A Multi-scale Analysis of the Atmospheric Conditions Associated with the Daytona Beach Tornado of Christmas Day, 2006

Abstract

This case study describes a severe-storm event over Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina on 25 December 2006, with a particular focus on an F2 tornado that struck Daytona Beach, FL and caused over $50 million in damages. The severe weather occurred over a 12-h period and was associated with a deep upper-level trough and surface front moving through the southeastern U.S. Morning soundings over Florida showed low to moderate CAPE and strong vertical wind shear, consistent with seasonal composite tornadic soundings for the region. A quasi-linear convective system moved onshore near Tampa during the midmorning hours, the northern half of which accelerated and produced bow echoes that resulted in two tornadoes and nontornadic wind damage over Pasco, Sumter, and Lake Counties between 1620 and 1725 UTC. This portion of the line then moved into Volusia County and spawned F2 tornadoes in Deland and Daytona Beach after 1800 UTC. Data from the Melbourne National Weather Service Forecast Office’s Weather Surveillance Radar-1988D (WSR-88D), Daytona Beach International Airport (DAB) Automated Surface Observing System (ASOS), and DAB Low Level Wind Shear Alert System (LLWAS) were integrated to analyze conditions at the east end of the DAB runway 7L/25R complex, where the tornado first appeared. The LLWAS is normally used by air traffic control personnel for monitoring airport wind-shear conditions. The 10-s LLWAS wind data filled critical temporal and spatial gaps in the WSR-88D and ASOS data, and captured evidence of strong winds and cyclonic curvature nearly coincident with the locations of the radar-identified velocity couplet and tornado itself.