A cold front passed through South Florida, bringing large northerly swells, gusty winds and rough surf conditions. Seas along the Palm Beach County coast reached heights over 10 feet, causing dangerous beach conditions and the closure of Lake Worth and Juno Beach piers.
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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.
A cold front passed through South Florida, bringing large northerly swells, gusty winds and rough surf conditions. Seas along the Palm Beach County coast reached heights over 10 feet, causing dangerous beach conditions and the closure of Lake Worth and Juno Beach piers.
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 4, 3:06 AM EST, 3 hours 54 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Miami FL
306 AM EST Sun Mar 4 2018
.DISCUSSION...
SHORT TERM (Today through Tuesday)
Lowest temperatures in over a month are occurring early this
morning, with readings in the 40s across much of the western
interior, 50s elsewhere. High pressure will continue to filter
into the region today, continuing dry air and relative cool
temperatures. High temperatures today and Monday will be in the
mid to upper 70s, which is slightly below normal for early March.
Lows tonight will be slightly warmer than this morning's but
temperatures in the 40s are still likely over much of western
interior South Florida, with 50s elsewhere expect along the
immediate Atlantic coast.
There will be some moisture return later Monday and into Tuesday
in advance of the next cold front, as winds turn easterly then
southerly. Maxima Tuesday will boost into the low 80s, with mostly
sunny skies.
LONG TERM (Tuesday night through Saturday)
Deep layer northwesterly flow will allow another late season cold
front to pass through South Florida on Wednesday. This front will
have a reasonable about of cold air behind it and may send
temperatures below that of this weekend. Along and ahead of the
front, some showers are possible, started as early as late Tuesday
night across the northwest, but moreso during the day Wednesday.
Lift is decent during this FROPA for showers, but moisture will be
lacking so dont expect significant rainfall nor convection. Behind
the front, temperatures will fall below normal, with maxima
remaining in the low to mid 70s with minima in 50s (40s interior)
for the end of the work-week. Much drier air will also move into
the region, with ECMWF now in line with GFS bringing showers to an
end early, by Wednesday evening. A slow warm/moistening up is
expected Saturday.
&&
.MARINE...
Small Craft Advisory remain in effect through Monday on Atlantic
waters, and hazardous seas will most likely continue through
Wednesday. Northerly wind today of 20 knots or so will gradually
diminish tonight and Monday. However, an anomalously strong
northeasterly swell associated with the slow-moving and powerful
low pressure off the NE CONUS will generate dangerous waves across
Atlantic waters, with seas of 12 to 14 feet expected through
Monday, and some seas above 15 feet on the Gulf Stream.
For Gulf waters and Lake Okeechobee, good boating conditions will
prevail as high pressure dominates.
&&
.AVIATION...
East coast sites will continue to oscillate between N
to NW flow as drainage flow backs most sites tonight. Today looks
to be a repeat of previous 24 hours with east coast sites varying
between N and NE, trending NE with time. Speeds once again 10-15kts,
with gusts to 20kts possible through the afternoon. Winds decouple
to less than 10 knots and trend more NE this evening into Monday.
VFR for the next 24 hours.
&&
.BEACH FORECAST...
High Risk of Rip Currents in effect through Monday along Atlantic
beaches, and hazardous rip currents may persist into mid-week.
This is due to significant northeasterly swell reaching the
Florida coast from a powerful low pressure off the New England
coast. The swell will be significant enough to produce 10 foot
breakers along the Palm Beach County coast, leading to rough surf
and beach erosion. A High Surf Advisory has been issued through
Monday for the coast of Palm Beach county, hazardous surf could
continue through early week. For both the Broward and Palm Beach
counties coastlines, a Coastal Flood Advisory has been issued this
afternoon through Monday. The persistent swell, rough surf, and
beach erosion may lead to coastal inundation, particularly around
high tides.
&&
.FIRE WEATHER...
Relative humidity values will fall into the 20s over the southwest
half of South Florida this afternoon, but northerly wind speeds
are expected to remain just below 15 mph. The Storm Prediction
Center has placed the region in elevated fire weather conditions
today. Dispersion values today will be very good to excellent. Dry
conditions will continue Monday, with interior Collier county
expected to reach relative humidity critical threshold. No fog is
anticipated.
&&
.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
West Palm Beach 74 56 75 58 / 0 0 0 0
Fort Lauderdale 76 60 76 62 / 0 0 0 0
Miami 77 60 76 61 / 0 0 0 0
Naples 77 54 76 58 / 0 0 0 0
&&
.MFL WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
FL...High Rip Current Risk through Monday evening for FLZ168-172-173.
High Surf Advisory from noon today to 7 PM EST Monday for FLZ168.
Coastal Flood Advisory from noon today to 7 PM EST Monday for
FLZ168-172.
AM...Small Craft Advisory until 7 PM EST Monday for AMZ650-651-670-
671.
GM...None.
&&
DISCUSSION...23/SK
MARINE...23/SK
AVIATION...67/MT
BEACH FORECAST...23/SK
FIRE WEATHER...23/SKHazardous Weather Outlook for South Florida National Weather Service Miami FL 341 AM EST Sun Mar 4 2018 AMZ610-630-650-651-670-671-FLZ063-066>075-168-172>174-GMZ656-657-676- 042045- 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- 341 AM EST Sun Mar 4 2018 ...High Risk of Rip Currents Along Atlantic Beaches... ...Coastal Flood Advisory Palm Beach and Broward Counties Today... ...High Surf Advisory Coastal Palm Beach Today... ...Hazardous Marine Conditions on the Atlantic Waters... This hazardous weather outlook is for South Florida. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT Rip currents: Rough surf and rip currents will continue to create dangerous waters for swimmers along the Atlantic beaches. There is a high risk of rip currents along all the Atlantic Beaches. Flood: High surf will lead to beach erosion and potential damage to dunes and could generate coastal flooding of low areas along the shore. High surf Advisory is in effect for Coastal Palm Beach today. A Coastal Flood Advisory in effect today for Coastal Palm Beach and Coastal Broward Counties. Wind: Northerly winds of 20 to 25 KT over the Atlantic waters will create hazardous boating conditions. A Small Craft Advisory is in effect. Waves: Seas in the open Atlantic will build to 8 to 13 feet today. Highest waves are forecast to occur in Gulf Stream. A Small Craft Advisory is in effect. Temperatures: Temperatures will fall into the mid 40s across interior South Florida, in the low 50s along the Gulf coast tonight, and mid to upper 50s across the western east coast suburbs. Apparent temperatures will range from the low 40s in the northern interior to around 50 in the westernmost areas of the east coast metro. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY A high risk of rip currents is expected on Atlantic waters into the upcoming week. A Coastal Flood Advisory is in effect for Palm Beach and Broward counties through Monday evening with the potential for beach erosion and minor coastal flooding. Hazardous marine conditions are expected to continue over all the local Atlantic waters into the early part of the upcoming week. Continuing gusty north winds and a building long period swell will lead to significant rough surf along the Atlantic beaches. .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.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
2 high surf. Local standard time, as filed.
A local newspaper in Palm Beach County reported two people sitting on the beach were pulled into the ocean by a large wave that crashed onshore. The two people were rescued to safety by a surfer and transported to a medical center.
A 9-year-old girl was hit by a large wave while standing at the jetty at Jupiter Inlet and swept into the water. She suffered a cut to the head, along with some scrapes and bruises but was expected to be OK.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Florida in 2018Every state in 2018This day in weather historyWarnings in Florida, March 2018
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: 743762, 748021.