Florida, 1998

Tornadoes and Hail in Florida, February 2, 1998

February 2, 1998 · NWS MFL · 25 events in 14 counties and zones

a developing low pressure over the north gulf of mexico resulted in a tightening pressure gradient over south florida and adjacent waters. Southeast winds sustained at gale force with higher gusts occurred through most of 02/02/98.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 11 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

  • Tornadoes
  • Tropical storms and surge
  • Floods
  • Wind
  • Hail
  • Winter weather
  • Heat and drought
  • Cold
  • Fire, smoke and dust
  • Marine and coastal
  • Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths
1
Injuries
6
Property damage
$225 million
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
25

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

What happened

The episode as NWS MFL wrote it up.

...a developing low pressure over the north gulf of mexico resulted in a tightening pressure gradient over south florida and adjacent waters. Southeast winds sustained at gale force with higher gusts occurred through most of 02/02/98. A pre-frontal trough of low pressure developed over the southeastern gulf of mexico early 02/02/98. This resulted in a highly unstable airmass which was lifted by strong mid and upper level jets by late afternoon. Tornado and severe thunderstorm producing storms moved through the florida keys between 1530And 1930 est. The thunderstorms moved over south florida between 1930 and 2130 est. The culmination of gail force winds...several severe thunderstorms and two tornadoes resulted in widespread damage in the florida keys. Trees...power lines and light poles were down most locations south of key largo. Some minor coastal flooding occurred. Boats were capsized and docks were damaged. A support buoy for an underwater lab was dislodged and drifted ashore. Fema reported one house completely destroyed and 23 homes damaged. Several businesses were damaged. Extensive damage occurred to the fishing industry primarilly loss of lobster traps.

The radar

The Miami radar (KAMX), 51 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 20:31 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

11 high wind, 9 thunderstorm wind, 4 tornado, 1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.

High Wind, Mainland Monroe

When
February 2, 8:00 AM EST to 10:00 PM EST
Where
Mainland Monroe forecast zone
Measured
40 kt (46 mph)
Coordinates
25.557, -80.917 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Coastal Broward

When
February 2, 8:00 AM EST to 10:00 PM EST
Where
Coastal Broward forecast zone
Measured
40 kt (46 mph)
Coordinates
26.152, -80.456 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Coastal Dade

When
February 2, 8:00 AM EST to 10:00 PM EST
Where
Coastal Dade forecast zone
Measured
40 kt (46 mph)
Coordinates
25.609, -80.499 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Coastal Palm Beach

When
February 2, 8:00 AM EST to 10:00 PM EST
Where
Coastal Palm Beach forecast zone
Measured
40 kt (46 mph)
Coordinates
26.648, -80.436 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A 260 foot dredging barge was grouned offshore Boca Raton.

High Wind, Inland Broward

When
February 2, 8:00 AM EST to 10:00 PM EST
Where
Inland Broward forecast zone
Measured
40 kt (46 mph)
Coordinates
26.152, -80.456 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Inland Dade

When
February 2, 8:00 AM EST to 10:00 PM EST
Where
Inland Dade forecast zone
Measured
40 kt (46 mph)
Coordinates
25.609, -80.499 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Inland Palm Beach

When
February 2, 8:00 AM EST to 10:00 PM EST
Where
Inland Palm Beach forecast zone
Measured
40 kt (46 mph)
Coordinates
26.648, -80.436 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Monroe/Lower Keys

When
February 2, 8:00 AM EST to 10:00 PM EST
Where
Monroe/Lower Keys forecast zone
Measured
40 kt (46 mph)
Deaths
1 direct, 0 indirect
Coordinates
25.557, -80.917 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

35 year old man crushed between boat and dock.

High Wind, Monroe/Middle Keys

When
February 2, 8:00 AM EST to 10:00 PM EST
Where
Monroe/Middle Keys forecast zone
Measured
40 kt (46 mph)
Coordinates
25.557, -80.917 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Monroe/Upper Keys

When
February 2, 8:00 AM EST to 10:00 PM EST
Where
Monroe/Upper Keys forecast zone
Measured
40 kt (46 mph)
Coordinates
25.557, -80.917 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Coastal Collier

When
February 2, 8:00 AM EST to 10:00 PM EST
Where
Coastal Collier forecast zone
Measured
40 kt (46 mph)
Coordinates
26.099, -81.381 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Monroe

When
February 2, 3:40 PM EST
Where
Monroe County, Duck Key
Measured
65 kt (75 mph)
Coordinates
24.800, -80.800

Thunderstorm Wind, Monroe

When
February 2, 4:25 PM EST to 4:30 PM EST
Where
Monroe County, Big Pine
Measured
65 kt (75 mph)
Coordinates
24.670, -81.350

Two trees fell into house.

Thunderstorm Wind, Monroe

When
February 2, 5:25 PM EST
Where
Monroe County, Duck Key
Measured
71 kt (82 mph)
Coordinates
24.800, -80.800

Reported from Conch Key just north of Duck Key.

Thunderstorm Wind, Monroe

When
February 2, 5:35 PM EST
Where
Monroe County, Marathon
Measured
61 kt (70 mph)
Coordinates
24.700, -81.080

Recorded at C-MAN SMKF.

Thunderstorm Wind, Monroe

When
February 2, 5:40 PM EST to 5:50 PM EST
Where
Monroe County, Duck Key
Measured
85 kt (98 mph)
Coordinates
24.800, -80.800

Sustained wind 50 KTS at 1740 EST...Sustained 65 KTS at 1745...Gust to 85 KTS at 1750 EST.

Hail, Monroe

When
February 2, 6:45 PM EST
Where
Monroe County, Marathon
Measured
1.75 in hail
Coordinates
24.700, -81.080

Golf ball size hail. Several trees blown down.

Tornado, Monroe

When
February 2, 6:47 PM EST to 6:50 PM EST
Where
Monroe County, Marathon
Rating
F1
Path length
1 mi
Path width
50 yd
Property damage
$20 million
Coordinates
24.700, -81.080

Tornado moved from south across Grassy Key near MM 56.5.

Tornado, Monroe

When
February 2, 7:10 PM EST to 7:15 PM EST
Where
Monroe County, Islamorada
Rating
F0
Path length
0.5 mi
Path width
25 yd
Coordinates
24.920, -80.630

Tornado moved from the south across Islamorada near MM 80. Extensive damage to homes and businesses. Widespread tree and vegetation loss.

Thunderstorm Wind, Monroe

When
February 2, 7:52 PM EST
Where
Monroe County, Key Largo
Measured
73 kt (84 mph)
Coordinates
25.080, -80.450

Recorded at C-MAN MLRF.

Thunderstorm Wind, Monroe

When
February 2, 8:00 PM EST
Where
Monroe County, Long Key
Measured
104 kt (120 mph)
Coordinates
24.820, -80.820

Recorded at C-MAN LONF1. Not reported in real time as primary sensor blew away and was found down the beach.

Thunderstorm Wind, Miami-Dade

When
February 2, 8:11 PM EST to 8:20 PM EST
Where
Miami-Dade County, (Hst)homestead Afb
Measured
57 kt (66 mph)
Coordinates
25.480, -80.380

Thunderstorm Wind, Miami-Dade

When
February 2, 8:15 PM EST to 8:20 PM EST
Where
Miami-Dade County, Cutler Ridge
Measured
61 kt (70 mph)
Coordinates
25.580, -80.330

Tornado, Miami-Dade

When
February 2, 8:22 PM EST to 8:34 PM EST
Where
Miami-Dade County, (Mia)miami Intl to Carol City
Rating
F2
Path length
14 mi
Path width
200 yd
Injuries
6 direct, 0 indirect
Property damage
$175 million
Coordinates
25.800, -80.280

At 2022 est f1-f2 tornado touched down nw 36th st/curtis parkway damaging about 12 planes at mia international airport. The mia asos recorded a gust of 90 knots. The f2 tornado crossed through virginia gardens and south miami springs in a 100-200 yard path damaging many buildings and hurling a 2 by 4 board through an apartment door. Showing f1 intensity the tornado continued through miami springs uprooting trees and damaging roof tops. At 2027 est the tornado intensified to f2 into south hialeah severly damaging structures. the tornado weakened to f1 near hialeah race track and the path widened to one to three miles...with indications of three or four individual tornadoes of f1 intensity moving in tandem to the north.. at 2031 est the main tornado reintensified to f2 status as it approached opa locka airport severly damaging the roof of the ups facility then damaging or destroying 140 aircraft and a hangar at the airport blowing some debris nearly a half mile. The tornadoes weakened to f1 status as they moved through carol city damaging homes and utility poles.

Tornado, Broward

When
February 2, 8:34 PM EST to 8:44 PM EST
Where
Broward County, Miramar to Plantation
Rating
F1
Path length
7 mi
Path width
200 yd
Property damage
$30 million
Coordinates
25.870, -80.350

At 2034 est the f1 tornadoes crossed the dade-broward counties line and damaged a strip shopping center in miramar. The multiple tornadoes moved across north perry airport at 2036 est where 40 aircraft were destroyed and 40 aircraft were damaged. The tornadoes weakened to f0-f1 intensity as they continued north-northeast damaging a shopping center in davie near orange rd/hiatus rd.

The people who died

As the offices recorded each death: direct deaths were caused by the weather itself, indirect ones by something it set in motion.

EventDateAgeSexWhereKind
High Wind, Monroe/Lower Keys1998-02-0235MaleBoatDirect

What these are

High Wind
Sustained non-thunderstorm winds of 40 mph or more for an hour, or gusts of 58 mph or more.
Thunderstorm Wind
Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.
Hail
Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
Tornado
A violently rotating column of air in contact with the ground and extending from a thunderstorm, filed with its path, width and Fujita or Enhanced Fujita rating from the damage survey.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Florida in 1998Every state in 1998This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Florida, 1998Warnings in Florida, February 1998

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5634116, 5634117, 5634118, 5634119, 5634120, 5634121, 5634122, 5634123, 5634124, 5634125, 5634215, 5634126, 5634127, 5634128, 5634208, 5634204, 5634205, 5634206, 5634207, 5634209, 5634210, 5634211, 5634212, 5634213, 5634214.