Hi everybody and welcome! The week in weather for us has been in a word, beautiful. The temperatures this past week have been in the mid 80’s with humidity levels quite low. The temperatures in other areas on the country such as Chicago and New York have also been warming up with some temperatures reported last week near 80. The high temperatures in Chicago were perfect timing for my wife’s vacation in the Windy City last week. She reported beautiful weather with only a few showers. The temperatures were in the 70’s most days with lows near 50. That all changed rapidly on April 21st when heavy rains and severe weather closed in on Chicago. Widespread Street flooding was reported along with 1.00-inch diameter hail. A tornado was also reported in La Salle County near the Norway Subdivision. Several blocks of buildings were extensively damaged including 4 fatalities. Many intersections were reported to have as much as six inches of standing water making driving very hazardous. Fortunately, my wife left one day before all the chaos started.
Looking at the archives, last year on April 22nd, we already had our first tropical storm. The storm was called Ana and was the first tropical storm ever to form during the month of April. The storm posed a slight threat to Bermuda but never hit any land areas. Ana only posed a problem for the Atlantic shipping lanes. Hurricane season runs officially from June 1st through November 30th.
Now, on to the Time Capsule……..
May 2, l929 -- Duval Co., Jacksonville Heights and Ortega -- Tornado destroyed seven homes and damaged l5 others. A man was killed in a farmhouse.
May 2, l964 -- entire day -- North Florida -- Madison, Hamilton, Baker, Union, Clay, Columbia, Duval, St. Johns, Putnam and Bradford Counties - Heavy rains from a slow moving low pressure system caused considerable local flooding on most streams and forced evacuation of some residential areas. Maxville and Middleburg communities were hardest hit. Two persons drowned at Maxville while fleeing rising waters. Hail fell in scattered areas and caused some crop damage. Early on the morning of the 3rd thunderstorm winds unroofed two houses and damaged other homes and commercial buildings at Roseland in Indian River County.
May 3-4, l978 -- northern and central Florida -- Lines of severe thunderstorms associated with a cold front and strong low pressure system swept through northern and central Florida causing a variety of severe weather, resulting in three deaths and over l00 injuries. Tornadoes, lightning, high winds, hail, heavy rain and local flooding, high tides and beach erosion, funnel clouds and waterspouts were reported. Tides along the Gulf coast were two to 4 feet above normal. A squall line ahead of a fast-moving cold front spawned at least 11 tornadoes and many severe thunderstorms from Jacksonville to Lake Okeechobee as it moved down the peninsula. 4th at l047 -- Pinellas Co. -- A tornado hit the High Point Elementary School, killing three students, and injuring 94. Many students were in the cafeteria at the time, otherwise there would have been more fatalities. A pickup truck was hurled 40 feet in the air and came down on a vehicle, five trailers were destroyed, l0 damaged. Other tornadoes caused injuries in Alachua Co. near Gainesville, Osceola Co. near Kenanesvville, and Highlands Co. near Sebring, Many reports of funnel clouds; waterspouts and strong thunderstorm wind gusts were reported across the peninsula.
May 3, 1994 -- Statewide -- Twenty-six reports of severe weather, including severe thunderstorms, tornadoes, lightning, large hail, funnel clouds and waterspouts from the Panhandle to the Keys. The most significant event occurred in Volusia Co. at Ormond Beach a Tornado touched down at intersection of I-95 and Highway 40 in northern Volusia Co. It moved east, producing minor damage. The tornado intensified when it passed over the Holiday Village mobile home park just west of Ormond Beach, where it damaged 125 and destroyed 150 mobile homes. No serious injuries. Damage estimated near $10 million. The only injuries for the day occurred at St. Lucie in Martin Co., where two firefighters were sent to the hospital after lightning struck the side of their truck while they were fighting a brush fire started by lightning. The largest hail, up to 3", was reported in Palm Beach County.
May 4, 1996 -- Northern Manatee and Southern Hillsborough Counties --
Ping pong size hail caused significant crop
damage. 77 percent of the tomato crop and 90 to 100 percent of the cucumber,
bell pepper, and green bean crop were
severely damaged or destroyed. Losses were estimated at over 18 million
dollars.
May 5, l956 -- Escambia Co., Pensacola -- Tornado completely leveled a brick garage, and five other buildings were badly damaged. One man was critically injured in a crushed car. 12 cars were destroyed.
May 5, l978 -- Dade County -- A line of severe thunderstorms moved through the area causing extensive tree and power line damage. Several trees fell onto parked cars. This was associated with the same frontal system that moved through northern and central Florida the day before producing many tornadoes, leaving three dead, over l00 injured, and more than $8,000,000 in damage. The hardest-hit areas in Dade County were Coconut Grove, Coral Gables, Kendall and South Miami. More than 75 power lines were broken by falling tree limbs and flying debris. Wind gusts to 56 mph were recorded at the National Hurricane Center in Coral Gables. No injuries reported.
May 6, 1877 -- Wakulla Co. -- A tornado destroyed homes and trees near St. Marks.
May 6, l979 -- Pasco Co. -- Lightning killed a l4 year old boy near a wire fence in northern Pasco County.
May 7, l975 -- St. Johns Co. -- Lightning killed a 63-year-old man at the Guana Dam fishing pier.
May 7, 1995 -- St. Johns Co., Crescent Beach -- Two boys, 10 and 14-year olds, drowned in a strong rip current between 75 and 100 feet from shore.
May 8, l977 -- Night -- St. Lucie, Indian River, Brevard Cos. -- A line of thunderstorms moved through the area from west to east. Several of these thunderstorms were severe, accompanied by lightning, gusty winds, locally heavy rain and some hail. Lightning struck a tire store in Vero Beach causing a fire resulting in $750,000 damage. Winds up to 50 mph were reported at Kennedy Space Center.
May 8, l979 -- Central Florida -- Tornado Outbreak/Heavy Rain/Floods -- A low-pressure system in the eastern Gulf of Mexico spawned waves of tornadic thunderstorms with excessive rainfall. Widespread damage occurred in the Tampa Bay area. The 19 tornadoes reported are the most in one day in Florida history. Three people drowned in Pinellas County where flooding was most severe. Rainfall amounts of 18 inches in 24 hours were reported. Tornadoes damaged homes, mobile homes, businesses, four schools, power lines, and trees. Worst hit was the Polk Co. community of Auburndale where a tornado made a direct hit on the Auburndale School. Only eight students were hurt by flying debris. An 83-year-old woman was killed as she hid in an unreinforced concrete block storage shed. Ninety-eight trailers were damaged or destroyed and 40 people were injured. Other, less intense, tornadoes struck Pasco, Hernando, Volusia, Citrus, St. Lucie, Duval, Desoto and Charlotte Counties. Later, on the evening of the 8th, rain over 5" flooded homes and businesses in eastern Indian River Co.
May 8, l986 -- Volusia Co. -- Lightning killed a 59-year old man poling a small boat to shore. It was not raining at the time.
May 9, l987 -- Broward Co., Ft. Lauderdale -- Lightning killed a 23-year old man and a 3l year old man under a tree on the golf course. Two people who did not go under the tree were not injured.
May 9, 1995 -- Broward Co., Lighthouse Point -- A 7-year-old girl was killed when a lightning bolt directly struck her as she played softball in a park. The thunderstorm was about 5 miles northwest of the park when the lightning struck in the midst of 10 children and coaches.