Flash Flood in Florida, October 2, 2013

Name: Flash Flood in Florida, October 2, 2013
Start: 2013-10-02T18:00
End: 2013-10-02T21:30
Location: Florida

October 2, 2013 · NWS MFL · 1 event in 1 county or zone

An area of low pressure near the Yucatan Peninsula provided a deep flow of tropical air into South Florida resulting in scattered very heavy showers and a few thunderstorms.

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

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: $5,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 1

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.

An area of low pressure near the Yucatan Peninsula provided a deep flow of tropical air into South Florida resulting in scattered very heavy showers and a few thunderstorms.

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 2, 1:39 PM EST, 4 hours 21 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Oct 2, 1:39 PM EST, 4 hours 21 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIAMI FL
239 PM EDT WED OCT 2 2013

.SHORT TERM...
A TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE EXTENDED FROM THE TROPICAL DISTURBANCE
NORTHEAST THROUGH THE SOUTHERN PORTION OF SOUTH FLORIDA AND INTO
THE WESTERN ATLANTIC WATERS WITH ANOTHER MID TO UPPER LEVEL LOW
OVER THE CENTRAL ATLANTIC WATERS. THE TROUGH WAS HELPING TO
GENERATE SHOWERS AND EVEN A FEW THUNDERSTORMS LATE THIS MORNING
INTO EARLY THIS AFTERNOON OVER METRO BROWARD AND NORTHERN MIAMI-
DADE COUNTIES.

THE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD CONTINUE TO DEVELOP ALONG
THE TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE OVER THE SOUTHERN AND WEST COAST METRO
AREAS OF SOUTH FLORIDA THROUGH THE REST OF THE AFTERNOON
HOURS...AS THE TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE WILL REMAIN NEARLY
STATIONARY. SO HAVE ADJUSTED THE POPS TO REFLECT THIS WITH LOWER
POPS OVER THE NORTHERN AREAS AND HIGHER POPS OVER THE SOUTHERN AND
WEST COAST METRO AREAS OF SOUTH FLORIDA FOR REST OF THIS
AFTERNOON.

THE MODELS ARE FORECASTING THIS DISTURBANCE TO MOVE NORTHWEST TO
NORTH-NORTHWEST TONIGHT AND INTO THE SOUTHERN GULF WATERS BY
THURSDAY. THIS WILL KEEP THE TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE NEARLY
STATIONARY OVER THE SOUTHERN PORTIONS OF SOUTH FLORIDA. SO THE
TROPICAL MOISTURE SHOULD BE CONFINED TO THE SOUTHERN AND WESTERN
AREAS OF SOUTH FLORIDA FOR THURSDAY. THEREFORE...THE POPS WILL
REMAIN IN THE SLIGHT CAT OVER THE NORTHEAST PORTIONS OF SOUTH
FLORIDA INCREASING TO CHANCE CAT OVER THE SOUTHERN AND WEST COAST
METRO AREAS OF SOUTH FLORIDA.

THE MODELS CONTINUE TO FORECAST THE TROPICAL DISTURBANCE TO MOVE
NORTHWARD TOWARDS THE SOUTHERN GULF COAST STATES ON FRIDAY. THIS
SHOULD SHIFT THE TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE TO MORE OF A NORTH TO
SOUTH SET UP MAINLY OVER THE EASTERN GULF OF MEXICO. SOME MOISTURE
WILL STILL REMAIN OVER SOUTH FLORIDA ON FRIDAY WITH THE BEST
CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE WESTERN AREAS OF
SOUTH FLORIDA...AS THIS AREA IS CLOSEST TO THE TROUGH. SO THE POPS
WILL BE IN A SLIGHT CHANCE CAT OVER THE EAST COAST METRO AREAS
INCREASING TO A CHANCE CAT OVER THE WEST COAST METRO AREAS ON
FRIDAY.

.LONG TERM...
THE LONG RANGE MODELS ARE TAKING THE TROPICAL DISTURBANCE IN THE
NORTHERN GULF WATERS NORTHEAST ACROSS THE SOUTHEAST UNITED STATES
AND INTO THE MID ATLANTIC STATES. THIS WILL ALLOW FOR THE STEERING
FLOW TO BECOME MORE SOUTHERLY OVER THE AREA THIS WEEKEND FOCUSING
THE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS MORE AROUND THE LAKE OKEECHOBEE
AREA. SO THE HIGHEST POPS WILL BE OVER THE NORTHERN AREAS OF SOUTH
FLORIDA FOR THIS WEEKEND. HOWEVER...ALL OF SOUTH FLORIDA SHOULD
STILL SEE ISOLATED TO SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS THIS
WEEKEND.

&&

.MARINE...
THE WINDS OVER SOUTH FLORIDA WILL BE IN AN EAST TO SOUTHEAST
DIRECTION THROUGH TONIGHT BEFORE SLOWLY SWINGING TO MORE OF A
SOUTHERLY DIRECTION BY THIS WEEKEND. THE SPEEDS WILL BE 10 TO 15
KNOTS OVER ALL OF THE LOCAL WATERS...DUE TO THE PRESSURE GRADIENT
BETWEEN THE HIGH TO THE NORTH AND THE TROPICAL DISTURBANCE TO THE
WEST. THE SEAS SHOULD REMAIN LESS THAN 6 FEET IN BOTH THE ATLANTIC
AND GULF WATERS OF SOUTH FLORIDA LATE THIS WEEK INTO THIS WEEKEND.

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
WEST PALM BEACH  77  88  77  88 / 10 20 20 20
FORT LAUDERDALE  79  88  79  88 / 20 30 20 20
MIAMI            78  89  78  89 / 20 40 30 20
NAPLES           75  90  75  90 / 40 50 40 40

&&

.MFL WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
FL...NONE.
AM...NONE.
GM...NONE.
&&

DISCUSSION/MARINE/FIRE...54/BNB
AVIATION/RADAR...13/SI

Hazardous weather outlook, Oct 2, 2:55 PM EST, 3 hours 5 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR SOUTH FLORIDA
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIAMI FL
355 PM EDT WED OCT 2 2013

AMZ610-630-650-651-670-671-FLZ063-066>075-168-172>174-GMZ656-657-676-
031100-
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-
355 PM EDT WED OCT 2 2013

...HEAVY RAIN AND LOCALIZED FLOODING POSSIBLE THROUGH THE EARLY EVENING...

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTH FLORIDA.

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT

RIP CURRENTS: THERE IS A MODERATE RISK FOR RIP CURRENTS ALONG
ATLANTIC BEACHES.

THUNDERSTORMS: A FEW THUNDERSTORMS MAY DEVELOP THIS
AFTERNOON, WITH THE PRIMARY THREAT BEING CLOUD-TO-GROUND
LIGHTNING.

FLOODING: SOME MINOR URBAN FLOODING IS POSSIBLE, ESPECIALLY WHERE
ANY HEAVY RAIN BECOMES CONCENTRATED FOR ANY DURATION OF TIME.

WATERSPOUTS: THERE IS A SLIGHT CHANCE OF A WATERSPOUT OFF THE
BROWARD COUNTY COAST, WHERE A CONVERGENT LINE HAS FORMED.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY

THERE IS A CHANCE OF MAINLY AFTERNOON THUNDERSTORMS, ESPECIALLY
OVER WESTERN SECTIONS OF SOUTH FLORIDA, THROUGH AT LEAST THIS
WEEKEND.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT NEEDED. HOWEVER...SPOTTERS ARE
ENCOURAGED TO REPORT ANY FLOODING OR SEVERE WEATHER.

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

In the hours before

Local storm report, Oct 2, 4:19 PM EST, 1 hour 41 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIAMI FL
519 PM EDT WED OCT 02 2013

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0510 PM     FLOOD            2 N PERRINE             25.64N  80.34W
10/02/2013                   MIAMI-DADE         FL   TRAINED SPOTTER

            FLOODING WAS REPORTED ALONG SOUTHWEST 136TH ST IN THE
            FALLS AREA. STREETS WERE NEARLY IMPASSABLE AND THE FALLS
            SHOPPING CENTER PARKING LOT WAS ALMOST COMPLETLY
            UNDERWATER.

&&

EVENT NUMBER MFL1300227

CARACOZZA

The radar

The Miami radar (KAMX), 18 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 22:58 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Flash Flood, Miami-Dade

When: October 2, 6:00 PM EST to 9:30 PM EST
Where: Miami-Dade County, 0.95 mi NE of South Miami to 1.55 mi ENE of Perrine
Cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: Broadcast Media
Coordinates: 25.711, -80.271

Persistent heavy rains from slow moving showers and thunderstorms produced an isolated area of flash flooding near the Falls Shopping Mall in Miami-Dade County during the late afternoon and early evening. Measured rainfall amounts were in the range of 7 to 10 inches in the matter of just a few hours. The first report of flooding was received at 5:10 PM EDT with streets nearly impassable and the Falls parking lot almost completely under water. Several cars were also reported to have been flooded. Water entered structures in the Village at the Falls Condo development with the Oak Ridge Residential Community also reporting water intrusion into a vehicle which caused a total loss of the car. Residents moved their cars to side streets to avoid further damage. Some rainfall reports received included a local Ham Operator with 7.71 inches in his rain gauge near the intersection of Sunset Dr. and 97th Ave. with a mesonet site near 63rd Ave. and SW 120th St. recording 9.05 inches. The heaviest total was received from a Cocorahs observer in Kendall with 10 inches.

What these are

Flash Flood: Flooding that begins within six hours of the rain that causes it, or of a dam or levee failure or ice jam release, often with deadly speed.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Florida in 2013 Every state in 2013 This day in weather history Warnings in Florida, October 2013

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: 478777.