tornado affected Grassy Key and produced "moderate" structural damage, some of which was rated at F1 status. Later, another supercell spawned a second tornado affected Upper Matecumbe Key. Damage was rated at F0 status for the weak tornado. Eventually, discrete supercells congealed into a line, and a bow echo head affected Dade and Broward counties in southeastern Florida. It spawned a total of seven tornadoes, including an event that tracked from Miami International Airport to the Miramar area. It produced localized F2 structural damage, and the path occasionally overlapped the destruction caused by the other tornadoes, some of which co-existed with the main one.

http://www.freewebs.com/emdolphinwx/severeweather.htm

[MiamiensisWx]

Bump for future interests

[MiamiensisWx]

I can hardly comprehend the lack of discussion.

[Cyclone1]

I find it kind of amazing that there have been only two F4's in Florida's history.

I wonder what would have to happen to cause a full-fledged outbreak.

[Ptarmigan]

Sorry if I am a bit off topic. SE Texas has had tornado outbreaks, mostly F1's and F2's. There was a F4 in November of 1992.

[MiamiensisWx]

Here are some quotes gleaned (via others) from Significant Tornadoes 1680-1991: Chronology and Analysis of Events by Thomas P. Grazulis.

FLORIDA TORNADOES

"APR 5, 1925 1315 5k 35inj 100y 12m F3 Dade--Moved northeast from the Everglades, southwest of Hialeah, to the shore of Biscayne Bay, about 8 miles north of Miami. The tornado moved very slowly, about 15 mph, and appeared to be stationary for 5 minutes. The funnel was visible for almost an hour. About 50 homes were damaged or destroyed, but most of the deaths were on a dairy farm. One man died in the destruction of a restaurant. The cookstove was thrown 100 yards. $250,000

APR 10, 1956 1848 0k 20inj 200y 8m F2 Broward--Moved northeast from the Perry Airport, to West Hollywood and Dania. A jai-alai building and mobile homes were destroyed, an elementary school roof was damaged, and other buildings had windows broken. $500,000

FL APR 15, 1958 1200 0k 7inj 300y 5m F3 POLK -- Moved E, leveling nine small homes near Bereah, 25m SE of Bartow. Only one home was well-built; the rest were frail. A 2,500 gallon water tank was found a mile away.

FL APR 15, 1958 1220 0k 8inj 75y 3m F2 ST JOHNS -- Moved E, destroying six homes in two subdivisions at the north edge of St. Augustine.

FL APR 15, 1958 1309 0k 50inj 100y 13m F3 ST LUCIE -- Moved E, damaging or destroying 28 homes in Fort Pierce. About 200 other buildings were damaged or destroyed. Much of the damage was in the downtown business area, where many people were injured by flying glass. Nine small homes were leveled at the edge of town. $5,000,000.

JUN 17, 1959 2150 0k 77inj 200y 12m F2 DADE -- Moved NE from the southern tip of Coconut Grove in Coral Gables to Miami. It lifted over the Miami business district, dropped again at 2nd Avenue and 43rd street, and moved NE across Biscayne Bay, south of Sunny Isles, and then out to sea. Most of the injuries were from flying glass.

JUN 17, 1959 2205 0k 0inj 150y 7m F2 PALM BEACH/MARTIN -- Hit from west of Jupiter to Jupiter Island, to 4m N of the county line, then out to sea. An unoccupied Girl Scout camp in Dickinson State Park was damaged, delaying it's dedication. A small home was destroyed and a 20 foot boat was slammed into a pine tree. Minimal F2.

FEB 23, 1965 1115 0k 6inj 60y 5m F2 BROWARD -- Moved NNE from western Fort Lauderdale, across 40 blocks of town. It touched down again in the Oakland Park area. One house was torn apart and seven trailers, three cars and two trucks were badly damaged.

FL APR 4, 1966 0800 11k 350inj 150y f100m F4 PINELLAS/HILLSBOROUGH/POLK/OSCEOLA -- What was almost certainly a tornado family first moved in from the Gulf of Mexico at Clearwater, where it damaged 36 homes. Passing across the northern part of Tampa Bay, it destroyed 150 homes. The losses there totalled about $4,000,000. Three people died in separate homes on the same block. About 70 others were injured. Homes and a dormitory were unroofed at the University of South Florida. Damage was very severe in the Polk County communities of Gibsonia and Galloway, where 93 homes were destroyed (F4) and seven people were killed. The destruction of a recreation area on Lake Juliana may have been from downburst winds. The tornado funnel was reported again north of Haines City, where a restaurant and many trailers were destroyed. A woman was killed in a mobile home, 4m N of Davenport. Damage at Kissimmee and St Cloud may have been downburst related. Polk County totals for both tornadoes were eight deaths, 280 injuries, 480 homes destroyed, and $20,000,000 in losses. No single tornado this day was truly continuous across the entire state of Florida, although tornado and downburst damage together was continuous. This analysis separates the state crossing event into three separate tornadoes, but it is likely that at least the first two of these were themselves tornado families.

FL APR 4, 1966 0800 0k 50inj 300y f80m F3 PINELLAS/HILLSBOROUGH/POLK/OSCEOLA -- This tornado apparently formed over the Gulf of Mexico, then destroyed three homes, damaged 40 others, and caused nine injuries in the southern part of St. Petersburg. It overturned a car and a truck on the Sunshine Skyway, crossed Pinellas Point, and then headed out across Tampa Bay. Damage was minor until Lakeland, where 18 students were injured by glass and gravel in a junior high school at the south edge of town. The students only had a few seconds warning. A student saw the funnel approaching the school as he was closing a window. A new tornado may have formed just west of the school. Fifteen "fine homes" were torn apart in this area (F3). Many businesses and trailers were destoyed in the north part of Winter Haven. Warehouses were destroyed south of Haines City, and trailers and citrus trees were destoyed in Auburndale.

FL APR 4, 1966 0930 0k 140inj 150y 40m F3 OSCEOLA/BREVARD -- Moved ENE from near Holopaw, passing near Rockledge, then through Cocoa Beach and the south part of Merritt Island. In Cocoa Beach, six trailer parks were hit, ripping apart 150 trailers and causing many injuries. About 23 frame homes and a shopping center were also torn apart (F3). Seven people were injured in Osceola County, and 133 had hospital treatment at Cocoa Beach. $2,000,000.

FL MAR 1, 1980 2050 1k 33inj 500y 7m F3 BROWARD--Moved NE from south of the airport to Ft. Lauderdale to Oakland Park, and offshore at Pompano Beach. A woman was killed when she was blown off her sixth floor balcony. Apartments and a furniture store were unroofed. Businesses, schools and homes were damaged. A small fishing boat was found hanging from power lines. $6,000,000."

[vbhoutex]

Nothing in the panhandle? I remember one in Gulf Breeze in the early 70's that caused quite a bit of damage. I don't remember if there were any deaths or how many were injured.

[HurricaneBill]

"APR 5, 1925 1315 5k 35inj 100y 12m F3 Dade--Moved northeast from the Everglades, southwest of Hialeah, to the shore of Biscayne Bay, about 8 miles north of Miami. The tornado moved very slowly, about 15 mph, and appeared to be stationary for 5 minutes. The funnel was visible for almost an hour. About 50 homes were damaged or destroyed, but most of the deaths were on a dairy farm. One man died in the destruction of a restaurant. The cookstove was thrown 100 yards. $250,000"

[Jason_B]

Nothing in the panhandle? I remember one in Gulf Breeze in the early 70's that caused quite a bit of damage. I don't remember if there were any deaths or how many were injured.

I was also about to mention the panhandle. Here are some past significant tornado events we've had up here.


05/05/1956 F3 Escambia Co. FL 1 injured
12/10/1961 F3 Escambia AL 1 injured
03/31/1962 F3 Santa Rosa Co. 17 deaths, 100 injured. $2.5 million damage
01/05/1962 F2 Okaloosa Co. 1 death 30 injured. $2.5 million damage
12/25/1964 F3 Okaloosa Co. 4 injured. $2.5 millions dollars in damage
10/30/1967 F3 Escambia Co. FL 44 injured.
12/10/1967 F2 Okaloosa Co. 1 death 50 injured. $2.5 million damage
11/03/1968 F3 Escambia AL 1 injured
02/07/1971 F3 Escambia Co. FL 112 injured. $2.5 million damage
10/04/1995 F2 Crestview 1 death 3 injured

http://www.wkrg.com/weather/article_edu ... emes/4096/

[Cyclone1]

"APR 5, 1925 1315 5k 35inj 100y 12m F3 Dade--Moved northeast from the Everglades, southwest of Hialeah, to the shore of Biscayne Bay, about 8 miles north of Miami. The tornado moved very slowly, about 15 mph, and appeared to be stationary for 5 minutes. The funnel was visible for almost an hour. About 50 homes were damaged or destroyed, but most of the deaths were on a dairy farm. One man died in the destruction of a restaurant. The cookstove was thrown 100 yards. $250,000"

Wow. That's a gorgeous tornado, especially behind those pine trees.

[jdray]

Downtown Jacksonville had an EF0 strike on Aug 12, 2004. Good ole Bonnie spawned that one.

Only minor damage reported.


An EF2 hit Lake City, FL on March 7th, 2008
http://www.srh.noaa.gov/jax/events/0307 ... layer.html (watch the slide show)



North Florida gets at least 2 or so a year, usually hit less populated areas though.