Christmas Supercells Active Over Florida Today

Active Strong Storm Observed at home (2:39-2:45pm ET)

Just had one of those small cells that has developed ahead of the main line of storms that runs from the Space coast to southwest to Ft Myers. Let me tell you, this little cell had some punch… it blasted through here within a few minutes, but put down some nice winds and heavy rain. There was a 30 second mini white out affect from all the blowing rain. I did get video and will edit later.

I’m now heading out to invest the cells moving into Martin and Western Palm Beach County. Look for my updates late tonight and first thing tomorrow.

Active Severe Weather At This Time: (1:52pm ET)

Ongoing severe storms and isolated rotating cells embedded within the squall line over central Florida this early Christmas afternoon. Severval reports of possible tornado damage already coming in from from Lake City in north Florida, Pasco County in west-central Florida, and Leesburg in central Florida. Also several report of wind damage in Deland, FL. PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORTS

The severe weather continues at this time and radar is showing some signs of a few isolated cells trying to develop ahead of the line. There is a little compact cell in southwestern Bervard county that I have been watching and a new cell in central Okeechobee county thats wanting to get into the game. Both cells are racing northeastward near 35-45mph.

Active tornado warning still in Volusia, County for a storm still showing strong sign of rotation and a possible tornado.

I’m continuing to monitor the new isolated development to my south and east, as well as the squall line thats looking more broken now on the southern end. From just north of Lake Okeechobee southward, most locations got some good sun this morning until around midday helping with heating and fuel for futrue storms today.

- This mornings post -

Update: 10:40 am ET:

Tornado Watch 884 now active over central and south Florida. Just posting a update to the concerns noted below.

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The SPC just issued a Mesoscale Discussion for our area (centra /South Florida) concerning further possible severe storm development ahead of the moderate squall line nearing the west coast of Florida this mid Christmas morning.

In this mornings post I noted all the cloud cover and was not sure if we would get any good heating today ahead of the line of storms. I knew if we could get some heating there might be a chance of some isolated cells ahead of the line to play with by afternoon. Well, the sun is out here and has been much of the morning now. Also of note is our winds are still south-southeasterly and about 15-20 mph.

This is all noted in the new discussion from the SPC and they are planning on putting up a watch over mainland central and south Florida soon. Storm Prediction Center Discussion:

MESOSCALE DISCUSSION 2305
   NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK
   0839 AM CST MON DEC 25 2006

   AREAS AFFECTED…CNTRL FL

   CONCERNING…SEVERE POTENTIAL…WATCH LIKELY

   VALID 251439Z - 251615Z

   A TORNADO WATCH IS BEING CONSIDERED FOR PORTIONS OF CNTRL FL
   INCLUDING ORLANDO…MELBOURNE AND FT. MEYERS.

   UPPER LOW HAS NOT MADE MUCH PROGRESS EWD FROM THE LWR MS VLY OVER
   THE PAST SIX HOURS…BUT A BAND OF ASCENT ASSOCD WITH RIGHT ENTRANCE
   OF A 125+ KT H25 JET WAS SPREADING EWD ACROSS THE ERN GULF OF
   MEXICO. THIS WAS SUPPORTING A PRE-FRONTAL BAND OF TSTMS FROM JUST W
   OF KJAX TO OFFSHORE KTPA. THE LINE WAS MOVING EWD AT 25 KTS. THIS
   WILL PUT THE TAIL END OF THE TSTMS S OF WW 882 BY 1530Z.

   WARM SECTOR WILL CONTINUE TO HEAT THIS MORNING WELL-AHEAD OF THE
   CURRENT TSTMS OVER PORTIONS OF CNTRL FL. 12Z TPA SOUNDING EXHIBITED
   ABOUT 1700 J/KG MUCAPE AND MODEST LAPSE RATES. 0-1KM SHEAR WAS MORE
   IMPRESSIVE WITH VALUES IN EXCESS OF 35 KTS GIVEN THE STRENGTHENING
   SSELY BOUNDARY LAYER FLOW.

   12Z MODEL SUITE STILL IS ABOUT 3-6 HRS TOO SLOW WITH PROGRESSION OF
   THE PRE-FRONTAL TSTM BAND. PRIND THAT THIS BAND WILL CONTINUE TO
   SLOWLY MOVE EWD ACROSS NRN PORTIONS OF CNTRL FL THROUGH LATE
   MORNING. THERE ARE INDICATIONS THAT TSTMS MAY DEVELOP E OF CURRENT
   ACTIVITY FROM THE MELBOURNE AREA TO VCNTY FT. MEYERS. GIVEN
   MAGNITUDE OF LOW-LEVEL SHEAR AND MODEST INSTABILITY…THE THREAT FOR
   ISOLD TORNADOES WILL EXIST WITH EMBEDDED SUPERCELLS ALONG WITH
   DAMAGING WINDS. AS A RESULT…A TORNADO WATCH IS BEING CONSIDERED.

   ..RACY.. 12/25/2006

I’m continuing to monitor the squall line and now closely watching the 1k visible satellite imagery for any signs of new isolated development as the southern half of Florida becomes more primed for storms.