Florida, 2019Rip Currents in Florida, July 14 to 15, 2019
July 14 to 15, 2019 · NWS TAE · 4 events in 2 counties and zones
The South Walton Fire Department Beach Safety Director confirmed the death of a 53 year old male from Tennessee as a direct result of being caught in a rip current. From some accounts, it's possible the individual was trying to rescue his daughter.
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.
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- Deaths
- 5
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- None recorded
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 4
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 South Walton Fire Department Beach Safety Director confirmed the death of a 53 year old male from Tennessee as a direct result of being caught in a rip current. From some accounts, it's possible the individual was trying to rescue his daughter. A high risk of rip currents was in affect at the time. In addition, the South Walton Fire Department Beach Safety Director confirmed the death of a 39 year old male as a direct result of being caught in a rip current.
In Bay County, a 61 year old male from Chattanooga, TN died as a result of a rip current near the 15000 block of Front Beach Road. Single red flags were flying. In addition, a 67 year old male from Panama City Beach drowned as a result of a rip current later that afternoon. An 18 year old male from Truman, AR died as a result of a rip current behind 9875 South Thomas Dr.
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 Tallahassee, FL wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jul 14, 9:15 AM EST, 2 hours 45 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Jul 14, 9:15 AM EST, 2 hours 45 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Tallahassee FL
1015 AM EDT Sun Jul 14 2019
.UPDATE...
Current forecast remains on track as detailed in the near term
section below with no significant changes needed.
&&
.MARINE...
Buoy observations this morning indicated seas around 6 feet over
the waters west of Apalachicola beyond 20 Nautical Miles. Across
this area, small craft should exercise caution today. Seas will
slowly subside, with light to moderate southerly winds over the
next few days. Rain chances will increase mid to late week.
&&
.PREV DISCUSSION [631 AM EDT]...
.NEAR TERM [Through Today]...
Deep layer ridging off the east coast will remain across the eastern
half of the CWA and keep some drier air entrenched through much of
SW GA and the FL Big Bend. West of this area, tropical moisture will
remain with SE AL and the western FL panhandle having slightly
higher rain chances this afternoon, roughly 40-50%. Hi-res guidance
depicts widely scattered development with influences from Barry and
a moist fetch off the Gulf into the western half of the area with
more isolated across our eastern half. Thick deck of high level
cirrus will remain with more breaks in the overcast towards the Big
Bend. Highs today will be slightly warmer into the lower 90s with
heat indices approaching 100 degrees.
.SHORT TERM [Tonight Through Tuesday]...
In the upper levels a closed low (Barry) will be moving up the Lower
Mississippi Valley. At the surface remnants of Barry will move up
the Lower Mississippi Valley. Weak high pressure will be over the
region. POPs will be 20 to 30 percent tomorrow and 20 to 40 percent
on Tuesday. Highs will be in the low to mid 90s. Lows will be in the
low to mid 70s.
.LONG TERM [Tuesday Night Through Sunday]...
In the upper levels a trough will move through the Tennessee Valley
and Southeast. A ridge will build into the region late in the week.
At the surface weak high pressure will be over the region. Remnants
of Barry will remain north of the region. POPs will be 20 to 50
percent each afternoon this week. Highs will be in the low to mid
90s. Lows will be in the low to mid 70s.
.AVIATION...
[Through 12Z Monday]
Patchy light fog at VLD will dissipate quickly this morning with
VFR at all sites afterwards. An isold storm may impact DHN later
today in closer proximity to deeper moisture with the other sites
likely remaining dry. Winds will be light and from the southeast
through the period.
.FIRE WEATHER...
Fire weather conditions will not be met over the next several
days.
.HYDROLOGY...
Local rivers are below action stage. Along the Panhandle Coast the
high tide this morning may reach action stage but coastal flooding
is not expected. Forecast rainfall totals for the next seven days
will be one inch or less. Rain chances will increase mid to late
week.
.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...
Spotter activation is not requested. However, spotters are always
encouraged to safely report significant weather conditions when they
occur by calling the office or tweeting us @NWSTallahassee.
&&
.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
Tallahassee 94 73 94 74 94 / 10 10 20 10 30
Panama City 88 77 89 77 89 / 20 20 20 10 10
Dothan 93 73 92 73 94 / 50 50 20 10 20
Albany 95 74 94 75 95 / 30 30 20 10 20
Valdosta 94 72 94 73 94 / 10 10 30 10 40
Cross City 94 74 93 74 92 / 10 10 30 20 30
Apalachicola 89 76 90 77 90 / 20 10 10 10 20
&&
.TAE WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
FL...High Rip Current Risk through late Monday night for Coastal Bay-
Coastal Franklin-Coastal Gulf-South Walton.
GA...None.
AL...None.
GM...None.
&&
UPDATE...LF
NEAR TERM...Scholl
SHORT TERM...McD
LONG TERM...McD
AVIATION...Scholl
MARINE...LF
FIRE WEATHER...Scholl
HYDROLOGY...McDRip Current, South Walton
- When
- July 14, 12:00 PM EST
- Where
- South Walton forecast zone
- Deaths
- 2 direct, 0 indirect
- Reported by
- Fire Department/Rescue
- Coordinates
- 30.619, -86.171 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
The South Walton Fire Department Beach Safety Director confirmed the death of a 53 year old male from Tennessee as a direct result of being caught in a rip current. From some accounts, it's possible the individual was trying to rescue his daughter. A high risk of rip currents was in affect at the time. In addition, the South Walton Fire Department Beach Safety Director confirmed the death of a 39 year old male as a direct result of being caught in a rip current.
Rip Current, Coastal Bay
- When
- July 14, 2:00 PM EST
- Where
- Coastal Bay forecast zone
- Deaths
- 1 direct, 0 indirect
- Reported by
- Broadcast Media
- Coordinates
- 30.238, -85.633 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
A 61 year old male from Chattanooga, TN died as a result of a rip current near the 15000 block of Front Beach Road. Single red flags were flying.
Rip Current, Coastal Bay
- When
- July 14, 6:14 PM EST
- Where
- Coastal Bay forecast zone
- Deaths
- 1 direct, 0 indirect
- Reported by
- Broadcast Media
- Coordinates
- 30.238, -85.633 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
A 67 year old male from Panama City Beach died from a rip current near the Runaway Island Restaurant.
Rip Current, Coastal Bay
- When
- July 15, 5:30 PM EST
- Where
- Coastal Bay forecast zone
- Deaths
- 1 direct, 0 indirect
- Reported by
- Law Enforcement
- Coordinates
- 30.238, -85.633 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
An 18 year old male from Truman, AR died as a result of a rip current behind 9875 South Thomas Dr. Panama City Beach police confirmed that this occurred around 5:30 pm CDT.
- Rip Current
- A narrow, fast current flowing away from the beach that caused a drowning or rescue.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
- Lightning Strike in Colorado, July 14, 20191 death · 1 injured · 1 event
- Flash Flood and Hail in Minnesota, July 14, 2019$105,000 · 2 in hail · 20 events
- Tornado and Flash Flooding in Mississippi, July 14, 2019$73,000 · EF0 · 16 events
- Flash Flooding and Flood in Kentucky, July 14 to 18, 2019$80,000 · 53 kt wind · 7 events
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Montana, July 14 to 15, 20191.25 in hail · 23 events
- Damaging Winds in Illinois, July 14, 2019$27,000 · 66 kt wind · 2 events
- Hail in South Dakota, July 14, 20192 in hail · 11 events
- Damaging Winds in Montana, July 14, 201968 kt wind · 11 events
- Damaging Winds in North Dakota, July 14 to 15, 201967 kt wind · 8 events
- Flash Flood and Hail in Minnesota, July 14, 20191.5 in hail · 7 events
- Hail and Damaging Wind in North Dakota, July 14, 20191.5 in hail · 6 events
- Flash Flood and Flood in South Dakota, July 14 to 15, 20191 in hail · 6 events
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: 826922, 843570, 843571, 846988.