Florida, 1998

Tornadoes and Damaging Winds in Florida, March 9, 1998

March 9, 1998 · NWS MFL · 4 events in 2 counties and zones

2 tornado, 2 thunderstorm wind, as filed by the National Weather Service.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. 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

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
$1.5 million
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
4

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.

The radar

The Miami radar (KAMX), 49 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 10:45 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

2 tornado, 2 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Tornado, Broward

When
March 9, 5:45 AM EST to 6:10 AM EST
Where
Broward County, Hallandale
Rating
F1
Path length
2.5 mi
Path width
30 yd
Property damage
$500,000
Coordinates
25.980, -80.150

Tornado touched down near NW 8th Ave and I-95. The tornado moved east nearly along Hallandale Beach Blvd lifting near the Diplomat Golf Course. A railroad crossing signal, power poles and lines and several trees were downed.

Tornado, Miami-Dade

When
March 9, 6:00 AM EST to 6:23 AM EST
Where
Miami-Dade County, Miami Opa Locka Arpt to North Miami
Rating
F1
Path length
4.5 mi
Path width
30 yd
Property damage
$1.0 million
Coordinates
25.900, -80.280

Tornado touched down near the Palmetto Expressway and NW 17th Ave. This is known as the Terry Lakes area. The tornado moved northeast through the 17000 and 18000 blocks of north Dade County to near Honey Hill Dr(NW 199th St) and US-441. The tornado then took a path more toward the east as it moved to near Ives Dairy Rd(NE 203 St) and I-95. Numerous trees and power lines were downed. Windows were broken and signs were damaged or destroyed. A parked tractor trailer was overturned on the Florida turnpike near Ives Dairy Rd. Their was rof damage to homes and especially car ports due to large fallen trees.

Thunderstorm Wind, Broward

When
March 9, 6:00 AM EST
Where
Broward County, Pembroke Pines
Measured
70 kt (81 mph)
Coordinates
26.050, -80.170

Automobiles were tossed and large trees were downed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Miami-Dade

When
March 9, 6:13 AM EST
Where
Miami-Dade County, Opa Locka
Measured
53 kt (61 mph)
Coordinates
25.920, -80.280

What these are

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.
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.

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, March 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: 5641030, 5641028, 5641031, 5641029.