VolusiaNews.net and NSBNews.net provide Volusia County with 24 / 7 Internet newspaper coverage for a 21st-century world.
Photos by Henry Frederick / DeLand resident Carlos Campuzano points to the branches that struck his wife as she tried frantically to close the front windows with the intention of keeping out the rain, never-mind a huge oak that smashed through their home, during Wednesday's thunderstorm. New Smyrna Beach led Volusia County with 3.14 inches of rain. NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- The National Weather service has issued a severe thunderstorm warning for Central Florida, including the coastal areas of Volusia County. The alert was issued just after 7 this morning.
The weather service cautions the public to be prepared for strong wind gusts of up to 70 mph and possible hail of i-inch in diameter.
Here is the alert: URGENT - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH NUMBER 105 NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK 705 AM EDT TUE APR 5 2011 THE NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER HAS ISSUED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL FLORIDA PENINSULA COASTAL WATERS EFFECTIVE THIS TUESDAY MORNING AND AFTERNOON FROM 705 AM UNTIL 200 PM EDT.
HAIL TO 1 INCH IN DIAMETER...THUNDERSTORM WIND GUSTS TO 70 MPH...AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING ARE POSSIBLE IN THESE AREAS. THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH AREA IS APPROXIMATELY ALONG AND 70 STATUTE MILES EAST AND WEST OF A LINE FROM 40 MILES NORTHEAST OF OCALA FLORIDA TO 40 MILES SOUTH SOUTHWEST OF AVON PARK FLORIDA.
FOR A COMPLETE DEPICTION OF THE WATCH SEE THE ASSOCIATED WATCH OUTLINE UPDATE (WOUS64 KWNS WOU5). REMEMBER...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH MEANS CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IN AND CLOSE TO THE WATCH AREA.
PERSONS IN THESE AREAS SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THREATENING WEATHER CONDITIONS AND LISTEN FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS. SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAN AND OCCASIONALLY DO PRODUCE TORNADOES. OTHER WATCH INFORMATION...CONTINUE...WW 101...WW 102...WW 103...WW 104... DISCUSSION...TRAILING EXTENSION OF LONG-LIVED QLCS IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE EWD/SEWD ACROSS WATCH AREA TODAY WITH SOME BACKBUILDING DEVELOPMENT POSSIBLE ALONG THE WRN EDGE OF SYSTEM. WHILE DEEP-LAYER VERTICAL SHEAR WILL GRADUALLY STRENGTHEN THROUGH THE MORNING...THE LOW-LEVEL WIND FIELD IS EXPECTED TO VEER AND SLOWLY WEAKEN.
GIVEN THAT THE DOMINANT CONVECTIVE MODE IS EXPECTED TO REMAIN LINEAR OR QUASI-LINEAR...THE PRIMARY HAZARD WILL BE DAMAGING WIND GUSTS. AVIATION...A FEW SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH HAIL SURFACE AND ALOFT TO 1 INCH. EXTREME TURBULENCE AND SURFACE WIND GUSTS TO 60 KNOTS. A FEW CUMULONIMBI WITH MAXIMUM TOPS TO 500. MEAN STORM MOTION VECTOR 27035. ...MEAD AFFECTED STATES: FLORIDA.