Dry weather which began in late 2016 continued in March, leading to the development of severe drought (D2) conditions across parts of Southwest Florida. A large wildfire affected the Golden Gate Estates area of Inland Collier County.
Every event with a place to put it; 4 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. 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.
Dry weather which began in late 2016 continued in March, leading to the development of severe drought (D2) conditions across parts of Southwest Florida. A large wildfire affected the Golden Gate Estates area of Inland Collier County. Crop production and harvesting slowed down due to the dry conditions. A total of 134 new fires were reported by the Florida Forest Service, burning a total of 14,000 acres.
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 Mar 21, 6:47 AM EST, 13 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Miami FL 747 AM EDT Tue Mar 21 2017 .UPDATE... With a 3 to 4 four foot swell affecting the beaches of Palm Beach County, as well as low tide, an east wind, and having had rip currents yesterday, there is a high risk of rip currents for the beaches of Palm Beach County today. The swell will be weaker to the south. So, will keep Broward in a moderate risk, and drop Miami Dade beaches, where seas are reported to be flat, down to a slight risk. Otherwise, no significant adjustment to the forecast, other than minor adjustments to account for current conditions. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /issued 736 AM EDT Tue Mar 21 2017/ AVIATION... High pressure over the region will keep VFR conditions in the forecast for all TAF sites through the period. The sea breeze is forecast to develop along both coasts, helping to enhance the east wind for the Atlantic coast TAF sites, and turn the wind westerly for KAPF early this afternoon. PREV DISCUSSION... /issued 343 AM EDT Tue Mar 21 2017/ DISCUSSION... Today-Wednesday: High pressure centered from the Gulf of Mexico across the Central Florida peninsula will continue to dominate the weather as we head into mid week. Light flow will allow both the Gulf and Atlantic breezes to develop both afternoons, with some increase in cloud cover and winds along the leading edge. Mostly sunny skies are expected with continued dry weather. High temperatures will be a little warmer than Monday, in the upper 70s and low 80s, with some mid 80s possible over the interior on Wednesday. Overnight lows will be in the mid 50s to low 60s tonight and mid 50s to mid 60s Wednesday night. Thursday-Monday: Upper level trough crossing the NE US Wednesday night will help drive another weak surface front into the FL peninsula late on Wednesday, settling into South Florida during the day on Thursday. With the dynamics so far removed, the front will be rapidly dying as it moves into the state. Deeper moisture pooled along it will bring a return of rain chances on Thursday. Highest rain chances will be along the Atlantic coast as NE winds will overrun the boundary, and brisk NE flow brings some coastal convergence. Rain chances will linger into Friday, still highest along the east coast. Strong high pressure center moves off the Mid-Atlantic coast late week, eventually settling into the western Atlantic through the upcoming weekend. The tight pressure gradient will lead to breezy easterly flow through the weekend, especially for the east coast. Ridging aloft will suppress any deep convection, but as is often the case when South Florida gets into a breezy easterly pattern, enough low level moisture remains that occasional Atlantic showers can't be ruled out. Temperatures will be near to slightly above normal for the end of the week into the weekend. MARINE...Surface high pressure settling across the Florida peninsula will bring generally good boating conditions through mid week. Light easterly flow 10kts or less will prevail, with the Gulf and Atlantic sea breezes expected to develop during the afternoon hours, locally increasing winds near the coast. Seas generally 3-4ft in the Atlantic and 2-3ft in the Gulf, though some 5-6ft may linger in the northern Gulf Stream today as NE swell subsides. Easterly winds are expected to increase behind a weak frontal passage early Thursday, potentially bringing hazardous boating conditions to the Atlantic and offshore Gulf late week and into the weekend. BEACH FORECAST...Lingering 2-4ft NE swell will lead to a moderate risk of rip currents for Atlantic beaches, especially along Palm Beach County. Threat will diminish mid week as swell diminishes and winds remain light. The threat is likely to increase for east coast beaches this upcoming weekend as winds and seas increase over the local Atlantic. FIRE WEATHER...Relative humidity values may reach critical levels across the northwestern portions of the interior and Gulf Coast over the next few days. Despite these relative humidity levels, winds are expected to remain generally under 15 mph with poor to fair dispersion. A weak frontal boundary will bring rain chances across the region on Thursday, but overall amounts are expected to remain light. Gusty easterly flow will be possible behind the front Friday into the upcoming weekend. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... West Palm Beach 79 59 81 65 / 0 0 0 10 Fort Lauderdale 78 62 81 67 / 0 0 0 10 Miami 79 62 82 66 / 0 0 0 10 Naples 79 59 77 63 / 0 0 0 0 && .MFL WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... FL...High Rip Current Risk through this evening for FLZ168. AM...None. GM...None. && UPDATE...13 AVIATION...13
Hazardous Weather Outlook for South Florida National Weather Service Miami FL 742 AM EDT Tue Mar 21 2017 AMZ610-630-650-651-670-671-FLZ063-066>075-168-172>174-GMZ656-657-676- 212345- 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 from 20 to 60 NM- Waters from Deerfield Beach to Ocean Reef FL from 20 to 60 NM excluding the territorial waters of 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- Waters from Chokoloskee to Bonita Beach FL from 20 to 60 NM- 742 AM EDT Tue Mar 21 2017 ...HIGH RISK OF RIP CURRENTS FOR PALM BEACH COUNTY BEACHES... ...MODERATE RISK OF RIP CURRENTS FOR BROWARD COUNTY BEACHES... This hazardous weather outlook is for South Florida. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT Rip currents: There is a high risk of rip currents for the beaches of palm Beach County. There is a moderate risk of rip currents for the Broward county beaches. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY At least a Moderate Risk of rip currents for portions of the Atlantic coast beaches will continue into Wednesday. Hazardous marine conditions are possible across the local waters beginning Thursday ahead of an approaching frontal boundary. .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.
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIAMI FL
657 AM EDT TUE MAR 21 2017
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0654 AM WILDFIRE 1 SSE FLORIDA CITY 25.43N 80.47W
03/21/2017 M610 ACRE MIAMI-DADE FL EMERGENCY MNGR
0 PERCENT CONTAINED. NO REPORTED INJURIES
&&
EVENT NUMBER MFL1700098
SIThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
4 drought. Local standard time, as filed.
Less than an inch of rain was recorded over most of Glades County in March.
Less than an inch of rain was recorded over most of Hendry County in March. Severe drought conditions spread south across the county late in the month.
Less than an inch of rain was recorded over northern portions of Inland Collier County County in March. Severe drought conditions spread south across the area by March 28th.
Less than an inch of rain was recorded over northern portions of Coastal Collier County County in March. Severe drought conditions spread south across the area by March 28th.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Florida in 2017Every state in 2017This day in weather historyWarnings in Florida, March 2017
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: 695159, 695161, 695162, 695163.