The northern extent of a tropical wave over the Bahamas helped to trigger afternoon and evening thunderstorms across south Florida.
Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.
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 episode as NWS MFL wrote it up.
The northern extent of a tropical wave over the Bahamas helped to trigger afternoon and evening thunderstorms across south Florida.
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 Aug 18, 1:26 PM EST, 3 hours 4 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIAMI FL
226 PM EDT SUN AUG 18 2013
.DISCUSSION...
A STRONG SUBTROPICAL RIDGE OVER THE WESTERN ATLANTIC THIS AFTERNOON
IS FORECAST TO DRIFT SLOWLY WEST...WHILE SLIGHTLY WEAKENING THROUGH
THE MID WEEK PERIOD. THIS WILL KEEP THE RISK OF RIP CURRENTS AT
LEAST IN THE MODERATE CATEGORY THROUGH WEDNESDAY AS EASTERLY ONSHORE
FLOW CONTINUES. THE CUT OFF UPPER LOW/SHORTWAVE TROUGH OVER THE
TENNESSEE VALLEY IS FORECAST TO WEAKEN AND LIFT TO THE
NORTHEAST...BUT THE SURFACE BOUNDARY ACROSS THE SOUTHEAST WILL
REMAIN THROUGH EARLY THIS WEEK.
A WEAK TROPICAL WAVE OVER/SOUTH OF CUBA WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE TO THE
WEST...TO THE SOUTH OF THE REGION OVERNIGHT TONIGHT. PWATS ABOVE 2
INCHES WILL CONTINUE THIS AFTERNOON...WITH SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS
SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. WITH MODERATELY EASTERLY FLOW
OVERNIGHT...ISOLATED TO SCATTERED SHOWERS ARE POSSIBLE OVERNIGHT FOR
THE EAST COAST METRO AREAS. OVERNIGHT LOWS WILL BE WARM IN THE MID
70S TO LOWER 80S. WEST PALM BEACH COULD GET NEAR THE RECORD HIGH
MINIMUM.
THE TROPICAL WAVE WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE OFF TO THE WEST ON
MONDAY...AND SLIGHTLY DRIER AIR WILL MOVE INTO THE REGION.
HOWEVER...PWATS WILL STILL REMAIN AROUND 2 INCHES...SO SCATTERED TO
NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND STORMS ARE POSSIBLE ONCE AGAIN. STORMS WILL
CONCENTRATE ACROSS THE INTERIOR AND GULF COAST. HIGHS WILL BE NEAR
NORMAL...WITH TEMPS AROUND 90 TO THE LOWER 90S.
MORE PRONOUNCED DRYING IS FORECAST TO TAKE PLACE MONDAY NIGHT AND
TUESDAY...WITH PWATS FALLING TO 1.5-1.7 INCHES. SO LOWER RAIN
CHANCES ARE FORECAST ACROSS THE REGION. EASTERLY FLOW WILL
CONTINUE...SO THE BEST CHANCES WILL BE ACROSS THE INTERIOR AND GULF
COAST IN THE AFTERNOON.
A SMALL INCREASE IN LOW LEVEL MOISTURE...BACK TO NORMAL VALUES...IS
FORECAST TO MOVE WESTWARD INTO THE REGION ON WEDNESDAY. THE DEEPEST
MOISTURE IS FORECAST TO MOVE ACROSS THE NORTHERN TWO-THIRDS OF THE
REGION. HIGH PRESSURE WILL REMAIN OVER THE WESTERN ATLANTIC THROUGH
THE END OF THE WEEK. HOWEVER...HIGH PRESSURE IS FORECAST TO WEAKEN
AND SHIFT SOUTHWARD AS A TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE MOVES INTO THE
NORTHEAST THURSDAY AND FRIDAY. ANOTHER TROPICAL WAVE MAY APPROACH
SOUTH FLORIDA NEXT WEEKEND.
&&
.AVIATION...
ISOLATED TO SCATTERED SHOWERS WILL CONTINUE TO AFFECT THE EAST COAST
TAF SITES THIS AFTERNOON INTO TONIGHT...WHILE KAPF TAF SITE COULD
SEE A FEW THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH 00Z TONIGHT. SO WILL KEEP VCSH FOR
THE EAST COAST TAF SITES THROUGH TONIGHT...AND VCTS FOR KAPF TAF
SITE THROUGH 00Z. KPAF TAF SITE WILL THEN HAVE VCSH THROUGH 03Z
BEFORE GOING DRY FOR ANY LEFT OVER SHOWERS THIS EARLY THIS EVENING.
THE WINDS WILL REMAIN EAST TO SOUTHEAST AT 10 TO 15 KNOTS THIS
AFTERNOON AT ALL OF SOUTH FLORIDA TAF SITES...BEFORE DECREASING TO 5
TO 10 KNOTS ALONG THE EAST COAST TAF SITES TONIGHT AND LESS THAN 5
KNOTS AT KAPF TAF SITE.
THE CEILING AND VIS WILL REMAIN IN THE VFR CONDITIONS THIS AFTERNOON
INTO TONIGHT FOR ALL OF THE TAF SITES...AS ANY ACTIVITY THAT DOES
MOVE THROUGH WILL BE BRIEF WITH MVFR CONDITIONS.
&&
.MARINE...
EASTERLY FLOW IN THE 10 TO 15 KNOT RANGE IS FORECAST TO PREVAIL
ACROSS THE REGIONAL WATERS MONDAY THROUGH MID-WEEK WITH GULF AND
ATLANTIC SEAS FORECAST TO BE 3 FEET OR LESS DURING THIS PERIOD.
&&
.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
WEST PALM BEACH 82 90 80 91 / 30 40 20 20
FORT LAUDERDALE 81 89 81 90 / 30 40 20 20
MIAMI 81 90 80 90 / 30 40 20 20
NAPLES 76 92 75 93 / 30 60 20 40
&&
.MFL WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
FL...RIP CURRENT RISK UNTIL 8 PM EDT THIS EVENING FOR COASTAL BROWARD-
COASTAL MIAMI DADE-COASTAL PALM BEACH.
AM...NONE.
GM...NONE.
&&
DISCUSSION/MARINE/FIRE...84/AK
AVIATION/RADAR...54/BNBHAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR SOUTH FLORIDA...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIAMI FL 933 AM EDT SUN AUG 18 2013 AMZ610-630-650-651-670-671-FLZ063-066>075-168-172>174-GMZ656-657-676- 190200- 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- 933 AM EDT SUN AUG 18 2013 ...VERY HIGH RISK OF RIP CURRENTS ATLANTIC BEACHES TODAY... ...SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS AFTERNOON STORMS, ESPECIALLY WESTERN AREAS... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTH FLORIDA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT RIP CURRENTS: ONSHORE WINDS OF 15-25 MPH WILL CREATE CONDITIONS VERY FAVORABLE FOR SIGNIFICANT RIP CURRENTS IN ATLANTIC BEACHES TODAY. THEREFORE...THERE IS A VERY HIGH RISK OF RIP CURRENTS TODAY ALONG THE EAST COAST BEACHES OF SOUTH FLORIDA TODAY. THUNDERSTORMS: SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP THIS AFTERNOON OVER THE INTERIOR AREAS WITH EVEN NUMEROUS STORMS OVER THE WEST COAST METRO AREAS. THE PRIMARY IMPACTS FROM THE STORMS WILL BE GUSTY WINDS...LIGHTNING STRIKES...AND LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL. WIND: A FEW OF THE STORMS LATE THIS AFTERNOON INTO THIS EVENING COULD BECOME STRONG ESPECIALLY OVER THE METRO AREAS OF COLLIER COUNTY WITH WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH. FLOODING: THERE COULD BE SOME MINOR STREET FLOODING OVER METRO COLLIER COUNTY THIS AFTERNOON INTO THIS EVENING WITH THE STORMS. TEMPERATURES: HEAT INDICES WILL BE BETWEEN 100 TO 103 DEGREES ACROSS MUCH OF SOUTH FLORIDA TODAY WITH EVEN PORTIONS OF INLAND COLLIER COUNTY GETTING UP TO AROUND 105 DEGREES. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY A HIGH RISK OF RIP CURRENTS MAY EXIST ON MONDAY FOR ATLANTIC BEACHES...WITH AT LEAST MODERATE RISKS CONTINUING THROUGH MIDWEEK. SCATTERED MAINLY AFTERNOON AND EVENING THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED THIS WEEK. EARLY THIS WEEK...MOST OF THE ACTIVITY WILL REMAIN OVER WESTERN AND INTERIOR SECTIONS OF SOUTH FLORIDA. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WIDESPREAD SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED, HOWEVER INDIVIDUAL SPOTTERS OVER METRO COLLIER COUNTY ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT HIGH WIND AND FLOODING TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORECAST OFFICE IN MIAMI. FOR MORE INFORMATION...VISIT THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MIAMI WEBSITE AT WWW.WEATHER.GOV/MIAMI. BAXTER
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIAMI FL
324 PM EDT SUN AUG 18 2013
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1230 PM RIP CURRENTS 3 NNE MIAMI BEACH 25.85N 80.12W
08/18/2013 AMZ651 FL BROADCAST MEDIA
*** 2 FATAL *** AN ELDERLY MAN AND A WOMAN DIED AFTER
BEING CAUGHT IN A RIP CURRENT NEAR ALLISON PARK IN MIAMI
BEACH EARLY THIS AFTERNOON.
&&
EVENT NUMBER MFL1300155
ROSSThe Miami radar (KAMX), 136 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:29 UTC.
1 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.
A boy who was trying to seek shelter from a thunderstorm underneath a chickee hut at Marriott Beach Resort was injured when a lightning struck the hut. He was taken to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The lightning strike also set the chickee hut on fire.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Florida in 2013Every state in 2013This day in weather historyWarnings in Florida, August 2013
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: 472169.