Flooding in the Florida Panhandle

[JLM 393]

Here just north of Pensacola, FL we experienced some pretty big floods yesterday. Up to 5+ inches of rain fell over my area in under 2 hours yesterday. I have some pics of the flooding in my front yard in which was passed on to the NWS Mobile, AL. Before i upload the pictures i have to download them on my computer so it will be a bit.  The flooding may not look bad to you, but i live on the highest point in my neighborhood so this is usually not a big problem.

[kinzyjr 3,682]

Thank you for the heads up @JLM.  From the weather radar, it looks like what you posted is a preview of coming attractions here.

[JLM 393]

@kinzyjr

I dont think the squall line itself will produce flooding, but if you have what happened here, then it will. What we had here was thunderstorms that formed over the gulf and just kept on forming and they just kept on coming in, this lasted for more than 2 hours and the storms that moved through had rainfall rates of up to 1-2 inches per hour. Luckily they were quick moving. Your biggest problem will be damaging winds, maybe some small hail and a very brief, weak tornado or two. Storm Prediction Center is thinking of a watch for your area, if they havent already issued one.

Edited February 7, 2020 by JLM

[kinzyjr 3,682]

You called it.  We haven't gotten any precipitation yet, but we've had strong winds all day.

[Palmaceae 2,417]

Just went through the squall line here in St. Pete, 1" of rain and dropped 10 degrees in a few minutes. A bit of wind but not too bad.

[kinzyjr 3,682]

20 minutes ago, Palmaceae said:

Just went through the squall line here in St. Pete, 1" of rain and dropped 10 degrees in a few minutes. A bit of wind but not too bad.

We're currently in the on-deck circle...

well... now we're starting to get the rain and higher wind gusts.

[RJ 403]

Came thought here and we had a tornado watch as well but not much more then 15 minutes of some gusty wind and lots of rain for me. Some parts not far from me got his pretty good. Upstate SC apparently got a lot more rain and wind then we did. 

Winds are howling out now. Only about 55 

 

 

[JLM 393]

23 hours ago, kinzyjr said:

You called it.  We haven't gotten any precipitation yet, but we've had strong winds all day.

This is how i guessed it lol

[JLM 393]

UPDATE: The pics that i was to upload are on a tablet in which is still deader than a doornail, i will charge it tonight and i should have them uploaded by tomorrow afternoon!

[Estlander 491]

Destin got hit pretty good:

DESTIN — Forecasters had been warning Northwest Florida residents for days about the storms that blasted through the area Thursday morning.

The severe weather, which had moved out by the afternoon, seemed to have the greatest impact in Destin, where it tangled traffic, damaged several structures and may have sparked two town home fires.

According to Destin Fire Control District Battalion Chief Jeff Anderson, crews were called to Southbay by the Gulf on U.S. Highway 98 just before noon for a town home fire.

He said it was unclear whether lightning or a power line on the roof caused the fire, but as soon as firefighters extinguished that blaze they noticed a town home at the opposite end of the complex was on fire.

The residents were home when the first fire started but got out safely. Firefighters rescued a dog from the second unit.

Crews from Okaloosa Island Fire Department and North Bay Fire Control District assisted.

Neither unit is habitable, but both can be repaired, he said.

In addition to the fires, crews responded to an awning that blew off and landed in the middle of U.S. 98 and a roof that was blown off a home on Gulf Shore Drive.

 

Damage photos:

https://www.nwfdailynews.com/photogallery/DA/20200206/PHOTOGALLERY/206009997/PH/1

[Estlander 491]

Looks like the winds were strong enough to snap a W. Robusta and P. Dactylifera in half. 

[GottmitAlex 2,906]

1 hour ago, Estlander said:

Looks like the winds were strong enough to snap a W. Robusta and P. Dactylifera in half. 

Dear Lord.  Wow.

[JLM 393]

@Estlander

Wow

[kinzyjr 3,682]

@Estlander  I thought a few snapped pines and an old rotten oak coming down was bad.  The wind must have been a lot worse in Destin.

[JLM 393]

@kinzyjr @Palmaceae @RJ @Estlander @GottmitAlex

Again, this doesnt look bad, but for this part of the neighborhood it is really bad.

Edited February 8, 2020 by JLM

[JLM 393]

@Estlander

GFS (Global Forecasting System), or the American Model, is showing maybe some early April gulf action. Leftovers from a front could make an attempt to develop, but with two areas of high pressure in place across the southeast US it doesnt look likely at all. This is 16 days out so no worry what so ever, but just a heads up for what may happen in the future. I highly doubt at this point though.

[kinzyjr 3,682]

@JLM @Estlander

Hope all of you are safe up there.  From floods among everything else that is going on.

[Estlander 491]

22 minutes ago, kinzyjr said:

@JLM @Estlander

Hope all of you are safe up there.  From floods among everything else that is going on.

All is well here!  

[AnTonY 79]

I'm coming to the conclusion that rainfall just isn't good outside of the "summer" season.

[JLM 393]

On 5/1/2020 at 7:42 PM, AnTonY said:

I'm coming to the conclusion that rainfall just isn't good outside of the "summer" season.

In this case, we had 1-3 inches of rain within 1 1/2 hours. Summer rains are tropical-like downpours that last a 5 minutes at most here. The popcorn storms are usually short lived and are not usually severe but can produce hail. I had a storm produce pea sized hail for about a minute in one of the pop-up storms in 2018. Summer rains dont lead to flooding like this case, but if several form and start a "rain-train", then it could be problematic. We might also see something called a derecho form and move through. A derecho is a line of severe thunderstorms that have produced damaging winds and/or hail for over a 300 mile area. Another 2018 example, we were in TN in the Nashville area for a few days in June and on our way home we got caught in some nasty storms on I-65, visibility was low to none with hail and damaging winds. This storm with many others that popped up with it formed a line that produced heavy wind damage over Huntsville, this same line followed us all the way back home to Pensacola. Right after we got home that day within a few minutes of arrival, a Svr Thndrstrm Wtch was issued for our area, within an hour we were experiencing the same thing as we did in TN just a little more relaxed. During fall we have an occasional severe squal line move through but other than that dry, this is our last tornado season. In winter we get cold fronts that bring cold air south into the area with lows sometimes on the coldest nights dipping into the 20s. If the precip sticks around long enough for the cold air to move in then we could get some freezing rain or sleet with the occasional flurry every 5 or so years. Spring is a continuation of winter, but the cold fronts are in a more favorable enviornment to produce tornadoes. This brings our worst tornado season of the year. Like with this year, tornadoes have touched down all across the southeast starting on Easter Sunday through 2-3 weeks after. Sorry for the long response! 

[AnTonY 79]

@JLM

Yes indeed. Rain just feels like a phenomenon best restricted to whenever an area's "summer" or "warm-season" occurs - you get the best of both worlds, the rain occurs as exciting storms that can dump buckets and put on great shows, while also managing to avoid the threat of discrete "severe" weather. Rain during winter is too gloomy and depressing with the overcast, which can drag on at times, whereas rain during the "shoulder seasons" (particularly spring) can get too out of hand easily with the severe weather (i.e. hail, tornadoes, etc).

The classic "pop-corn" summer storms range from brief to sustained, depending on whether you get hit with the core of the storm. Additionally, longer, drawn out summer rain can also occur with "easterly waves", which occur when the subtropical high moves north enough to allow these disturbances to reach the US from the Atlantic. Of course, if these easterly waves develop enough, they can become tropical cyclones, which are quite dangerous.

[JLM 393]

@AnTonY

Yes, but right now spring is giving us 3 wildfires ongoing all around me.

[AnTonY 79]

@JLM

That's the problem with spring - the rain that occurs has too much risk of dangerous tornadoes, hail, etc, but go without rain for too long, and you end up with smoldering fires.

How below average was your rainfall, though? Some news articles I read about the Panhandle fires mention that the region was around ~6 inches below average, more or less. It seems like it doesn't take much to start these fires, especially if they were man-made.

[JLM 393]

@AnTonY

Yes we are about 6-7 inches below average. The File Mile Swamp Fire was a perscribed burn that started a week ago today, this fire quickly grew out of control. So far 14 homes have been destroyed with many others damaged. There have been many acts of God though, such as a bee farm out in the middle of the forest where the fire burns. The beekeeper was forced to evacuate and had no time to bring the bees with her, and she prayed all night to find out the the fire burnt everywhere around her bees, but the bees were untouched.