Florida, 2011Drought in Florida, January 1 to 31, 2011
January 1 to 31, 2011 · NWS MFL · 8 events in 8 counties and zones
Continued dry weather in January, coupled with long-term dryness going back to the previous summer, led to the expansion of severe drought conditions over South Florida.
Every event with a place to put it; 8 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
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- None recorded
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 8
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.
Continued dry weather in January, coupled with long-term dryness going back to the previous summer, led to the expansion of severe drought conditions over South Florida.
What forecasters said that day
The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Miami, FL wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Dec 31, 8:12 PM EST, 3 hours 48 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Dec 31, 8:12 PM EST, 3 hours 48 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIAMI FL
812 PM EST FRI DEC 31 2010
.UPDATE...THE FORECAST FOR THE FIRST PERIOD REMAINS IN GREAT
SHAPE AND NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGES ARE PLANNED ATTM. A FEW VERY
MINOR TWEAKS AND ADJUSTMENTS HAVE ALREADY BEEN MADE, MAINLY TO
SKY COVER, WINDS, AND HOURLY GRIDS. EAST SOUTHEASTERLY FLOW WILL
CONTINUE TO PROMOTE A HIGH RISK OF RIP CURRENTS ALONG THE
ATLANTIC BEACHES.
&&
.PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 655 PM EST FRI DEC 31 2010/
AVIATION...
VFR CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED AT ALL SOUTH FLORIDA TERMINALS
THROUGHOUT THE FORECAST PERIOD. SOUTHEAST FLOW WILL GRADUALLY
STRENGTHEN THROUGH SATURDAY AFTERNOON IN ADVANCE OF A COLD FRONT
CROSSING THE SOUTHERN APPALACHIANS...AND THIS WILL ALLOW FOR A
CONTINUATION OF SCT/BKN STRATOCU ACROSS THE EASTERN HALF OF
PENINSULA...BUT CIGS SHOULD REMAIN 3500 FT OR HIGHER. PREVAILING
SURFACE WINDS WILL REMAIN FROM THE ESE/SE...WITH GUSTS 15-20 KNOTS
POSSIBLE AFTER 01/13Z.
70/DD
PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 1251 PM EST FRI DEC 31 2010/
DISCUSSION...UPPER LEVEL LOW PRES SYSTEM OVER THE CENTRAL GREAT
PLAINS WILL MOVE INTO THE UPPER MIDWEST. THE TRAILING SURFACE
COLD FRONT WILL MOVE INTO N FLA LATE SATURDAY AND THEN WEAKLY LIMP
THROUGH S FLA MONDAY. WITH LITTLE IN THE WAY OF MOISTURE AND UPPER
DYNAMICS...POSSIBLY A FEW SHOWERS MAY BE GENERATED...BUT NOT
ENOUGH TO PLACE IN THE FORECAST AT THIS TIME. THUS...THROUGH THE
WEEKEND...RIDGING WILL DOMINATE S FLA INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK WITH
ZONAL FLOW ALOFT OVER THE AREA THE REMAINDER OF THE PERIOD.
MAX/MIN TEMPS TEMPS WILL BE SLIGHTLY ABOVE NORMAL...EVEN AFTER THE
PASSING FRONT EARLY NEXT WEEK.
MARINE...ESE 15 KT WINDS AROUND 15 KTS TONIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY
THEN GRADUALLY DECREASING. ATLC SEAS SEAS TO 5 FT TONIGHT AND
SATURDAY THEN BECOMING 4 FT OR LESS. WINDS SHIFT TO N-NE MONDAY
AND INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK.
FIRE WEATHER...NO CONCERNS.
&&
.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
WEST PALM BEACH 65 77 65 77 / - - - -
FORT LAUDERDALE 68 78 68 79 / - - - -
MIAMI 67 79 67 79 / - - - -
NAPLES 60 77 60 77 / - - - -
&&
.MFL WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
FL...NONE.
AM...NONE.
GM...NONE.
&&
DISCUSSION/MARINE...14/MJB
AVIATION/RADAR/FIRE...70/DD
Hazardous weather outlook, Dec 31, 4:55 PM EST, 7 hours 5 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR SOUTH FLORIDA
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIAMI FL
455 PM EST FRI DEC 31 2010
FLZ063-066>075-168-172>174-011030-
GLADES-HENDRY-INLAND PALM BEACH-METRO PALM BEACH-COASTAL COLLIER-
INLAND COLLIER-INLAND BROWARD-METRO BROWARD-INLAND MIAMI DADE-
METRO MIAMI DADE-MAINLAND MONROE-COASTAL PALM BEACH-
COASTAL BROWARD-COASTAL MIAMI DADE-FAR SOUTH MIAMI DADE-
455 PM EST FRI DEC 31 2010
...HIGH RISK OF RIP CURRENTS ATLANTIC COAST BEACHES...
THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTH FLORIDA.
.DAY ONE...TONIGHT
RIP CURRENTS: PERSISTENT EAST TO SOUTHEAST WINDS AROUND 15 MPH
WILL RESULT IN A HIGH RISK OF RIP CURRENTS ALONG THE BEACHES OF
MIAMI DADE, BROWARD, AND PALM BEACH COUNTIES THROUGH TONIGHT.
.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY
EASTERLY WINDS WILL CONTINUE SATURDAY AND THEN GRADUALLY DIMINISH
ON SUNDAY. THE RISK FOR RIP CURRENTS WILL LIKELY REMAIN ELEVATED
ON THE ATLANTIC COAST BEACHES OF SOUTH FLORIDA THROUGH SUNDAY.
.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...
SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE NEEDED.
FOR MORE INFORMATION...VISIT THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN
MIAMI WEBSITE AT WWW.WEATHER.GOV/MIAMI.
BETTWY
Drought, Glades
- When
- January 1, 12:00 AM EST to January 31, 11:59 PM EST
- Where
- Glades forecast zone
- Reported by
- Other Federal Agency
- Coordinates
- 26.957, -81.189 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Rainfall totals in January were near to below normal over most areas, resulting in the continuation of severe drought (D2) conditions across the Lake Okeechobee area. Rainfall deficits since October over these areas were in the 3 to 6 inch range. Most wells across the area were running at 10 to 30 percent of normal water levels. The level of Lake Okeechobee remained steady at about 12.5 feet, which is 2.2 feet below normal. The Keetch-Byram Drought Index (KBDI) was in the 450 to 550 range, which reflects a moderate fire danger and low soil moisture values. Most pastures were in poor conditions due to the drought and earlier freezes.
Drought, Hendry
- When
- January 1, 12:00 AM EST to January 31, 11:59 PM EST
- Where
- Hendry forecast zone
- Reported by
- Other Federal Agency
- Coordinates
- 26.554, -81.166 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Rainfall totals in January were near to below normal over most areas, resulting in the continuation of severe drought (D2) conditions across the Lake Okeechobee area. Rainfall deficits since October over these areas were in the 3 to 6 inch range. Most wells across the area were running at 10 to 30 percent of normal water levels. The level of Lake Okeechobee remained steady at about 12.5 feet, which is 2.2 feet below normal. The Keetch-Byram Drought Index (KBDI) was in the 450 to 550 range, which reflects a moderate fire danger and low soil moisture values. Most pastures were in poor conditions due to the drought and earlier freezes.
Drought, Inland Palm Beach County
- When
- January 1, 12:00 AM EST to January 31, 11:59 PM EST
- Where
- Inland Palm Beach County forecast zone
- Reported by
- Other Federal Agency
- Coordinates
- 26.648, -80.436 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Rainfall totals in January were near to below normal over most areas, resulting in the continuation of severe drought (D2) conditions across the Lake Okeechobee area. Rainfall deficits since October over these areas were in the 3 to 6 inch range. Most wells across the area were running at 10 to 30 percent of normal water levels. The level of Lake Okeechobee remained steady at about 12.5 feet, which is 2.2 feet below normal. The Keetch-Byram Drought Index (KBDI) was in the 450 to 550 range, which reflects a moderate fire danger and low soil moisture values.
Drought, Metro Palm Beach County
- When
- January 1, 12:00 AM EST to January 31, 11:59 PM EST
- Where
- Metro Palm Beach County forecast zone
- Reported by
- Other Federal Agency
- Coordinates
- 26.648, -80.436 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Rainfall totals in January were near to below normal over most of southeast Florida. This resulted in the expansion of severe drought (D2) conditions over all of Palm Beach County and inland sections of Broward and Miami-Dade counties. Rainfall deficits since October over these areas ranged anywhere from 8 to 11 inches. Most wells across the area were running at around 10 percent of normal water levels. The level of Lake Okeechobee remained steady at about 12.5 feet, which is 2.2 feet below normal. The Keetch-Byram Drought Index (KBDI) was in the 500 to 600 range, which reflects a high fire danger and low soil moisture values.
Drought, Coastal Palm Beach County
- When
- January 1, 12:00 AM EST to January 31, 11:59 PM EST
- Where
- Coastal Palm Beach County forecast zone
- Reported by
- Other Federal Agency
- Coordinates
- 26.648, -80.436 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Rainfall totals in January were near to below normal over most of southeast Florida. This resulted in the expansion of severe drought (D2) conditions over all of Palm Beach County and inland sections of Broward and Miami-Dade counties. Rainfall deficits since October over these areas ranged anywhere from 8 to 11 inches. Most wells across the area were running at around 10 percent of normal water levels. The level of Lake Okeechobee remained steady at about 12.5 feet, which is 2.2 feet below normal. The Keetch-Byram Drought Index (KBDI) was in the 500 to 600 range, which reflects a high fire danger and low soil moisture values.
Drought, Inland Broward County
- When
- January 1, 12:00 AM EST to January 31, 11:59 PM EST
- Where
- Inland Broward County forecast zone
- Reported by
- Other Federal Agency
- Coordinates
- 26.152, -80.456 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Rainfall totals in January were near to below normal over most of southeast Florida. This resulted in the expansion of severe drought (D2) conditions over all of Palm Beach County and inland sections of Broward and Miami-Dade counties. Rainfall deficits since October over these areas ranged anywhere from 8 to 11 inches. Most wells across the area were running at around 10 percent of normal water levels. The level of Lake Okeechobee remained steady at about 12.5 feet, which is 2.2 feet below normal. The Keetch-Byram Drought Index (KBDI) was in the 500 to 600 range, which reflects a high fire danger and low soil moisture values.
Drought, Inland Miami-Dade
- When
- January 1, 12:00 AM EST to January 31, 11:59 PM EST
- Where
- Inland Miami-Dade forecast zone
- Reported by
- Other Federal Agency
- Coordinates
- 25.609, -80.499 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Rainfall totals in January were near to below normal over most of southeast Florida. This resulted in the expansion of severe drought (D2) conditions over all of Palm Beach County and inland sections of Broward and Miami-Dade counties. Rainfall deficits since October over these areas ranged anywhere from 8 to 11 inches. Most wells across the area were running at around 10 percent of normal water levels. The level of Lake Okeechobee remained steady at about 12.5 feet, which is 2.2 feet below normal. The Keetch-Byram Drought Index (KBDI) was in the 500 to 600 range, which reflects a high fire danger and low soil moisture values.
Drought, Inland Collier County
- When
- January 1, 12:00 AM EST to January 31, 11:59 PM EST
- Where
- Inland Collier County forecast zone
- Reported by
- Other Federal Agency
- Coordinates
- 26.099, -81.381 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Rainfall totals in January were slightly below normal over eastern Collier County. This resulted in the expansion of severe drought (D2) conditions over eastern Collier County. Rainfall deficits since October over these areas ranged anywhere from 5 to 8 inches. Most wells across the area were running at around 10 percent of normal water levels. The level of Lake Okeechobee remained steady at about 12.5 feet, which is 2.2 feet below normal. The Keetch-Byram Drought Index (KBDI) was in the 500 to 550 range, which reflects a high fire danger and low soil moisture values. Most pastures were in poor conditions due to the drought and earlier freezes.
- Drought
- A drought reaching severe (D2) or worse on the US Drought Monitor, or with notable impacts.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
- Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in Mississippi, January 1, 20113 injured · $11 million · EF3 · 39 events
- Cold in Illinois, January 1, 20111 death · 1 event
- Heavy Snow and Frost and Freeze in Nevada, January 1 to 3, 2011$1.5 million · 3 events
- Extreme Cold and Cold in Arizona, January 1 to 6, 2011$1.3 million · 5 events
- Wildfire in Puerto Rico, January 1 to 25, 2011$371,000 · 6 events
- Drought in Texas, January 1 to 31, 2011$76,000 · 18 events
- Heavy Snow and Heavy Rain in California, January 1 to 4, 2011$74,000 · 5 events
- Strong Wind in Wisconsin, January 1, 2011$38,000 · 10 events
- Drought in Arkansas, January 1 to 31, 201133 events
- Drought in Georgia, January 1 to 31, 201126 events
- Blizzard in South Dakota, January 1, 201126 events
- Drought in Kentucky, January 1 to 31, 201122 events
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: 276893, 276894, 276895, 276897, 276898, 276899, 276900, 276901.