Southwesterly flow ahead of an approaching cold front allowed for plenty of moisture to be pumped in across the region. As the frontal boundary approached the region in the evening and overnight, showers and storms developed along the front.
Every event with a place to put it. 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.
Southwesterly flow ahead of an approaching cold front allowed for plenty of moisture to be pumped in across the region. As the frontal boundary approached the region in the evening and overnight, showers and storms developed along the front. One of these storms produced strong wind gusts in Palm Beach County, while another produced heavy rainfall and minor flooding in Downtown Miami.
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 Jan 29, 7:17 PM EST, 2 hours 57 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Miami FL 717 PM EST Wed Jan 29 2020 .Aviation... Shower chances will increase from NW to SE overnight, with isolated thunderstorms possible. Low confidence in precipitation coverage at the eastern terminals, where VCSH is included after 06z. Sub-VFR conditions are possible later tonight, but confidence is too low for inclusion in this issuance. Turning dry on Thursday with NW winds and VFR conditions. && .Update... Showers and isolated thunderstorms are currently moving into portions of South Florida west of Lake Okeechobee. Look for rain chances to gradually spread southeast across the remainder of our area overnight. The showers over land areas are currently in an environment with limited effective bulk shear values and considerable convective inhibition. Despite the somewhat robust flow aloft, surface observations so far suggest wind gusts associated with these showers are on the order of 20 kt or so. The environment is slightly better for more robust convection over the Gulf waters and far southern portions of Mainland Monroe and Miami-Dade Counties, where the effective bulk shear increases to 50+ kt and some surface based CAPE exists. However, it's noted that convection inhibition is present in this area as well. We'll continue to monitor far southern mainland Florida overnight for the possibility of an isolated strong wind gust or two, but this potential appears rather limited and is highly conditional on the evolution of the mesoscale environment later tonight. && .Prev Discussion... /issued 326 PM EST Wed Jan 29 2020/ Discussion... Short Term (Through Thursday Night)... Isolated showers will remain possible across the Atlantic waters this afternoon with waterspouts possible along a boundary just offshore. Generally southwesterly winds are expected this afternoon and evening, with rain chances increasing this evening and overnight tonight as a weak cold front pushes through the area. While a few thunderstorms will be possible over the Gulf waters with this system, overall instability looks pretty low, particularly over land. Rain should clear out through the early morning hours tomorrow, with NW winds and slightly cooler and drier air expected in its wake. Winds become light easterly again overnight Thursday night, kicking off a slow return of moisture over the area. Long Term (Friday-Tuesday Night): Models depict a synoptic scenario on Friday dominated by two main players: robust mid level trough deepening across most of the eastern CONUS, and strong low level baroclinicity extending into the Gulf waters. The interaction of these systems seems to support sfc cyclogenesis, with a low forming around the northern/central Gulf. As this low deepens, it seems to pick up a stalled frontal boundary over the Florida Keys and pull it back across SoFlo as a warm front passage in the late Friday to early Saturday time frame. With the described synoptic scenario in place, latest model solutions bring enhanced isentropic lifting across much of the peninsula starting Friday afternoon, increasing shower activity and slight chance of thunderstorms. Meanwhile, a cold front associated with the low will race through the eastern Gulf waters and reach SoFlo Saturday morning. Temperature profiles suggest the air mass behind this front will bring a good temperature gradient, with chilly conditions behind it. The front will have plenty of moisture to work with as model PWATs remain near 2 inches for the Friday- early Saturday timeframe, and favorable conditions for widespread showers. From the recent global model solutions, it seems the best dynamic support from the main trough over the CONUS will remain well north of the area, and the sfc low over the Gulf should continue moving NE and into the Carolinas through the weekend. But both EURO and GFS show a small portion of the 250mb jet over the SE CONUS branching down into the Florida peninsula, which could provide the additional lifting necessary for a few strong thunderstorms to develop, mainly in the overnight hours between Friday night and Saturday morning. Immediately behind the front on Saturday afternoon and evening, some lingering moisture could still generate a few showers, but overall shower activity will gradually decrease as a cooler and drier air mass begins filtering in the wake of the FROPA. For Sunday, low temperatures are expected to drop into the upper 40s inland and into the mid-upper 50s near the coast. Continuing cold air advection under northerly winds will result in even colder temps Monday morning with low 40s over interior areas and low-mid 50s near the coast. Afterwards, a warming trend will establish across SoFlo as winds veer east/southeast and the air mass modifies. Marine... Southwest winds today should strengthen some overnight tonight as a weak cold front pushes through the area. Caution flags may be required. NW winds are expected early Thursday morning in the wake of the front before quickly becoming E again Thursday night. Another, stronger system is forecast to push through on Saturday with some strong to severe storms possible. SCA winds and building seas/swell are expected this weekend in the wake of this front. Beach Forecast... A slightly elevated risk for rip currents continues today for the Palm beaches due to some lingering swell. A low risk for rip currents is forecast for the next few days. && .Preliminary Point Temps/PoPs... West Palm Beach 62 76 62 77 / 30 10 10 40 Fort Lauderdale 65 78 65 78 / 40 10 0 40 Miami 64 79 63 79 / 40 10 0 40 Naples 60 75 59 76 / 50 0 0 50 && .MFL WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... FL...None. AM...None. GM...None. && Short term/marine/Beach...MM Long term...AR Aviation/Update...SPM
Hazardous Weather Outlook for South Florida National Weather Service Miami FL 400 PM EST Wed Jan 29 2020 AMZ610-630-650-651-670-671-FLZ063-066>075-168-172>174-GMZ656-657-676- 300900- 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- 400 PM EST Wed Jan 29 2020 ...Waterspouts Possible Across Atlantic Waters This Evening... This hazardous weather outlook is for South Florida. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT Waterspouts: Waterspouts will be possible across the Atlantic waters this evening. Rip Currents: A moderate risk for rip currents continues for the Palm Beaches. Lightning: Isolated thunderstorms are possible tonight. The primary hazard is lightning, though an isolated strong wind gust is possible. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY A weather system is forecast to move across the region late this week into this weekend. Present indications are that chances for showers and a few thunderstorms could increase by Friday evening and night, and then continue into Saturday. There will be the potential for a few strong to severe wind gusts to accompany this activity, along with heavy rainfall. Localized flooding could eventually become a concern, if repeated rounds of heavy rain affect the same locations. Hazardous marine conditions may also occur later Friday into this weekend. There remains considerable uncertainty regarding the details of this weather system and potential impacts. As a result, residents and visitors of South Florida are encouraged to monitor the latest information from the National Weather Service in Miami. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Widespread spotter activation is not anticipated today, however individual spotters are encouraged to report high wind and flooding to the National Weather Service forecast office in Miami for tonight. For more information...visit the National Weather Service in Miami website at www.weather.gov/miami.
The Miami radar (KAMX), 147 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 03:13 UTC.
1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A thunderstorm wind gust of 58 mph / 50 knots was recorded by the WxFlow mesonet site XJUP located at Juno Beach Pier at 1014 PM EST..
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Florida in 2020Every state in 2020This day in weather historyWarnings in Florida, January 2020
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: 870694.