Waterspouts sighted, Storm cell comes ashore, Prompts warning and Funnel Cloud Spotted.... and it rains!
February 21st, 2007
Panama City storm spotters spotted a funnel cloud as storm crossed from Panama City Beach into the Panama City area on February 21st, 2007. Below are radar images from KEVX of the cell that produced a Tornado warning for the Bay County area. Including the cities of Panama City Beach, Panama City, Lynn Haven, Callaway, Parker, Springfield. So what's my take on the cell? At the bottom, I have posted my thoughts about the cell, and had some help from others outside the area, including some of the best in radar business. Below are the official warnings that were issued for the thunderstorm cell.
This first image is Base Reflectivity of the cell as it was crossing from the beach
into the city. At this time it had just passed my home weather sensors, maybe
just to the north, but not by much. Did not get any high wind speed, think 21mph
was what I saw. The pressure dropped a little and
then went back up. This was expected, for I believe the
meso-cyclone was
actually in a transition stage, going from a meso, into a linear event. Looking
at the radar data this seems to support my hypothesize at the moment, but more
studying needed. While this was happening
the actually front was loosing its push and becoming stationary across northwest
Florida.
After downloading the radar data from KEVX
on the 21. I begin taken a look data, using GR2Analyst (available from
GRLEVELX.COM), and begin
looking at the cell as it was south of Destin, Fl. The cell was showing signs of
a strong rotation (mesocyclone), however it was moving to the east at over
50mph. It was attached to a line of showers and thunderstorms....some of which
had very impressive lightning (almost non-stop)... I would have expected the
cell to move more of an ENE direction.
Image 1
|
 Image
2 |
| Base Reflectivity - lowest tilt | Storm Relative Velocity |
 |
 |
| 3D Slice as storms crosses the bay | 22:40:00 - Base Reflectivity |
 |
 |
 |
|
The cell was south of Santa Rosa beach, moving east toward the Panama City Area, the NWS WFO office issued what is called a Special Marine Warning.
000
WHUS52 KTAE 212054
SMWTAE
GMZ750-770-212300-
/O.NEW.KTAE.MA.W.0014.080221T2053Z-080221T2300Z/
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SPECIAL MARINE WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TALLAHASSEE FL
253 PM CST THU FEB 21 2008
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TALLAHASSEE HAS ISSUED A
* SPECIAL MARINE WARNING FOR...
WATERS FROM DESTIN FL TO PANAMA CITY OUT 20 NM OVER GULF OF
MEXICO WATERS...
INCLUDING LAGUNA BEACH AND PANAMA CITY BEACH...
* UNTIL 500 PM CST
* AT 250 PM CST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
THUNDERSTORM...PRODUCING STRONG WINDS 34 KNOTS OR GREATER 38 NM
WEST OF LAGUNA BEACH...OR ABOUT 23 NM SOUTH OF MARY ESTHER...MOVING
EAST NORTHEAST AT 20 KNOTS.
* THIS STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL BE NEAR
3 NM SOUTH OF LAGUNA BEACH BY 435 PM CST
PANAMA CITY BEACH BY 450 PM CST
BOATERS SHOULD BE ALERT FOR WATERSPOUTS. YOUR BEST COURSE OF EVASIVE
ACTION IF THREATENED BY A WATERSPOUT IS TO MOVE AWAY FROM THE
WATERSPOUT AT A 90 DEGREE ANGLE FROM ITS APPARENT MOVEMENT.
LAT...LON 3034 8615 3031 8602 3024 8588 3026 8587
3026 8586 3000 8575 2994 8646 3025 8645
3037 8619
TIME...MOT...LOC 2053Z 253DEG 22KT 3003 8663
$$
22-BARRY
Headline on stormhunter7.com
Panama City storm spotters spot Funnel cloud as storm crosses from Panama City Beach into the Panama City Area on February 21st, 2007. Below are radar images from KEVX of the cell that produced a tornado warning for the Bay County area. Including the cities of Panama City Beach, Panama City, Lynn Haven, Callaway, Parker, Springfield.
(*note above images is not a tornado, but shows a good updraft going away from the radar, while cell was over central Bay County)
To read more about this event, GO HERE.
