Severe Weather of July 2, 2009

Severe Weather of July 2, 2009

A relatively brief period of significant severe weather occurred during the hours of peak heating on the afternoon of Thursday, July 2, 2009. Numerous reports of hail and damaging winds were received during a 4-hr period that afternoon, with the bulk of the reports coming during a 2.5-hr stretch from 3:30 to 6:00 PM EDT. Dry mid level air moved over a very moist boundary layer to produce a very unstable airmass on this day. A rare July front settled south across southern Georgia and Alabama and helped focus the convection. The sea breeze also contributed. Most of the severe weather occurred in Florida and extreme southern Georgia. A listing of severe weather reports is available in our local storm report.

A particularly severe storm raced across Tallahassee during rush hour. A map detailing the locations of the most significant damage in the city is included in Figure 1. Numerous reports of hail were received from across Leon County along with street flooding in the normally flood-prone areas of the city. Downburst winds damaged two area businesses, the Alltel store on South Monroe Street (Figure 2) and the Toys R Us on Apalachee Parkway (Figures 3 and 4). Details on the storm survey conducted in Tallahassee are included in this public information statement.

Figure 1. A map depicting damage areas in Tallahassee from severe thunderstorms that occurred on July 2, 2009.

Figure 2. Roof damage to the Alltel store on South Monroe St. in Tallahassee.

Figure 3. Roof damage to the Toys R Us store on Apalachee Parkway in Tallahassee.

Figure 4. A damaged air conditioning unit that once sat atop the Toys R Us store on Apalachee Parkway in Tallahassee.

Figure 5. Trees snapped in half on Apalachee Parkway during a severe thunderstorm on July 2, 2009.

Figure 6. Tree damage in the Indianhead Acres neighborhood of Tallahassee from a severe thunderstorm that occurred on July 2, 2009.