View source for Cuba–Florida tornadoes of March 16–17, 1983

{{short description|Severe weather event in the United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2022}}
{{Infobox storm
| name                 = Cuba–Florida tornadoes of March 16–17, 1983
| image                =
| alt                  =
| caption              =
| formed               =
| active               = March 16–17, 1983
| dissipated           =
| lowest pressure      =
| lowest temperature   =
| tornadoes            = 4 confirmed
| fujitascale          = F2
| tornado duration     =
| highest winds        = {{convert|98|mi/h|km/h|abbr=on}} in Cuba on March 16
| gusts                =
| hail                 = {{convert|1|in|cm|abbr=on}} in South Florida on March 17
| maximum snow         =
| power outages        =
| casualties           = 1 fatality, 66 injuries (+1 non-tornadic)
| damages              =
| affected             = [[Cuba]], [[South Florida]]
| current advisories   =
| enhanced             = no
| notes                =
}}
On March&nbsp;16–17, 1983, a significant [[severe weather]] event affected the island of Cuba and the southern Florida peninsula, including the [[Miami metropolitan area]]. A total of at least four&nbsp;[[tornado]]es affected these regions; while as many as 17&nbsp;were reported in South Florida, only two&nbsp;were confirmed in the official [[National Weather Service]] records. The strongest tornado produced F2 damage on the [[Fujita scale]] and skipped across the [[Everglades]] region from the eastern [[Big Cypress National Preserve]] through the [[Everglades#Central and Southern Florida Flood Control Project|Everglades and Francis S. Taylor Wildlife Management Area]] to [[Lighthouse Point, Florida|Lighthouse Point]]—a path length of nearly {{convert|53|mi|km|abbr=on}}. An F1 tornado also affected [[Naples, Florida|Naples]] and [[Golden Gate, Florida|Golden Gate]]. Additionally, unconfirmed tornadoes affected an [[RV park]] southeast of [[East Naples, Florida|East Naples]], as well as the [[Stuart, Florida|Stuart]] and [[Jupiter, Florida|Jupiter]] areas, respectively. In addition to tornadoes, severe [[thunderstorm]]s produced hail to {{convert|1|in|cm|abbr=on}} in diameter, as well as [[rain]]fall totals of {{convert|1|to|2|in|mm|abbr=on}} in some areas.{{refn|group=nb|name=Outbreak|An [[tornado outbreak|outbreak]] is generally defined as a group of at least six tornadoes with no more than a six-hour gap between individual tornadoes; however, the threshold varies slightly according to local climatology. On the Florida peninsula, an outbreak consists of at least four tornadoes occurring relatively synchronously—no more than four hours apart.{{sfn|Hagemeyer|1997|p=400}}{{sfn|Grazulis|2001a|p=[https://archive.org/details/tornadonaturesul0000graz/page/206 206]}}{{sfn|Hagemeyer|1997|p=401}}<ref name=Agnes>{{cite conference |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081016213739/http://www.srh.noaa.gov/mlb/PDFs/agnes30.pdf |archive-date=October 16, 2008 |url=http://www.srh.noaa.gov/mlb/PDFs/agnes30.pdf |title=Thirty Years After Hurricane Agnes: the Forgotten Florida Tornado Disaster |last1=Hagemeyer |first1=Bartlett C. |last2=Spratt |first2=Scott M. |year=2002 |publisher=[[American Meteorological Society]] |location=Melbourne, Florida |publication-place=[[San Diego]], [[California]]|conference=25th Conference on Hurricanes and Tropical Meteorology |conference-url=https://ams.confex.com/ams/25HURR/webprogram/25HURR.html |accessdate=November 24, 2019}}</ref>{{sfn|Grazulis|2001a|p=[https://archive.org/details/tornadonaturesul0000graz/page/206 206]}}}}{{refn|group=nb|name=Fujita|The [[Fujita scale]] was devised under the aegis of scientist [[Ted Fujita|T. Theodore Fujita]] in the early 1970s. Prior to the advent of the scale in 1971, tornadoes in the United States were officially unrated.{{sfn|Grazulis|1993|p=141}}{{sfn|Grazulis|2001a|p=[https://archive.org/details/tornadonaturesul0000graz/page/131 131]}} While the Fujita scale has been superseded by the [[Enhanced Fujita scale]] in the U.S. since February&nbsp;1, 2007,<ref name="EFscale">{{cite web|last1=Edwards|first1=Roger|title=Enhanced F Scale for Tornado Damage|url=http://www.spc.noaa.gov/faq/tornado/ef-scale.html|website=The Online Tornado FAQ (by Roger Edwards, SPC)|publisher=Storm Prediction Center|access-date=February 25, 2016|date=March 5, 2015}}</ref> Canada used the old scale until April&nbsp;1, 2013;<ref name="FscaleCanada">{{cite web |title=Enhanced Fujita Scale (EF-Scale) |url=https://www.ec.gc.ca/meteo-weather/default.asp?lang=En&n=41E875DA-1 |website=Environment and Climate Change Canada |access-date=February 25, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303220706/http://www.ec.gc.ca/meteo-weather/default.asp?lang=En&n=41E875DA-1 |archive-date=March 3, 2016 |date=June 6, 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref> nations elsewhere, like the United Kingdom, apply other classifications such as the [[TORRO scale]].<ref name="TORROscale">{{cite web|title=The International Tornado Intensity Scale |url=http://www.torro.org.uk/tscale.php |website=Tornado and Storm Research Organisation |access-date=February 25, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305120332/http://www.torro.org.uk/tscale.php |archive-date=March 5, 2016 |year=2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref>}}{{refn|group=nb|name=Count|Historically, the number of tornadoes globally and in the United States was and is likely underrepresented: research by Grazulis on annual tornado activity suggests that, as of 2001, only 53% of yearly U.S. tornadoes were officially recorded. Documentation of tornadoes outside the United States was historically less exhaustive, owing to the lack of monitors in many nations and, in some cases, to internal political controls on public information.{{sfn|Grazulis|2001a|pp=[https://archive.org/details/tornadonaturesul0000graz/page/251 251]–[https://archive.org/details/tornadonaturesul0000graz/page/254 4]}} Most countries only recorded tornadoes that produced severe damage or loss of life.<ref name="TornadoClimaFAQ">{{cite web|last1=Edwards|first1=Roger|title=The Online Tornado FAQ (by Roger Edwards, SPC)|url=http://www.spc.noaa.gov/faq/tornado/#Climatology|website=Storm Prediction Center: Frequently Asked Questions about Tornadoes|publisher=[[Storm Prediction Center]]|access-date=February 25, 2016|date=March 5, 2015}}</ref> Significant low biases in U.S. tornado counts likely occurred through the early 1990s, when advanced [[NEXRAD]] was first installed and the [[National Weather Service]] began comprehensively verifying tornado occurrences.{{sfn|Cook|Schaefer|2008|p=3135}}}}
==Background==
On Thursday, March&nbsp;17, 1983, [[surface weather analysis]] indicated that a large and intense [[low-pressure area]] over the [[Gulf of Mexico]] was producing [[gale]]-force winds over the southern Florida peninsula. Above the surface, a strong low-level [[jet stream]] coupled with a large negative [[geopotential height]]—measuring [[standard deviation]]s below normal—produced sufficient [[momentum|lifting]] and [[wind shear]], both conditions conducive to severe weather. Due to the favorable conditions for severe weather, the [[National Weather Service]] office in Miami issued a [[tornado watch]] for [[South Florida]], effective the morning of March&nbsp;17. The watch was canceled at 9:30&nbsp;a.m. [[Eastern Time Zone|EST]] (14:30&nbsp;[[Coordinated Universal Time|UTC]]), but then was reissued and extended to 5:00&nbsp;p.m. (22:00&nbsp;UTC) as more storms formed over the Everglades. [[Weather forecasting|Forecasters]] expected the low pressure area in the Gulf of Mexico to bring a [[cold front]] across Florida on Friday, March&nbsp;18.<ref name="BackgroundSummary">Multiple sources:
*{{cite news|last=Arnold|first=John|title=Thunderstorms disrupt power and snarl traffic in South Florida|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/110224529/|work=Miami Herald|date=March 18, 1983|edition=Final|location=Miami|page=11A|via=Newspapers.com}} {{free access}}
*{{cite news|last=d'Oliveira|first=Stephen|title=Broward: more rain|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/110047853/|work=Fort Lauderdale News|date=March 16, 1983|edition=Street|location=Fort Lauderdale, Florida|page=1A|via=Newspapers.com}} {{free access}}
*{{cite news|last=d'Oliveira|first=Stephen|title=Warning: Keep a raincoat handy|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/110047862/|work=[[Sun-Sentinel#History|Fort Lauderdale News]]|date=March 16, 1983|edition=South Broward|location=[[Fort Lauderdale, Florida]]|page=1A|via=Newspapers.com}} {{free access}}
*{{cite news|last1=Frank|first1=Ann|last2=d'Oliveira|first2=Stephen|title=At least 4 tornadoes tear through county|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/110225307/|work=Fort Lauderdale News|date=March 17, 1983|location=Fort Lauderdale, Florida|page=1A|via=Newspapers.com}} {{free access}}
**[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/122781216/ p. 7A]
*{{cite news|author=Staff|title=Freak Storm Ravages Roofs, Tosses Mobile Homes|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/110047607/|work=Naples Daily News|volume=60|issue=202|edition=Afternoon|date=March 17, 1983|location=Naples, Florida|page=1A|via=Newspapers.com}} {{free access}}
**[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/110047579/ p. 2A]
</ref>
The tornadoes occurred during a [[1982–83 El Niño event|strong occurrence]] of [[El Niño]]—a condition known to enhance severe weather over Florida.<ref name="ElNiño-1">{{cite conference|url= http://innovation.srh.noaa.gov/images/mlb/pdfs/20th_AMS_El_Nino_low_pressure_storminess_severe_weather_Florida_hagemeyer.pdf|title= Development of an index of storminess as a proxy for dry season severe weather in Florida and its relationship with ENSO|last1= Hagemeyer|first1= Barlett C.|access-date=October 7, 2021|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140225082459/http://innovation.srh.noaa.gov/images/mlb/pdfs/20th_AMS_El_Nino_low_pressure_storminess_severe_weather_Florida_hagemeyer.pdf|archive-date=February 25, 2014|url-status= dead|conference=20th Conference on Severe Local Storms|publisher=[[National Weather Service]]|location=Melbourne, Florida|publication-place=[[Orlando, Florida]]|year=2000}}</ref><ref name="ElNiño-2">{{cite conference |url= http://www.srh.noaa.gov/images/mlb/pdfs/SignigicantExtratropicalTornadoOccurrencesinFlorida.pdf|title= Significant Extratropical Tornado Occurrences in Florida During Strong El Niño and Strong La Niña Events|last1=Hagemeyer|first1=Barlett C.|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140225082455/http://www.srh.noaa.gov/images/mlb/pdfs/SignigicantExtratropicalTornadoOccurrencesinFlorida.pdf|archive-date=February 25, 2014|conference=19th Conference on Severe Local Storms|accessdate=October 7, 2021|publication-place=[[Minneapolis]]|publisher=National Weather Service|location=Melbourne, Florida|year=1998}}</ref><ref name="CPC">{{cite web|author=National Weather Service|url=https://origin.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/analysis_monitoring/ensostuff/ONI_v5.php|title=Cold & Warm Episodes by Season|website=[[Climate Prediction Center]]|publisher=National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration|location=[[College Park, Maryland]]|accessdate=23 September 2022}}</ref>
{{clear}}
==Confirmed tornadoes==
{{Tornado Chart | Total=≥ 4* | FU = 2 | F0=0 | F1=1 | F2=1 | F3=0 | F4=0 | F5=0}}
*At least three&nbsp;unconfirmed tornadoes were reported, two&nbsp;of them in Martin County and the other one in Collier County:
:•A tornado reportedly affected the Hitching Post RV Travel Resort, near [[Naples Manor, Florida|Naples Manor]], causing $6,000 in damage to one&nbsp;trailer, tearing loose a [[carport]] from another, and felling trees and utility lines. Electricity was disrupted for four&nbsp;hours, leaving 300&nbsp;residents powerless.<ref name="HitchingPost">Multiple sources:
*{{cite news|last=Curry|first=Chuck|title=Collier Officials To Tour Storm Damage Sites|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/109542977/|work=[[Naples Daily News]]|volume=60|issue=203|date=March 18, 1983|location=[[Naples, Florida]]|page=4A|via=Newspapers.com}} {{free access}}
*{{cite news|last=Leen|first=Jeff|department=Gulf Coast News|title=Tornados rip through three Collier County areas|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/110227892/|edition=Gulf|work=Miami Herald|date=March 18, 1983|location=Miami|page=1C|via=Newspapers.com}} {{free access}}
</ref>
:•Another possible tornado about 8:20&nbsp;a.m. (13:20&nbsp;UTC) overturned a vehicle on the [[Florida State Road 710#Route description|Bee-Line Highway]] north of [[Indiantown Road#Route description|Indiantown Road]], west of [[Jupiter, Florida|Jupiter]], injuring one&nbsp;woman. The person was transported to a hospital, where she was treated and released.<ref name="StuartTornadoes">Multiple sources:
*{{cite news|last=Crankshaw|first=Joe|department=Martin News|title=Two twisters touch down, treetops fall|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/110224462/|work=[[Miami Herald]]|date=March 18, 1983|edition=Martin|location=[[Miami]]|page=1C|via=Newspapers.com}} {{free access}}
*{{cite news|title=Tornadoes Strike South Florida; Fort Lauderdale Area Hit Hardest|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/110240463/|work=[[Palm Beach Post]]|volume=75|issue=25|date=March 18, 1983|edition=South County|location=[[West Palm Beach, Florida]]|page=A1|via=Newspapers.com}} {{free access}}
</ref>
:•A third possible tornado touched down around 8:35&nbsp;a.m. (13:35&nbsp;UTC) in [[Stuart, Florida|Stuart]], damaging trees, downing branches, and destroying portions of tree trunks, along with a screened [[greenhouse]]. [[Florida Power & Light|Florida Power and Light]] crews removed branches from electrical wires.<ref name="StuartTornadoes" />
{{clear}}
===March&nbsp;16 event===
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="width:100%;"
|+ Confirmed tornadoes – Wednesday, March 16, 1983{{refn|group=nb|name=Date/Time|All dates are based on the local [[time zone]] where the tornado touched down; however, all times are in [[Coordinated Universal Time]] and dates are split at midnight [[Central Time Zone|CST/CDT]] for consistency.}}{{refn|group=nb|name=Width|Prior to 1994, only the average widths of tornado paths were officially listed.{{sfn|Brooks|2004|p=310}}}}
|-
! scope="col"  style="width:3%; text-align:center;"|[[Fujita scale|F#]]
! scope="col"  style="width:7%; text-align:center;" class="unsortable"|Location
! scope="col"  style="width:6%; text-align:center;" class="unsortable"|County / Parish
! scope="col"  style="width:5%; text-align:center;"|State
! scope="col"  style="width:6%; text-align:center;"|Time ([[Coordinated Universal Time|UTC]])
! scope="col"  style="width:6%; text-align:center;"|Path length
! scope="col"  style="width:6%; text-align:center;"|{{abbr|Max.|Maximum}} width
! scope="col" class="unsortable" style="width:48%; text-align:center;"|Summary
|-
|bgcolor=#{{storm colour|unk}} | FU
|{{unk}} (two tornadoes)
|{{unk}}
|[[Pinar del Río Province|Pinar del Río]]
|{{unk}}
|{{unk}}
|{{unk}}
|1 death – Multiple tornadoes destroyed or damaged 467 structures. Up to 64 injuries occurred, yet losses were unknown.<ref name="Cuba1">{{cite news|title=1 dead, 64 hurt in Cuban storm|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/122781386/|work=Fort Lauderdale News|date=March 17, 1983|edition=Final|agency=[[Associated Press]]|location=Miami|publication-place=Fort Lauderdale, Florida|page=5A|via=Newspapers.com}} {{free access}}</ref>
|}
{{clear}}
===March&nbsp;17 event===
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="width:100%;"
|+ Confirmed tornadoes – Thursday, March 17, 1983{{refn|group=nb|name=Date/Time}}{{refn|group=nb|name=Width}}
|-
! scope="col"  style="width:3%; text-align:center;"|[[Fujita scale|F#]]
! scope="col"  style="width:7%; text-align:center;" class="unsortable"|Location
! scope="col"  style="width:6%; text-align:center;" class="unsortable"|County / Parish
! scope="col"  style="width:5%; text-align:center;"|State
! scope="col"  style="width:6%; text-align:center;"|Start<br>{{abbr|coord.|Coordinates}}
! scope="col"  style="width:6%; text-align:center;"|Time ([[Coordinated Universal Time|UTC]])
! scope="col"  style="width:6%; text-align:center;"|Path length
! scope="col"  style="width:6%; text-align:center;"|{{abbr|Max.|Maximum}} width
! scope="col" class="unsortable" style="width:48%; text-align:center;"|Summary
|-
|bgcolor=#{{storm colour|cat1}} | F1
|[[Naples, Florida|Naples]] to [[Golden Gate, Florida|Golden Gate]]
|[[Collier County, Florida|Collier]]
|[[Florida|FL]]
|{{coord|26.13|-81.80|name=Naples (March&nbsp;17, F1)}}
|12:15–?
|{{convert|7|mi|km|sortable=on}}
|{{convert|40|yd|m|sortable=on}}
|This tornado, the first of the day, touched down near Naples and moved northeast across the [[Naples Municipal Airport|Naples airport]], flipping a plane on its back. In Naples, the tornado also uprooted many trees. Next, the tornado tore the roof from a store in Golden Gate, blew an awning {{convert|600|ft|yd|abbr=on}}, snapped power poles, and downed wires. In Golden Gate, 1,800 residents lost electrical services for 40 minutes. After striking Golden Gate, the tornado apparently dissipated over rural, swampy areas. The touchdown may have occurred at 6:45&nbsp;am, or more than one tornado was involved.<ref name="NaplesF1">{{harvnb|Storm Data Publication|1983|loc=[https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/stormevents/eventdetails.jsp?id=10000901 #10000901]}}</ref>{{sfn|Storm Data|1983|p=13}}<ref name="MiamiHerald2">{{cite news|last=Leen|first=Jeff|department=Gulf Coast News|title=Tornados rip through three Collier County areas|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/110227892/|edition=Gulf|work=Miami Herald|date=March 18, 1983|location=Miami|page=1C|via=Newspapers.com}} {{free access}}</ref><ref name=MiamiHerald3>{{cite news|last=Arnold|first=John|title=Thunderstorms disrupt power and snarl traffic in South Florida|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/110224529/|work=Miami Herald|date=March 18, 1983|edition=Final|location=Miami|page=11A|via=Newspapers.com}} {{free access}}</ref>
|-
|bgcolor=#{{storm colour|cat2}} | F2
|[[Trailtown, Florida|Trailtown]] to [[Lighthouse Point, Florida|Lighthouse Point]]
|[[Collier County, Florida|Collier]], [[Miami-Dade County, Florida|Dade]], [[Broward County, Florida|Broward]]
|[[Florida|FL]]
|{{coord|26.13|-81.80|name=Trailtown (March&nbsp;17, F2)}}
|12:49–?
|{{convert|52.5|mi|km|sortable=on}}
|{{convert|60|yd|m|sortable=on}}
|[[#Monroe Station–Sunrise–Lauderhill–North Lauderdale–Margate–Pompano Beach–Lighthouse Point, Florida|See section on this tornado]] – 2 people were injured.
|}
{{clear}}
===Monroe Station–Sunrise–Lauderhill–North Lauderdale–Margate–Pompano Beach–Lighthouse Point, Florida===
{{Infobox storm
| name                 = Monroe Station–Sunrise–Lauderhill–North Lauderdale–Margate–Pompano Beach–Lighthouse Point, Florida
| image                =
| caption              =
| fujitascale          = F2
| highest winds        =
| casualties           = 2 injuries
| damages              =
| enhanced             = no
}}
The second tornado of the day was a long-tracked tornado that was probably a [[tornado family|family]] of up to five&nbsp;tornadoes. The tornado, or the first member of its family, touched down near Trailtown at about 7:49&nbsp;a.m. local [[standard time]], though it may have formed farther southwest in the Everglades, as one person reportedly sighted a tornado as early as 7:30&nbsp;a.m. [[Eastern Time Zone|EST]]. Upon touching down, the tornado damaged two&nbsp;[[bungalow]]s owned by [[Seminole|Seminole Indians]]. One&nbsp;trailer was destroyed, and TJ's Service Station in [[Monroe Station, Florida|Monroe Station]] lost its roof when the tornado crossed [[Tamiami Trail]], about {{convert|20|mi|km|abbr=on}} east of [[Ochopee, Florida|Ochopee]]. Phone service was disrupted at the service station, where losses were estimated near $30,000. Two&nbsp;vehicles, one of which was a refueling van, were overturned, injuring two&nbsp;people. Additionally, electrical wires were damaged, a car was hurled into a house, and a [[dumpster]] was thrown {{convert|50|ft|yd|abbr=on}}.
The tornado moved northeast at {{convert|50|mi/h|km/h|abbr=on}} across the Everglades, entering northwest Dade County and then southwest Broward County. Subsequently, the tornado struck the communities of [[Sunrise, Florida|Sunrise]], [[Lauderhill, Florida|Lauderhill]], [[North Lauderdale, Florida|North Lauderdale]], [[Margate, Florida|Margate]], [[Pompano Beach, Florida|Pompano Beach]], and Lighthouse Point. It first hit several homes and a recreation center in Sunrise, causing extensive damage. As it moved through Sunrise, the tornado downed power poles, wires, screen enclosures, trees, and mailboxes. Doors at the Sunrise [[city hall]] were blown open, allowing debris inside that covered the first floor of the building. Damage was widespread throughout the city, particularly along and near [[Oakland Park Boulevard#Route description|Oakland Park Boulevard]] (SR 816). At least three&nbsp;[[funnel cloud]]s were reported in Sunrise, and at least one&nbsp;tornado touchdown was alleged. Windows were broken in hundreds of homes, while trees and power lines were prostrated. The mayor of the town of Sunrise, John Lomelo, declared a [[state of emergency]] in town, upon hearing of damage to city hall and across the city. Next, the tornado blew a porch from a home in Lauderhill. In North Lauderdale, the tornado damaged 30&nbsp;to 40&nbsp;homes in a four-block area, blowing awnings loose and uprooting trees. In Margate, the tornado affected the 600 and 700 blocks along SW 51st Avenue. A home was unroofed, another home lost most of its roof, and trees and power lines were downed. The tornado tore a bedroom door from its hinges, broke glass, and snapped a {{convert|40|ft|m|adj=mid|-tall}} [[Araucaria heterophylla|Norfolk Island pine tree]] in half.
After hitting Margate, the tornado struck the Pompano Beach [[service plaza]] on [[Florida's Turnpike#Miami to Ft. Pierce|Florida's Turnpike]], overturning an [[Semi-trailer truck|18-wheeler tractor trailer]], uprooting trees, and blowing away signs. In this area, the tornado was estimated to have been {{convert|1/4|to|1/2|mi|km|abbr=on}} wide. After hitting the service plaza, the tornado continued northeast to Golf View Estates, a mobile-home [[Trailer park|park]] north of [[Palm Aire|Palm-Aire]] Country Club, damaging about 15&nbsp;[[mobile home]]s, of which six&nbsp;to eight&nbsp;had major damage. Several mobile homes were unroofed. Near the intersection of Copans Road and Northeast Third Avenue, the tornado struck another mobile-home park, where its winds overturned a mobile home and moved another off its foundation. Trees in the park were snapped "like toothpicks," and a downed tree landed on a mobile home. Nearby, the tornado also broke glass in a two-story home. As it continued across north Pompano Beach, the tornado destroyed a [[satellite dish]] at a restaurant. The tornado continued northeast to Lighthouse Point, where a [[department store]] on [[U.S. Route 1 in Florida#Broward County|Federal Highway]] had its roof damaged. Flying debris from the store also damaged nearby apartments. Nearby, windows were shattered in a public library, and a supermarket [[Delivery (commerce)#Delivery vehicles|delivery truck]] carrying frozen food was overturned. The Lighthouse Point section of the path was described as having been being done by a separate tornado.
The Everglades–Lighthouse Point tornado featured the second-longest path recorded south of Lake Okeechobee; only one tornado in 1968 featured a longer path of {{convert|65|mi|km|abbr=on}} in southern Florida.<ref name="TrailtownSummary">Multiple sources:
*{{cite news|last=Arnold|first=John|title=Thunderstorms disrupt power and snarl traffic in South Florida|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/110224529/|work=Miami Herald|date=March 18, 1983|edition=Final|location=Miami|page=11A|via=Newspapers.com}} {{free access}}
*{{cite news|last=Arnold|first=John|title=Tornados roar over S. Florida|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/110223949/|work=Miami Herald|date=March 18, 1983|edition=First|location=Miami|page=1A|via=Newspapers.com}} {{free access}}
**[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/110223994/ p. 8A]
*{{cite news|last=Arnold|first=John|title=Tornados sweep S. Florida|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/122782121/|work=Miami Herald|date=March 18, 1983|edition=Gulf|location=Miami|page=1A|via=Newspapers.com}} {{free access}}
**[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/110228841/ p. 11A]
*{{cite news|last=Brannigan|first=Martha|department=Gulf Coast News|title=Five cities hit by tornadoes|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/122781090/|edition=Broward Metro Final|work=South Florida Sun-Sentinel|date=March 18, 1983|location=Fort Lauderdale, Florida|page=1A|via=Newspapers.com}} {{free access}}
**[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/122781111/ p. 16A]
*{{cite news|last1=Frank|first1=Ann|last2=d'Oliveira|first2=Stephen|title=At least 4 tornadoes tear through county|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/110225307/|work=Fort Lauderdale News|date=March 17, 1983|location=Fort Lauderdale, Florida|page=1A|via=Newspapers.com}} {{free access}}
**[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/122781216/ p. 7A]
*{{cite news|last=Leen|first=Jeff|department=Gulf Coast News|title=Tornados rip through three Collier County areas|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/110227892/|edition=Gulf|work=Miami Herald|date=March 18, 1983|location=Miami|page=1C|via=Newspapers.com}} {{free access}}
*{{cite news|last=Schulte|first=Fred|title=Storm pummels block; winds flip tractor-trailer on its side|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/122781374/|work=Fort Lauderdale News|date=March 17, 1983|location=Fort Lauderdale, Florida|page=5A|via=Newspapers.com}} {{free access}}
*{{cite news|author=Staff|title=Freak Storm Ravages Roofs, Tosses Mobile Homes|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/110047607/|work=Naples Daily News|volume=60|issue=202|edition=Afternoon|date=March 17, 1983|location=Naples, Florida|page=1A|via=Newspapers.com}} {{free access}}
**[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/110047579/ p. 2A]
*{{harvnb|Storm Data|1983|p=13}}
*{{harvnb|Storm Data Publication|1983|loc=[https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/stormevents/eventdetails.jsp?id=10000902 #10000902]}}
*{{harvnb|Storm Data Publication|1983|loc=[https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/stormevents/eventdetails.jsp?id=10000903 #10000903]}}
*{{harvnb|Storm Data Publication|1983|loc=[https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/stormevents/eventdetails.jsp?id=10000905 #10000905]}}
</ref>
{{clear}}
==Non-tornadic effects==
In Cuba, [[Severe thunderstorm warning|severe thunderstorms]] generated winds of {{convert|98|mi/h|km/h|abbr=on}} at [[Juan Gualberto Gómez Airport|Varadero Airport]] on March&nbsp;16. {{convert|12|to|15|ft|m|adj=mid|-high}} waves ravaged the [[Malecón, Havana|Malecón]] in [[Havana]], leading to flooding whose effects were described as "'unprecedented'." The combination of weather and tide wrecked 124&nbsp;homes in Cuba. A day later, unusually cool temperatures in the upper levels of the atmosphere contributed to large [[hail]] in portions of South Florida, including the [[Miami]] area. Hail of {{convert|3/4|to|1|in|cm|abbr=on|lk=on}} in diameter was reported in [[Miami-Dade County, Florida|Dade County]]—an unusually large size for hail in South Florida. In [[Miami Beach, Florida|Miami Beach]], hail larger than marble size fell, causing cuts and bruises to one&nbsp;person, who was treated for minor injuries. Up to {{convert|2|in|mm|abbr=on}} of rain fell in Miami, while [[Fort Lauderdale, Florida|Fort Lauderdale]] received {{convert|1|in|mm|abbr=on}}. The heavy rains caused [[traffic congestion]], and several accidents occurred. Severe winds were also reported elsewhere in the state, particularly near [[Daytona Beach, Florida|Daytona Beach]]. In Broward County, the strong winds downed live power lines and smashed cars' windows.<ref name="NoTORSummary">Multiple sources:
*{{cite news|last=Arnold|first=John|title=Thunderstorms disrupt power and snarl traffic in South Florida|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/110224529/|work=Miami Herald|date=March 18, 1983|edition=Final|location=Miami|page=11A|via=Newspapers.com}} {{free access}}
*{{cite news|last1=Frank|first1=Ann|last2=d'Oliveira|first2=Stephen|title=At least 4 tornadoes tear through county|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/110225307/|work=Fort Lauderdale News|date=March 17, 1983|location=Fort Lauderdale, Florida|page=1A|via=Newspapers.com}} {{free access}}
**[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/122781216/ p. 7A]
*{{cite news|title=Many hurt, Havana flooded as storms rough up Cuba|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/122782241/|work=Miami Herald|date=March 19, 1983|edition=First|location=Miami|page=8A|via=Newspapers.com}} {{free access}}
*{{harvnb|Storm Data|1983|p=13}}
</ref>
{{clear}}
==See also==
*[[List of North American tornadoes and tornado outbreaks]]
==Notes==
{{Reflist|group=nb}}
==References==
{{Reflist|2}}
==Sources==
*{{cite journal |last1=Brooks |first1=Harold E. |authorlink1=Harold E. Brooks |title=On the Relationship of Tornado Path Length and Width to Intensity |journal=[[Weather and Forecasting]] |date=April 2004 |volume=19 |issue=2 |pages=310–19 |doi=10.1175/1520-0434(2004)019<0310:OTROTP>2.0.CO;2 |publisher=American Meteorological Society |location=Boston|bibcode=2004WtFor..19..310B|doi-access=free}}
*{{cite journal|last1=Cook|first1=A. R.|last2=Schaefer|first2=J. T.|title=The Relation of El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) to Winter Tornado Outbreaks|journal=[[Monthly Weather Review]]|publisher=[[American Meteorological Society]]|location=Norman, Oklahoma|publication-place=[[Boston]]|date=August 2008|volume=136|issue=8|page=3135|doi=10.1175/2007MWR2171.1|bibcode=2008MWRv..136.3121C|doi-access=free}}
*{{cite book | last = Grazulis | first = Thomas P. | author-link = Thomas P. Grazulis |title = Significant Tornadoes 1880–1989 |date=November 1990 | publisher = The Tornado Project of Environmental Films | location = [[St. Johnsbury, Vermont]] | isbn = 1-879362-02-3 |volume=2 }}
*{{cite book |last1=Grazulis |first1=Thomas P. |title=Significant Tornadoes 1680–1991: A Chronology and Analysis of Events |date=July 1993 |publisher=The Tornado Project of Environmental Films |location=[[St. Johnsbury, Vermont]] |isbn=1-879362-03-1 }}
*{{cite book|last1=Grazulis|first1=Thomas P.|title=The Tornado: Nature's Ultimate Windstorm|url=https://archive.org/details/tornadonaturesul0000graz|url-access=registration|date=2001a|publisher=[[University of Oklahoma Press]]|location=[[Norman, Oklahoma|Norman]]|isbn=978-0-8061-3538-0}}
*{{Cite book|last=Grazulis|first=Thomas P. |title=F5-F6 Tornadoes|publisher=The Tornado Project of Environmental Films|year=2001b |location=St. Johnsbury, Vermont}}
*{{cite journal|last1=Hagemeyer|first1=Bartlett C.|title=Peninsular Florida Tornado Outbreaks|journal=[[Weather and Forecasting]]|date=September 1997|volume=12|issue=3|page=400|location=Boston|publisher=[[American Meteorological Society]]|doi=10.1175/1520-0434(1997)012<0399:PFTO>2.0.CO;2|bibcode=1997WtFor..12..399H|url=https://zenodo.org/record/1234629|doi-access=free}}
*{{cite report|ref={{harvid|Storm Data Publication|1983}}|author=[[National Weather Service]]|date=March 1983 |title=Storm Data Publication|publisher=[[National Centers for Environmental Information]]|via=Storm Events Database|url=https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/stormevents/}}
*{{cite journal |ref={{harvid|Storm Data|1983}} |author=National Weather Service |date=March 1983 |title=Storm Data and Unusual Weather Phenomena |journal=[[Storm Data]] |volume=25 |issue=3 |publisher=[[National Climatic Data Center]] |location=[[Asheville, North Carolina]]|url=https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/IPS/sd/sd.html}}
{{1983 tornado outbreaks}}
[[Category:F2 tornadoes|M]]
[[Category:Tornadoes of 1983|M]]
[[Category:Tornadoes in Florida|M]]
[[Category:1983 in Florida|M]]
[[Category:March 1983 in the United States]]
[[Category:1983 natural disasters in the United States]]