Rip Currents in Florida, May 13, 2012

Name: Rip Currents in Florida, May 13, 2012
Start: 2012-05-13T10:30
End: 2012-05-13T14:00
Location: Florida

May 13, 2012 · NWS MFL · 3 events in 2 counties and zones

A strong east wind produced dangerous rip currents at the beaches along the Atlantic Coast.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 3 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: 3
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 3

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 strong east wind produced dangerous rip currents at the beaches along the Atlantic Coast.

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 May 13, 9:24 AM EST, 1 hour 6 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 13, 9:24 AM EST, 1 hour 6 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIAMI FL
1024 AM EDT SUN MAY 13 2012

.UPDATE...
HIGH PRESSURE WAS LOCATED OVER THE WESTERN ATLANTIC WATERS THIS
MORNING WITH A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM DEVELOPING OVER THE TENNESSEE
VALLEY. THE HIGH WILL MOVE SLOWLY SOUTH TO JUST EAST OF THE BAHAMA
ISLANDS TONIGHT...AS THE LOW CONTINUES TO MOVE NORTHEAST TOWARDS
THE MID ATLANTIC STATES. AT THE SAME TIME...A TRAILING COLD FRONT
FROM THE LOW WILL MOVE SOUTHEAST INTO NORTH FLORIDA TONIGHT. THIS
WILL ALLOW FOR THE WINDS TO BE SOUTHEAST TODAY OVER THE CWA...AND
ALLOW FOR A WEST COAST SEA BREEZE TO DEVELOP AND PUSH SLOWLY
INLAND. WHERE THE EAST AND WEST COAST SEA BREEZES COLLIDE LATE THIS
AFTERNOON...SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD DEVELOP. SO
WILL CONTINUE THE 30 TO 40 PERCENT POPS OVER THE INTERIOR AND WEST
COAST METRO AREAS FOR THIS AFTERNOON INTO THIS EVENING. REST OF
THE CWA WILL SEE ISOLATED SHOWERS TODAY. SO WILL CONTINUE THE
SLIGHT CHANCE OF POPS FOR REST OF THE CWA TODAY. REST OF THE
FORECAST LOOKS GOOD AT THIS TIME AND NO OTHER CHANGES ARE PLANNED.

&&

.PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 732 AM EDT SUN MAY 13 2012/

AVIATION...
VFR CONDITIONS WILL PREVAIL WITH SOME CIG 035-045 AT THE E CST
TERMINALS THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON. COULD ALSO HAVE A FEW SHRA MOVE
ONSHORE FROM THE ATLANTIC AND THEN DEVELOP ALONG THE E FLOW
CONVERGENCE BOUNDARY THAT WILL DEVELOP AROUND 14-15Z. W CST SEA
BREEZE WILL SET UP AROUND 18-19Z AND THIS WILL BE FOCUSING MECHANISM
FOR TSRA TO DEVELOP AFT 19Z WITH A GENERAL PUSH OF THIS ACTIVITY
BACK TOWARDS KAPF. THE LOW LEVEL E WIND FLOW WILL WEAKEN BY LATE
THIS AFTERNOON INTO THE EVENING. /KOB

&&

PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 325 AM EDT SUN MAY 13 2012/

DISCUSSION...A SHALLOW BUT BROAD UPPER TROUGH OVER THE CENTRAL GREAT
PLAINS GRADUALLY DEEPENS...SLOWLY MOVES EASTWARD AND SHOVES THE ATLC
UPPER RIDGE FURTHER EAST. BY MIDWEEK...THE AXIS OF THE TROUGH WILL
BE ALIGNED WITH THE U.S. EAST COAST SEABOARD AND EXTEND SW ACROSS
THE SE U.S. AND THE FLA PANHANDLE INTO THE GULF OF MEX. BY NEXT WEEK
-END...THE UPPER TROUGH AXIS WILL HAVE MOVED E OF THE FLA PENINSULA.
AT THE SURFACE...A LOW PRESSURE CENTER OVER THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI
VALLEY MOVES NE WITH THE COLD FRONT EXTENDING SW INTO THE GULF MOV
-ING EASTWARD WHICH SIMULTANEOUSLY SHOVES THE HIGH OFF OF CAPE
HATTERAS FURTHER E. THE COLD FRONT MOVES INTO N FLA MONDAY AND SLOW
-LY MOVES SE AND THROUGH S FLA BY THE END OF NEXT WEEK.

SHORT TERM...TODAY THROUGH TUESDAY...AS THE UPPER TROUGH DEEPENS AND
THE ATLC HIGH SLIDES E...THE DEEP EASTERLY FLOW BEGINS TO WEAKEN AND
VEER BECOMING WESTERLY BY MONDAY. WITH HEATING...E/W COAST SEA
BREEZES ALONG WITH A GRADUAL MOISTENING OF THE ATMOSPHERE...THE
CHANCES OF SHOWERS/THUNDERSTORMS GRADUALLY INCREASE. STEERING WINDS
WEAK/VARIABLE TODAY SO THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY WILL BE MAINLY INLAND
BUT POSSIBLY ERRATIC IN MOVEMENT. POSSIBLE SHOWERS E COAST TONIGHT
BUT ALSO W COAST WITH ISOLD THUNDERSTORMS. A DEEPER AND STRONGER SW
STEERING FLOW MOVES THE AFTERNOON CONVECTION NE AFFECTING MAINLY THE
LAKE OKEECHOBEE/PALM BEACH REGION MONDAY. THE W COAST WILL BE
FAVORED WITH NOCTURNAL ACTIVITY MON NIGHT. TUESDAY'S PATTERN SIMILAR
TO MONDAY BUT POSSIBLE A SMIDGEN LESS POPS.

EXTENDED FORECAST...WEDNESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY...LITTLE CHANGE
THROUGH FRIDAY BUT THE PASSAGE OF THE FRONT DRIES OUT/STABILIZES THE
ATMOSPHERE A BIT INTO NEXT WEEKEND. THE GFS/ECMWF DIFFER ON SURFACE
DEVELOPMENT OFF OF THE SE U.S. COAST FRIDAY INTO NEXT WEEKEND WHICH
AFFECTS THE OVERALL CHANCES OF RAIN BUT NOT TRAJECTORY DUE TO THE
UPPER FLOW. TOTAL CONFIDENCE REMAINS LOW AT THIS TIME DUE TO THE
FRONT MOVING THROUGH AND MORE SIGNIFICANT SURFACE DEVELOPMENT OFF OF
THE COAST THAT AFFECTS MOISTURE AVAILABILITY. SO...WILL SHOW A
CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH THE PERIOD AND AWAIT
BETTER MODEL CONSENSUS.

MARINE...
EASTERLY WINDS AT CAUTION CRITERIA AT THE MOMENT BUT A GRADUAL
DECREASE IN WIND AND IN TURN LOWERING OF SEAS EXPECTED. WIND SPEEDS
WILL BECOME LESS THAN 15 KTS AND SEAS LESS THAN 5 FEET BY THIS
AFTERNOON AND PERSIST THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE PERIOD. THOUGH
WINDS SHOWING A GRADUAL DECREASE ...THERE WILL STILL BE A HIGH RISK
OF RIP CURRENTS AT THE ATLC BEACHES TODAY.

FIRE WEATHER...
RELATIVE HUMIDITIES WILL REMAIN ABOVE 35 PERCENT SO NO PROBLEMS ARE
EXPECTED.

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
WEST PALM BEACH  85  73  84  71 / 20 20 50 30
FORT LAUDERDALE  85  75  84  74 / 20 20 40 30
MIAMI            86  74  85  73 / 20 20 40 30
NAPLES           87  70  84  70 / 40 30 40 20

&&

.MFL WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
FL...HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK UNTIL 7 PM EDT THIS EVENING FOR COASTAL
     BROWARD-COASTAL MIAMI DADE-COASTAL PALM BEACH.

AM...NONE.
GM...NONE.
&&

DISCUSSION/MARINE/FIRE...15/JR
AVIATION/RADAR...30/KOB

Hazardous weather outlook, May 13, 2:43 AM EST, 7 hours 47 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR SOUTH FLORIDA
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIAMI FL
343 AM EDT SUN MAY 13 2012

AMZ610-630-FLZ063-066>075-168-172>174-132245-
LAKE OKEECHOBEE-BISCAYNE BAY-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-
343 AM EDT SUN MAY 13 2012

...HIGH RISK OF RIP CURRENTS ATLANTIC BEACHES...
...CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS INTERIOR AND WEST COAST...

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTH FLORIDA.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

RIP CURRENTS: AN EAST WIND OF 15 MPH ALONG WITH LOW TIDE BETWEEN 9
AND 10 AM EDT THIS MORNING WILL MAINTAIN A HIGH RISK OF RIP
CURRENTS AT THE BEACHES OF PALM BEACH, BROWARD AND MIAMI-DADE COUNTIES.

THUNDERSTORMS: THERE WILL BE A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE
INTERIOR AND WEST COAST REGIONS THIS AFTERNOON WITH A SLIGHT
CHANCE ELSEWHERE. THE PRIMARY THREAT FROM THESE STORMS WILL BE AN
OCCASIONAL LIGHTNING STRIKE AND BRIEF HEAVY RAINFALL.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY

THERE WILL BE A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS EACH DAY WITH THE PRIMARY
THREAT FOR OCCASIONAL LIGHTNING STRIKES AND BRIEF HEAVY RAINFALL.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED.

FOR MORE INFORMATION...VISIT THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN
MIAMI WEBSITE AT WWW.WEATHER.GOV/MIAMI.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

3 rip current. Local standard time, as filed.

Rip Current, Coastal Palm Beach County

When: May 13, 10:30 AM EST to 11:00 AM EST
Where: Coastal Palm Beach County forecast zone
Deaths: 1 direct, 0 indirect
Reported by: Newspaper
Coordinates: 26.648, -80.436 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A 53-year old male was plucked from the ocean along an unguarded stretch of shore north of Lake Worth Beach and taken to the JFK Medical Center where he later died around noon. The man was reported to have a weak heart and lifeguards reported rip currents and choppy surf.

Rip Current, Coastal Palm Beach County

When: May 13, 1:30 PM EST
Where: Coastal Palm Beach County forecast zone
Injuries: 2 direct, 0 indirect
Reported by: Newspaper
Coordinates: 26.648, -80.436 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Two swimmers were rescued from a rip current at MacArthur Beach State Park and taken to the Palm Beach Gardens Medical Center. The state park does not have guarded beaches.

Rip Current, Coastal Broward County

When: May 13, 2:00 PM EST
Where: Coastal Broward County forecast zone
Injuries: 1 direct, 0 indirect
Reported by: Broadcast Media
Coordinates: 26.152, -80.456 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A man, approximately 30 years old, and his two children between the ages of 6 and 10 were rescued from a rip current at an unguarded beach near 3100 N. Ocean Boulevard. The father was transported to Broward General Hospital where his condition was listed as non-life threatening.

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.

Event	Date	Age	Sex	Where	Kind
Rip Current, Coastal Palm Beach County	2012-05-13	53	Male	In Water	Direct

What these are

Rip Current: A narrow, fast current flowing away from the beach that caused a drowning or rescue.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Florida in 2012 Every state in 2012 This day in weather history Warnings in Florida, May 2012

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: 384797, 384799, 384800.