Tropical Storm and Storm Surge in Florida, October 25 to 30, 2012

Name: Tropical Storm and Storm Surge in Florida, October 25 to 30, 2012
Start: 2012-10-25T05:00
End: 2012-10-30T21:00
Location: Florida

October 25 to 30, 2012 · NWS MFL · 6 events in 3 counties and zones

Hurricane Sandy moved north across the northwest Bahamas producing tropical storm force winds along the southeast coast of Florida including the adjacent Atlantic waters with significant beach erosion.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 6 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: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: $14 million
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 6

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.

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 Oct 25, 3:50 AM EST, 1 hour 10 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Oct 25, 3:50 AM EST, 1 hour 10 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIAMI FL
450 AM EDT THU OCT 25 2012

...HURRICANE SANDY CONTINUES TO STRENGTHEN, BUT LATEST FORECAST
SHOWS LITTLE CHANGES TO THE POTENTIAL IMPACTS ACROSS SOUTH FLORIDA...

.SHORT TERM...
HURRICANE SANDY CURRENTLY LOCATED OVER EASTERN CUBA IS FORECAST BY
THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER TO MOVE NORTHWARD TODAY AND INTO THE
BAHAMA ISLANDS ON FRIDAY. THIS WILL ALLOW FOR THE WINDS TO
CONTINUE TO INCREASE OVER THE CWA TODAY INTO TONIGHT...AND BY
FRIDAY BE NEAR TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ALONG THE EAST COASTAL
AREAS AND THE ADJACENT COASTAL WATERS. FOR THE EAST COAST METRO
AREAS...THE WINDS WILL BE IN THE WIND ADVISORY CONDITIONS TODAY
THROUGH FRIDAY. SO WILL CONTINUE THE TROPICAL STORM WARNING FOR
THE EAST COASTAL AREAS AND THE ADJACENT COASTAL WATERS...AND A
WIND ADVISORY WILL BE GOING UP FOR THE EAST COAST METRO AREAS FOR
TODAY THROUGH FRIDAY.

THE TROPICAL MOISTURE WILL ALSO CONTINUE TO INCREASE OVER THE CWA
ESPECIALLY OVER THE EASTERN PORTIONS OF THE CWA THROUGH FRIDAY.
SO THE POPS WILL BE RAISE TODAY INTO FRIDAY WITH THE WEST COAST
AREAS IN THE LOW SCATTERED RANGE TO LIKELY POPS OVER THE EAST
COAST METRO AREAS. THE EAST COAST METRO AREAS COULD EVEN SEE A FEW
THUNDERSTORMS TODAY THROUGH FRIDAY IN ANY FEEDER BANDS THAT SET UP
OVER SOUTH FLORIDA WITH THE ASSOCIATION OF HURRICANE SANDY. SO
WILL KEEP THUNDER WORDING IN THE FORECAST FOR THE EAST COAST METRO
AREAS INCLUDING THE ADJACENT COASTAL WATERS.

MOST OF THE RAINFALL SHOULD REMAIN EAST OF SOUTH FLORIDA...BUT THE
EAST COAST METRO AREAS COULD STILL SEE 1 TO 3 INCHES THROUGH
FRIDAY WITH LESS THAN ONE INCH OVER REST OF THE CWA. HOWEVER...THERE
COULD BE HIGHER AMOUNTS OF RAINFALL WHERE FEEDER BANDS SET UP
ESPECIALLY OVER THE EAST COAST METRO AREAS.

.LONG TERM...
THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER IS FORECASTING HURRICANE SANDY TO
MOVE NORTHEAST THROUGH THE WESTERN ATLANTIC WATERS AND AWAY FROM
SOUTH FLORIDA THIS WEEKEND. THIS WILL ALLOW FOR VERY DRY AIR AND
COOLER TEMPERATURES TO WORK INTO SOUTH FLORIDA FROM THE NORTH THIS
WEEKEND.

THE VERY DRY AIR AND COOLER TEMPERATURES WILL CONTINUE OVER SOUTH
FLORIDA FOR THE EARLY TO MIDDLE PART OF NEXT WEEK...AS THE
NORTHWESTERLY WIND FLOW CONTINUES OVER THE CWA. HIGHS NEXT WEEK
WILL BE IN THE 70S TO NEAR 80 DEGREES...WITH LOWS IN THE 40S TO
50S EXCEPT 50S TO NEAR 60 OVER THE EAST COAST METRO AREAS.

&&

.MARINE...
HURRICANE SANDY IS FORECAST TO LIFT NORTH TODAY INTO THURSDAY AND
INTO THE BAHAMA ISLANDS ON FRIDAY...BEFORE MOVING AWAY FROM SOUTH
FLORIDA THIS WEEKEND. WINDS AND SEAS WILL CONTINUE TO INCREASE
TODAY INTO TONIGHT AND PEAK SOMETIME ON FRIDAY...BEFORE STEADILY
SUBSIDE THROUGH THE WEEKEND. WINDS WILL SHIFT TO THE NORTH TODAY
BEFORE SWINGING TO A NORTHWEST FRIDAY THROUGH THE WEEKEND. THIS
WILL ALLOW FOR THE SEAS TO CONTINUE TO RAPIDLY INCREASE IN
ATLANTIC WATERS TODAY INTO TONIGHT BEFORE PEAKING OUT ON FRIDAY
AND FRIDAY NIGHT. THE SEAS WILL THEN SLOWLY DECREASE OVER THE
WEEKEND. FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE WINDS AND SEAS...PLEASE SEE
OUR LOCAL HURRICANE STATEMENT.

&&

.FIRE WEATHER...
THE RELATIVE HUMIDITIES WILL REMAIN WELL ABOVE THE 35 PERCENT
CRITICAL VALUE OVER SOUTH FLORIDA TODAY INTO FRIDAY. HOWEVER...THE
TRANSPORT WINDS WILL BE VERY WINDY OVER SOUTH FLORIDA WITH SPEEDS
BETWEEN 25 TO 35 MPH.

THE TRANSPORT WIND SPEEDS WILL BE ON THE DECREASE THIS WEEKEND AND
SHOULD BE DOWN TO LESS THAN 10 MPH BY EARLY NEXT WEEK.
HOWEVER...THE RELATIVE HUMIDITIES WILL BE FALLING THIS WEEKEND INTO
THE 40S AND BY EARLY NEXT WEEK BE IN THE UPPER 20S TO LOWER 30S
OVER MOST OF THE CWA. SO WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE LATEST MODEL
RUNS ON THE TRANSPORT WINDS AND THE RELATIVE HUMIDITIES THROUGH
THE WEEKEND.

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
WEST PALM BEACH  84  79  83  72 / 50 60 60 50
FORT LAUDERDALE  84  78  83  73 / 50 60 60 30
MIAMI            85  77  83  72 / 50 60 60 30
NAPLES           86  75  82  73 / 30 40 40 20

&&

.MFL WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
FL...WIND ADVISORY FROM 8 AM THIS MORNING TO 8 PM EDT FRIDAY FOR FAR
     SOUTH MIAMI DADE-METRO BROWARD-METRO MIAMI DADE-METRO PALM
     BEACH.

     TROPICAL STORM WARNING FOR COASTAL BROWARD-COASTAL MIAMI DADE-
     COASTAL PALM BEACH.

AM...TROPICAL STORM WARNING FOR BISCAYNE BAY-COASTAL WATERS FROM
     DEERFIELD BEACH TO OCEAN REEF, FL OUT 20 NM-COASTAL WATERS
     FROM JUPITER INLET TO DEERFIELD BEACH, FL OUT 20 NM-LAKE
     OKEECHOBEE-WATERS FROM DEERFIELD BEACH TO OCEAN REEF, FL
     EXTENDING FROM 20 NM TO THE TERRITORIAL WATERS OF THE
     BAHAMAS-WATERS FROM JUPITER INLET TO DEERFIELD BEACH, FL
     EXTENDING FROM 20 NM TO 60 NM.

GM...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 8 PM EDT SATURDAY FOR COASTAL WATERS
     FROM CHOKOLOSKEE TO BONITA BEACH, FL OUT 20 NM-COASTAL
     WATERS FROM EAST CAPE SABLE TO CHOKOLOSKEE, FL OUT 20 NM-
     GULF WATERS FROM CHOKOLOSKEE TO BONITA BEACH, FL EXTENDING
     FROM 20 TO 60 NM.

&&

DISCUSSION/MARINE/FIRE...54/BNB
AVIATION/RADAR...55/CWC

Hazardous weather outlook, Oct 25, 4:29 AM EST, 31 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR SOUTH FLORIDA
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIAMI FL
529 AM EDT THU OCT 25 2012

AMZ610-630-650-651-670-671-FLZ063-066>075-168-172>174-GMZ656-657-676-
260030-
LAKE OKEECHOBEE-BISCAYNE BAY-
COASTAL WATERS FROM JUPITER INLET TO DEERFIELD BEACH, FL OUT 20 NM-
COASTAL WATERS FROM DEERFIELD BEACH TO OCEAN REEF, FL OUT 20 NM-
WATERS FROM JUPITER INLET TO DEERFIELD BEACH, FL EXTENDING FROM
20 NM TO 60 NM-
WATERS FROM DEERFIELD BEACH TO OCEAN REEF, FL EXTENDING FROM 20 NM
TO THE TERRITORIAL WATERS OF THE BAHAMAS-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-
COASTAL WATERS FROM CHOKOLOSKEE TO BONITA BEACH, FL OUT 20 NM-
COASTAL WATERS FROM EAST CAPE SABLE TO CHOKOLOSKEE, FL OUT 20 NM-
GULF WATERS FROM CHOKOLOSKEE TO BONITA BEACH, FL EXTENDING FROM
20 TO 60 NM-
529 AM EDT THU OCT 25 2012

...TROPICAL STORM WARNING COASTAL AREAS SOUTHEAST FLORIDA AND LAKE OKEECHOBEE...
...GUSTY WINDS EAST COAST METRO AREAS...
...HIGH RISK RIP CURRENTS ATLANTIC BEACHES...

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTH FLORIDA.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

THUNDERSTORMS: ISOLATED TO SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL OCCUR
ACROSS THE EAST COAST METRO AREAS AS WELL AS THE ATLANTIC WATERS
ESPECIALLY THIS AFTERNOON INTO TONIGHT.

FOR MORE INFORMATION REGARDING THE LOCAL IMPACTS ON SOUTH FLORIDA
FROM HURRICANE SANDY...PLEASE REFER TO OUR HURRICANE LOCAL
STATEMENTS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY

FOR MORE INFORMATION REGARDING THE LOCAL IMPACTS ON SOUTH FLORIDA
FROM HURRICANE SANDY...PLEASE REFER TO OUR HURRICANE LOCAL
STATEMENTS.

STRONG RIP CURRENTS WILL OCCUR ALONG THE ATLANTIC COAST THROUGH THE
WEEKEND, ALONG WITH POSSIBLE RIP CURRENTS AT THE GULF BEACHES AS
WELL. THERE COULD ALSO BE HIGH SURF ISSUES ALONG THE EAST COAST
BEACHES OF SOUTH FLORIDA THIS WEEKEND.

LOW TEMPERATURES AROUND LAKE OKEECHOBEE COULD FALL INTO THE 40S
EARLY NEXT WEEK.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED FOR THE EAST COAST METRO AREAS
THROUGH TONIGHT.

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 tropical storm, 3 storm surge/tide. Local standard time, as filed.

Tropical Storm, Coastal Miami-Dade County

When: October 25, 5:00 AM EST to October 26, 5:00 PM EST
Where: Coastal Miami-Dade County forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 25.609, -80.499 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hurricane Sandy began to affect the Miami-Dade County coast and its adjacent Atlantic waters with tropical storm force winds during the early morning of October 25th as it moved north across the northwest Bahamas. Virginia Key reported a sustained wind of 40 mph shortly after 0500 LST with gusts to 50 mph. Sustained tropical storm force winds were observed at several coastal observations through the course of the day with a peak gust of 58 knots...or 67 mph being observed at the Fowey Rocks C-Man Station at 1200 LST. A peak gust of 52 knots...or 60 mph was observed at the Turkey Point Nuclear Power Plant. As Hurricane Sandy continued to move north and then northeast over the Atlantic waters north of the Bahamas, large northeast swells generated by the storm pummeled the Southeast Florida coast through October 30th with beach erosion and coastal flooding reported along the northeast shore of Miami-Dade County including the communities of Sunny Isles, Bal Harbour and Surfside. Large breaking of waves estimated at around 10 feet were reported along the coast of Miami-Dade County.

A maximum storm tide of 4.15 feet above mean lower low water (MLLW) was observed at Virginia Key on October 28th at 848 AM, along with a maximum storm surge of 1.44 feet.

Only minor wind damage was noted, primarily to vegetation. A total 57,870 customers lost power. Exact damage figures are unknown for Miami-Dade County but are believed to be primarily from beach erosion.

Tropical Storm, Coastal Broward County

When: October 25, 3:00 PM EST to October 26, 3:00 PM EST
Where: Coastal Broward County forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 26.152, -80.456 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hurricane Sandy began to affect the Broward County coast and its adjacent Atlantic waters with tropical storm force winds during the afternoon of October 25th as it moved slowly north across the northwest Bahamas. Tropical storm force wind gusts were first observed along the coastal Broward County region by late on the afternoon of October 25th continuing into the evening. Several WeatherFlow sensors along and near the Broward County coast recorded Tropical Storm force wind gusts during the evening of October 25th with a peak wind gust of 63 mph observed at Port Everglades and 59 mph at Pompano Beach. However, as Hurricane Sandy continued to move slowly north and then northeast over the Atlantic waters north of the Bahamas through the 28th the main impact along the Broward County coast were large northeast swells generated by the storm which pummeled the Southeast Florida coast with severe beach erosion and coastal flooding. Large breaking waves of over 10 feet were estimated along the Broward County coast. As a result, major coastal flooding occurred along A1A in Fort Lauderdale Beach, mainly between Las Olas Boulevard and NE 20th Street. This resulted in this stretch of road being closed the entire weekend, along with a few others, as well as some neighborhoods being cut off. A few homes also sustained water damage. The large waves brought sea water and sand a couple of feet deep onto A1A with the inland extent being about 2 city blocks in some locales.

Nearest tide gauge at Virginia Key reported a maximum storm tide of 4.15 feet above mean lower low water (MLLW) on October 28th at 848 AM, along with a maximum storm surge of 1.44 feet.

Only minor wind damage was noted, primarily to vegetation. A total 55,440 customers lost power. Exact damage figures are unknown for Broward County but are believed to be very high and related to the beach erosion and coastal flooding.

Tropical Storm, Coastal Palm Beach County

When: October 25, 4:00 PM EST to October 26, 5:00 PM EST
Where: Coastal Palm Beach County forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 26.648, -80.436 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hurricane Sandy began to affect the Palm Beach County coast and its adjacent Atlantic waters with tropical storm force winds during the evening of October 25th as it moved slowly north across the northwest Bahamas. Tropical storm force wind gusts were first observed along the coastal Palm Beach County region by early in the evening of October 25th. Several WeatherFlow sensors along and near the Palm Beach County coast recorded Tropical Storm force wind gusts during the evening of October 25th with a peak wind gust of 67 mph observed at Jupiter. However, as Hurricane Sandy continued to move slowly north and then northeast over the Atlantic waters north of the Bahamas through the 28th the main impact along the Palm Beach County coast were large northeast swells generated by the storm which pummeled the Southeast Florida coast with significant beach erosion and coastal flooding. Large breaking waves of possibly over 20 feet were estimated along the coast. As a result, major coastal flooding occurred with the most significant impacts experienced from central Palm Beach north, including the Manalapan area where beachfront structures were threatened by water intrusion. In all, there was an estimated $14 million in damage sustained in Palm Beach County. A total of 44,270 customers lost power.

Storm Surge/Tide, Coastal Miami-Dade County

When: October 26, 1:00 AM EST to October 30, 9:00 PM EST
Where: Coastal Miami-Dade County forecast zone
Reported by: Broadcast Media
Coordinates: 25.609, -80.499 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Storm Surge/Tide, Coastal Broward County

When: October 26, 1:00 AM EST to October 30, 9:00 PM EST
Where: Coastal Broward County forecast zone
Reported by: Broadcast Media
Coordinates: 26.152, -80.456 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A maximum storm tide of 4.15 feet above mean lower low water (MLLW) was observed at Virginia Key on October 28th at 848 AM EDT, along with a maximum storm surge of 1.44 feet. Similar tide and surge levels were measured at the highest daily high tide during this period, generally between 7 and 9 AM. Large breakers in excess of 10 feet combined with the high tide levels led to major beach erosion and coastal flooding, particularly in the area along A1A in Fort Lauderdale Beach between Las Olas Boulevard and NE 20 St. Water reached up to 2 blocks inland and sand up to 2 feet deep accumulated along A1A. That portion of the roadway was closed for several days, leading to significant damage. No damage estimate is available at this time.

Storm Surge/Tide, Coastal Palm Beach County

When: October 26, 1:00 AM EST to October 30, 9:00 PM EST
Where: Coastal Palm Beach County forecast zone
Property damage: $14 million
Reported by: Broadcast Media
Coordinates: 26.648, -80.436 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A maximum storm tide of 5.2 feet above mean lower low water (MLLW) was observed at Lake Worth Pier on October 28th at 712 AM EDT along with a maximum storm surge of 2.28 feet on October 28th at 236 AM EDT. Similar tide and surge levels were measured at the highest daily high tide during this period, generally between 7 and 9 AM. Large breakers in excess of 15 feet combined with the high tide levels led to major beach erosion and coastal flooding, particularly from central Palm Beach north, including the Manalapan area where beachfront structures were threatened by water intrusion. In all, there was an estimated $14 million in damage sustained in Palm Beach County.

What these are

Tropical Storm: A tropical cyclone with sustained winds of 34 to 63 knots (39 to 73 mph).
Storm Surge/Tide: Water pushed ashore above the normal tide by a storm’s winds and low pressure.

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, October 2012 The 2012 hurricane season

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: 415904, 417988, 417989, 417993, 417994, 417995.