Overview
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An intense storm system pivoting northeastward through the lower Mississippi Valley on the evening of April 12th sparked a severe weather outbreak throughout the southeastern states on April 12th and 13th. As this storm system lifted through the Tennessee and Ohio Valleys on April 13th, an associated frontal boundary moved slowly through our region, resulting in widespread heavy rainfall and several rounds of strong to severe thunderstorms on April 14th and 15th. |
 Geocolor visible satellite imagery from April 13, 2020. |
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| Loop of KJAX reflectivity and velocity data from Odum, GA EF-1 tornado. | Loop of KVAX reflectivity and velocity data from Ambrose, GA EF-0 tornado. | Loop of KJAX reflectivity and velocity data from Duval-Nassau County, FL EF-0 tornado. |
Tornadoes:
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Tornado #1 - Odum, GA
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Tornado #2 - Ambrose, GA
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Tornado #3 - Live Oak, FL
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Tornado #4 - North Duval County, FL
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The Enhanced Fujita (EF) Scale classifies tornadoes into the following categories:
| EF0 Weak 65-85 mph |
EF1 Moderate 86-110 mph |
EF2 Significant 111-135 mph |
EF3 Severe 136-165 mph |
EF4 Extreme 166-200 mph |
EF5 Catastrophic 200+ mph |
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Photos & Video
Collection of Tweets from April 13, 2020
April 13, 2020 Svr Wx - Curated tweets by NWSJacksonvilleCollection of Tweets from April 15, 2020
April 15, 2020 Svr Wx - Curated tweets by NWSJacksonvilleStorm Reports
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARY
National Weather Service Jacksonville FL
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0624 AM TSTM WND DMG 5 WNW DOUGLAS 31.54N 82.93W
04/13/2020 Coffee GA EMERGENCY MNGR
EMERGENCY MANAGER REPORTS WIND DAMAGE TO A VACATE MOBILE
HOME NEAR CHANEY ROAD AND HIGHWAY 32. TIME ESTIMATED
BASED ON RADAR.
0627 AM TSTM WND DMG 5 WNW DOUGLAS 31.54N 82.92W
04/13/2020 Coffee GA EMERGENCY MNGR
NUMEROUS TREES AND POWER LINES WERE KNOCKED DOWN
THROUGHOUT COFFEE COUNTY PER EMA AND 911.
0632 AM TSTM WND DMG 7 S DOUGLAS 31.41N 82.85W
04/13/2020 Coffee GA PUBLIC
NEAR COFFEE COUNTY / AND ATKINSON COUNTY ALONG U.S.221
NUMEROUS TREES, POWER LINES AND A POTENTIAL HOUSE ROOF
WERE REPORTED BLOWN OFF.
0632 AM TSTM WND DMG 2 E DOUGLAS 31.51N 82.82W
04/13/2020 Coffee GA EMERGENCY MNGR
TREES AND POWER LINES DOWN ACROSS COFFEE COUNTY. ROOF ON
HOME COLLAPSED ON SLEEPY HALLOW FARM ROAD.
0639 AM TORNADO 5 SE AMBROSE 31.55N 82.96W
04/13/2020 COFFEE GA NWS STORM SURVEY
IN THE EARLY MORNING HOURS OF APRIL 13TH, AN
EF-O TORNADO WITH MAX WINDS OF 80 MPH
TOUCHED DOWN ABOUT 5 MILES SE OF AMBROSE,
GA. THE TORNADO WAS APPROXIMATELY 125 YARDS
WIDE AND TRAVELED ABOUT 1.5 MILES BEFORE
LIFTING NEAR HWY 32.
0640 AM TSTM WND GST DOUGLAS 31.51N 82.85W
04/13/2020 M55.00 MPH COFFEE GA ASOS
DOUGLASS MUNICIPAL AIRPORT REPORTED A THUNDERSTORM WIND
GUST OF 55 MPH AT 640 AM ET.
0640 AM TSTM WND DMG 5 SE AMBROSE 31.54N 82.96W
04/13/2020 Coffee GA EMERGENCY MNGR
COFFEE COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT SHARED PICTURES OF
SIGNFICANT DAMAGE TO MOBILE HOMES AND AN EIGHTEEN WHEEL
TRUCK OVERTURNED IN THE VICINTIY OF BUSHNELL.
0654 AM TSTM WND GST ALMA 31.54N 82.48W
04/13/2020 M49.00 MPH BACON GA ASOS
ALMA ASOS MEASURED A PEAK GUST TO 49 MPH.
0710 AM TSTM WND DMG 10 N PATTERSON 31.52N 82.15W
04/13/2020 Appling GA EMERGENCY MNGR
APPLING COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT REPORTS TREES DOWNED
ALONG STATE ROAD 203 AT THE WAYNE COUNTY LINE, A BUILDING
DAMAGED ALONG LAKE GRIFFIS ROAD, AND TREES DOWNED ALONG
LAKE CHAPEL ROAD NEAR THE INTERSECTION WITH DASHER ROAD.
0725 AM TORNADO WNW ODUM 31.67N 82.03W
04/13/2020 Wayne GA EMERGENCY MNGR
WAYNE COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT SHARED PHOTOS OF A
HOUSE RAISED ON CINDER BLOCK FOUNDATION THAT WAS SPUN OFF
THE FOUNDATION IN ODUM. MAGNITUDE OF TORNADO WILL BE
DETERMINED BY STORM SURVEY.
0725 AM TSTM WND DMG ODUM 31.67N 82.03W
04/13/2020 WAYNE GA LAW ENFORCEMENT
WAYNE COUNTY SHERIFFS OFFICE REPORTS MULTIPLE HOUSES
DAMAGED IN THE VICINITY OF ODUM.
0725 AM TSTM WND DMG 2 ENE ODUM 31.67N 82.00W
04/13/2020 Wayne GA PUBLIC
*** 8 INJ *** ROOF AND WINDOW DAMAGE TO APPROXIMATELY 35
HOMES IN THE VICINITY OF ODUM,WITH POWER LINES AND TREES
KNOCKED DOWN ALONG WALTER GRIFFIS ROAD, HIRES AVENUE,
HYMA POPPELL LOOP AND TANK ROAD. 8 INJURIES REPORTED WITH
3 OF THOSE REQUIRING TRANSPORT TO THE HOSPITAL.
0725 AM TORNADO ODUM 31.67N 82.03W
04/13/2020 WAYNE GA NWS STORM SURVEY
*** 8 INJ ***
NWS STORM SURVEY FOUND EVIDENCE OF A
HIGH-END EF-1 TORNADO WITH PEAK WINDS OF 110
MPH TOUCHED DOWN IN THE CITY OF ODUM, GA AND
TRAVELED EAST-NORTHEASTWARD FOR 4.67 MILES
BEFORE LIFTING UP. THE PATH WIDTH WAS
APPROXIMATELY 1/4 MILES AT ITS WIDEST.
0727 AM TORNADO 2 ENE ODUM 31.68N 81.99W
04/13/2020 Wayne GA EMERGENCY MNGR
A TORNADO LIFTED A MANUFACTURED HOME OFF THE GROUND AND
OVERTOP OF POWERLINES, WHERE IT THEN CRASHED TO THE
GROUND IN A FIELD ADJACENT TO HYMA POPPELL LOOP NEAR
POPPELL FARMS TO THE NORTHEAST OF ODOM. THE INTENSITY OF
THIS TORNADO WILL BE DETERMINED BY A STORM SURVEY THAT
WILL BE CONDUCTED THIS AFTERNOON. TIME OF DAMAGE BASED ON
RADAR DATA.
0738 AM TSTM WND GST JESUP 31.60N 81.89W
04/13/2020 M41.00 MPH Wayne GA AWOS
JESUP GEORGIA AWOS STATION KJES MEASURED A GUST TO 41
MPH.
0740 AM TSTM WND DMG 3 WNW DOCTORTOWN 31.67N 81.88W
04/13/2020 WAYNE GA TRAINED SPOTTER
SNAPPED TREES, DAMAGE TO PORCH ROOF AND
TOTALED GREENHOUSE. NEIGHBOR SINGLE-WIDE
TRAILER BLOWN OFF FOUNDATION.
0910 AM TSTM WND GST 11 NNW STEPHEN FOSTER S 30.98N 82.40W
04/13/2020 M41.00 MPH Charlton GA MESONET
THE REMOTE AUTOMATIC WEATHER STATION IN THE NORTHWESTERN
PORTION OF THE OKEFENOKEE SWAMP MEASURED A PEAK WIND GUST
OF 41 MPH.
0940 AM TSTM WND DMG 5 WNW KINGSLAND 30.81N 81.75W
04/13/2020 Camden GA DEPT OF HIGHWAYS
THE CITY OF KINGSLAND POSTED INFORMATION ON SOCIAL MEDIA
REGARDING A TREE DOWNED BY STRONG WIND GUSTS NEAR THE
INTERSECTION OF GEORGIA HIGHWAY 40 AND COLERAIN ROAD.
TIME OF DAMAGE BASED ON RADAR DATA.
1009 AM TORNADO 1 WNW LIVE OAK 30.30N 83.01W
04/13/2020 Suwannee FL EMERGENCY MNGR
AN EF-0 TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN JUST NORTHEAST OF THE
SUWANNEE COUNTY AIRPORT AND MOVED EAST-NORTHASTWARD
ACROSS U.S. HIGHWAY 90, DAMAGING THREE BUILDINGS ADJACENT
TO GOLDKIST BOULEVARD, INCLUDING PARTIALLY PEELING THE
ROOF OFF OF THE FARMERS COOPERATIVE BUILDING. THE TORNADO
CONTINUED EAST-NORTHEASTWARD WITH SPORADIC DAMAGE NEAR
NOBLES FERRY ROAD AND HOUSTON AVENUE AND THEN LIFTED NEAR
THE WALMART SUPERCENTER ADJACENT TO U.S. HIGHWAY 129.
1009 AM TORNADO 2 NW LIVE OAK 30.31N 83.01W
04/13/2020 SUWANNEE FL NWS STORM SURVEY
ON THE MORNING OF APRIL 13TH, AN EF-O
TORNADO WITH MAX WINDS OF 75 MPH TOUCHED
DOWN ON THE NW SIDE OF LIVE OAK, GA NEAR THE
FARMERS COOP. THE TORNADO WAS APPROXIMATELY
175 YARDS WIDE AND TRAVELED A SPOTTY 3 MILE
PATH (LIFTING UP AND TOUCHING BACK DOWN
AGAIN A FEW TIMES) BEFORE FINALLY LIFTING ON
THE NE SIDE OF TOWN, JUST SOUTH OF THE
WALMART.
1010 AM TSTM WND DMG 2 WNW LIVE OAK 30.31N 83.01W
04/13/2020 Suwannee FL EMERGENCY MNGR
SUWANNEE COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT REPORTS THREE
DAMAGED ALONG U.S. HIGHWAY 90 JUST WEST OF DOWNTOWN LIVE
OAK ALONG GOLDKIST BOULEVARD. THE ROOF OF THE FARMERS
COOPERATIVE BUILDING WAS AT LEAST PARTIALLY TORN OFF.
TIME OF DAMAGE BASED ON RADAR DATA.
1010 AM HEAVY RAIN 5 ESE NAHUNTA 31.17N 81.90W
04/13/2020 M2.43 INCH Brantley GA PUBLIC
FORMER NWS EMPLOYEE REPORTED 2.43 INCHES OF RAINFALL IN
ABOUT 100 MINUTES ABOUT 6 MILES TO THE SOUTHEAST OF
NAHUNTA.
1016 AM TSTM WND DMG LIVE OAK 30.29N 82.99W
04/13/2020 SUWANNEE FL 911 CALL CENTER
WIDESPREAD REPORTS OF TREES AND POWERLINES REPORTED
ACROSS SUWANNEE COUNTY, FLORIDA.
0845 AM TSTM WND DMG 10 SW LIVE OAK 30.19N 83.10W
04/14/2020 Suwannee FL 911 CALL CENTER
SUWANNEE COUNTY 911/DISPATCH REPORTED TREES AND
POWERLINES DOWN ALONG 144TH STREET NEAR LURAVILLE. TIME
OF DAMAGE BASED ON RADAR DATA.
0850 AM TSTM WND DMG 4 NNW LURAVILLE 30.17N 83.20W
04/14/2020 Suwannee FL EMERGENCY MNGR
SUWANNEE COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT RELAYED PHOTOS OF
PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT AND A METAL SHED DAMAGED BY
SUB-SEVERE WIND GUSTS. TIME OF DAMAGE BASED ON RADAR
DATA.
1007 AM TSTM WND GST MAYPORT 30.38N 81.42W
04/14/2020 M43 MPH DUVAL FL AWOS
AWOS STATION KNRB MAYPORT NAVAL STATION.
1010 AM TSTM WND GST 2 N MAYPORT 30.42N 81.41W
04/14/2020 M41 MPH AMZ452 FL MESONET
MESONET STATION XHUP HUGUENOT PARK.
1255 PM TSTM WND DMG 1 ESE MANNVILLE 29.62N 81.85W
04/14/2020 PUTNAM FL 911 CALL CENTER
TREE DOWN ON POWER LINE NEAR INTERLACHEN.
0258 AM TSTM WND DMG 4 NNE COLUMBIA 30.13N 82.66W
04/15/2020 COLUMBIA FL EMERGENCY MNGR
SNAPPED TREE FELL ON MOBILE HOME AND SHED
CAUSING ROOFS TO CAVE IN. RADAR ESTIMATED
TIME.
0717 AM TORNADO 4 SSE JACKSONVILLE INTE 30.44N 81.67W
04/15/2020 Duval FL NWS STORM SURVEY
DURING THE EARLY MORNING HOURS ON APRIL 15TH, AN EF-0
TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN IN THE BISCAYNE DOWNS SUBDIVISION
NEAR THE BROWARD RIVER JUST EAST OF INTERSTATE 95,
DESTROYING A SUNROOM AND KNOCKING DOWN TREES ALONG
SARASOTA LANE, RIVA RIDGE DRIVE AND SECRETARIAT DRIVE
NORTH. THE TORNADO LIKELY LIFTED BEFORE CROSSING THE
BROWARD RIVER, WITH SPORADIC DAMAGE THROUGH OCEANWAY
BEFORE THE TORNADO CAUSED FURTHER TREE DAMAGE ALONG
GROVER ROAD, BONEY ROAD AND STARRATT ROAD THROUGH BLACK
HAMMOCK ISLAND.
0718 AM TSTM WND DMG 3 SW OCEANWAY 30.44N 81.67W
04/15/2020 DUVAL FL EMERGENCY MNGR
MULTIPLE TREES DOWN NEAR SECRETARIAT LANE
NORTH. RADAR ESTIMATED TIME.
0718 AM TSTM WND DMG 3 SW OCEANWAY 30.44N 81.67W
04/15/2020 DUVAL FL BROADCAST MEDIA
SNAPPED TREE FELL ON HOUSE NEAR SARASOTA
LANE. RADAR ESTIMATED TIME.
0736 AM TSTM WND DMG 5 ENE OCEANWAY 30.50N 81.55W
04/15/2020 DUVAL FL BROADCAST MEDIA
UPROOTED TREES AND BROKEN TREE LIMBS ON
PROPERTY NEAR GROVER ROAD AND STARATT ROAD.
RADAR ESTIMATED TIME.
0738 AM TSTM WND DMG 6 ENE OCEANWAY 30.50N 81.54W
04/15/2020 DUVAL FL BROADCAST MEDIA
SNAPPED TREE FELL ON A TRUCK AND UPROOTED
TREES FELL ACROSS BONEY ROAD. RADAR
ESTIMATED TIME.
0746 AM WATER SPOUT 4 NNW TALBOT ISLAND 30.52N 81.45W
04/15/2020 AMZ452 FL BROADCAST MEDIA
VIDEO OF WATER SPOUT NEAR THE A1A BRIDGE
FROM BIG TALBOT ISLAND TO AMELIA ISLAND.
RADAR ESTIMATED TIME.
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Environment
A potent shortwave trough was aloft of the southeast, enhancing divergence aloft as a strong cold front approached southeast Georgia and northeast Florida in the morning hours of April 13th. This piece of energy would lift northeastward, swinging off the mid-Atlantic coast later that day, causing the front to stall out over the area. The stalled frontal boundary would waver back and forth April 14th-15th. The jets at 500 mb and 300 mb both featured 90 kt winds aloft of JAX and even at 850 mb, winds were 65 kts.
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| 4/13 12Z Surface Analysis | 4/13 12Z 850 mb Analysis | 4/13 12Z 500 mb Analysis | 4/13 12Z 300 mb Analysis |
Instability and shear were both available to be tapped into the morning of April 13th. 12Z RAP analysis showed 1000-2000 J/kg SBCAPE across southeast Georgia and northeast Florida, with over 2000 J/kg SBCAPE over the lower Suwannee Valley. Deep layer shear may have peaked over the Tennessee Valley at 90-100 kts, but there was still plenty available across our local area- about 50-60 kts across northeast Florida, 60-70 kts across southeast Georgia. Similarly, 12Z RAP analysis sowed low level (0-3 km) SRH peaked to our north across the mid-Atlantic at a whopping 1000 m2/s2, but 300-500 m2/s2 SRH was available locally. At KJAX, the 12Z sounding actually showed 546 m2/s2 0-1 km SRH and 771 m2/s2 0-3 km SRH with about 1300 J/kg SBCAPE and 63 kts effective shear. The Significant Tornado Parameter for the effective layer was 5.1, showing the environment was very favorable for not only the development of tornadoes, but of significant tornadoes (EF2 or greater).
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| 4/13 12Z Surface Based CAPE | 4/13 12Z 0-6 km Shear | 4/13 12Z 0-3 km SRH | 4/13 12Z KJAX Sounding |
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