A man entered the surf on a day with rip currents and drowned.
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 MLB wrote it up.
A man entered the surf on a day with rip currents and drowned.
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 Melbourne, FL wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Sep 13, 2:52 AM EST, 3 hours 8 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Melbourne FL 352 AM EDT Wed Sep 13 2017 .DISCUSSION... ...Rain Chances increasing through late week... Today-Tonight...Ridge axis of weak high pressure extending north and west of Hurricane Jose that is well east of the Bahamas, will loosely extend across the area. This will allow for a weak low level southerly flow that will gradually lead to increasing moisture through the day, especially over southern portions of east central Florida. Best chance for afternoon showers and storms (up to 30-40 percent) will therefore be across the Treasure Coast and Okeechobee County into the afternoon, mainly with sea/lake breeze interactions in this area. Into the evening, near to just after sunset, the inland sea breeze collision near Orlando metro area may lead to a few additional showers and storms that will push toward the east- northeast and may reach back toward the coast. However rain chances remain low overall, around 20 percent. Skies will range from mostly to partly sunny, with highs reaching the upper 80s/around 90 along the coast to low 90s over the interior. Thursday...Moisture return begins in earnest on Thu as precipitable water values increase to over two inches in the afternoon. Aloft southwest flow increases as a mid level wave moves eastward from the Ohio Valley and a secondary trough digs off the TX coast. GFS progs some mid level vort lobes moving toward the central peninsula in the afternoon as the right rear entrance region of the upper jet also approaches the area. Low level winds will be southwest in the morning but veer to onshore in the afternoon. Will forecast POPs from 40-50 percent along the coast to 50-60 percent inland with showers and thunderstorms. Expect considerable cloud cover by afternoon as mid/upper level cloudiness increases from the Gulf of Mexico. Highs will reach upper 80s coast to lower 90s interior. Friday...A somewhat drier airmass is expected Fri near the coast as Jose tracks west-northwestward well offshore and low level flow becomes east to east-northeast. Higher moisture will linger inland which will support rain chances (showers and storms) in the 40-60 percent range across the nrn interior. Across the srn interior and coast will have pops in the 30-40 percent range. Highs upper 80s coast/lower 90s interior. Sat-Sun...NE flow Saturday will become NNE on Sunday as Jose moves northward. GFS hints at some drying in the H9-H7 layer which should lower rain chances to the 30-40 percent range with higher pops north on Saturday and across srn sections Sunday. Large east swells from Jose will impact the beaches peaking Saturday when a High Surf Advisory may be required. The large long period swells will bring a high chance of rip currents as well. Highs upper 80s to around 90. Mon-Wed...GFS continues relatively dry weather pattern early next week with northerly low level flow and PWATs generally dropping below 1.3 inches for all three days. Will keep a 20 percent rain chance in at this time though would not be surprised to remove rain chances on some of these days with later forecasts. Highs mid to upper 80s and lows in the lower to mid 70s. && .AVIATION... Mainly VFR. Saturated ground conditions and light winds/clear skies may lead to patchy fog, producing IFR/MVFR conditions through early morning. Then into the afternoon, greatest chance for shower/storm development will be along the Treasure Coast and farther inland, as east coast sea breeze moves westward and interacts with the Lake Okeechobee breeze. Isolated showers and storms will also be possible with the sea breeze collision forecast to occur across the interior toward Orlando near to after sunset. Tempo IFR/MVFR conditions will occur with any of this activity, but with rain chances on the lower end will only mention VCSH from KVRB-KSUA from 17-02Z for now where greatest rain chances reside. && .MARINE... Today-Tonight...Relatively ligh0t and variable winds into this morning will become E/SE increasing up to 10-15 knots this afternoon and evening as the east coast sea breeze develops and moves inland. Swells keeping seas up to 5 feet offshore this morning will subside to 2-4 feet across the waters this afternoon and tonight. Thu...Light winds Thu morning will become east 5-10 knots in the afternoon. Seas will be 3-4 in an east swell. Fri...East winds around 10 knots will become ENE 10-15 knots into the afternoon with seas 3-4 ft near shore building to 5-6 ft offshore into late afternoon in a long period east swell. Sat-Sun...NE winds expected to 10-15 knots with Irma making its closest approach Sat though still well offshore. Seas will build to 6-8 ft near shore to 8-10 ft offshore in large east swells. The large swells will make navigation through inlets treacherous. Small craft advisories are expected over the upcoming weekend. && .HYDROLOGY... River levels along the Saint Johns are forecast to continue to slowly rise near Cocoa, Geneva, Sanford, Deland and Astor to minor to moderate flood stage through late week as runoff into the basin moves slowly downstream. A slow rise to major flood stage is forecast above Lake Harney near Geneva later this week. In addition, record flooding is occurring on Shingle Creek with flooding impacts reported. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... DAB 90 72 88 74 / 10 20 40 30 MCO 92 75 92 75 / 10 20 50 20 MLB 90 76 89 75 / 20 20 50 20 VRB 89 73 89 74 / 30 20 50 20 LEE 91 74 93 75 / 10 10 50 30 SFB 92 74 93 75 / 10 20 50 30 ORL 92 76 93 75 / 10 20 50 20 FPR 89 73 89 74 / 30 30 50 20 && .MLB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... FL...None. AM...None. && SHORT TERM/AVIATION...Weitlich LONG TERM....Volkmer
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Melbourne FL 438 AM EDT Wed Sep 13 2017 AMZ550-552-555-570-572-575-FLZ041-044>047-053-054-058-059-064-141- 144-147-132300- Flagler Beach to Volusia-Brevard County Line 0-20 nm-Volusia- Brevard County Line to Sebastian Inlet 0-20 nm- Sebastian Inlet to Jupiter Inlet 0-20 nm-Flagler Beach to Volusia- Brevard County Line 20-60 nm-Volusia- Brevard County Line to Sebastian Inlet 20-60 nm- Sebastian Inlet to Jupiter Inlet 20-60 nm-Inland Volusia County- Northern Lake County-Orange-Seminole-Southern Brevard County- Osceola-Indian River-Okeechobee-St. Lucie-Martin- Coastal Volusia County-Southern Lake County- Northern Brevard County- 438 AM EDT Wed Sep 13 2017 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR EAST CENTRAL FLORIDA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. .THUNDERSTORM IMPACT... Scattered showers and thunderstorms will be possible, mainly across the Treasure Coast and Okeechobee County this afternoon where greatest moisture will exist. Additional isolated showers and storms may result from the inland sea breeze collision toward sunset, near the Orlando metro area and I-4 corridor. Storm motion will be toward the east to northeast around 10 to 15 mph, and main threats with this activity will be dangerous lightning strikes, gusty winds up to 40 mph, and brief heavy downpours. .RIP CURRENT IMPACT... A moderate risk of rip currents will exist along area beaches of east central Florida today. The greatest threat for rip currents will be during the late afternoon into the evening due to tidal effects. Always swim near a lifeguard. .MARINE THUNDERSTORM GUST IMPACT... Isolated to scattered thunderstorms will develop across the area this afternoon into tonight, mainly across the Treasure Coast and Okeechobee County. Storms will move toward the east to northeast up to 10 to 15 knots, and may be able to push offshore. Any stronger storms may produce wind gusts near 34 knots, mainly south of Sebastian Inlet. .RIVER FLOOD IMPACT... River levels along the Saint Johns are forecast to continue to slowly rise near Cocoa, Geneva, Sanford, Deland and Astor through late week as runoff into the basin moves slowly downstream. River levels in minor to moderate flood stage are either occurring or forecast for these locations. A slow rise to major flood stage is forecast above Lake Harney near Geneva later this week. In addition, record flooding is occurring on Shingle Creek with flooding impacts reported. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. Long period swells will result in a moderate rip current risk into late week then larger swells from Hurricane Jose are forecast to produce a HIGH risk of rip currents this weekend. Additional beach erosion will also be possible. Moisture will continue to build northward with increasing chances for showers and afternoon lightning storms, into Thursday and Friday. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation will not be needed today. Weitlich
1 rip current. Local standard time, as filed.
A 32-year-old man entered the surf with a friend. He was later observed to be in distress alone about 100 yards offshore and then disappeared from view. After a two-day search, his body was located during the afternoon of September 15 near where he was last seen. The fatality was a result of drowning.
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, Indian River | 2017-09-13 | 32 | Male | In Water | Direct |
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, September 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: 720204.