Flood in Florida, September 15 to 22, 2021

Name: Flood in Florida, September 15 to 22, 2021
Start: 2021-09-15T00:01
End: 2021-09-22T11:59
Location: Florida

September 15 to 22, 2021 · NWS TBW · 1 event in 1 county or zone

Rainfall accumulation over the period combined with previously saturated soils and elevated river levels produce flooding with damage to homes and neighborhoods.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.

Tornadoes
Tropical storms and surge
Floods
Wind
Hail
Winter weather
Heat and drought
Cold
Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: $10 million
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 1

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.

What happened

The episode as NWS TBW wrote it up.

Rainfall accumulation over the period combined with previously saturated soils and elevated river levels produce flooding with damage to homes and neighborhoods.

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 Tampa Bay, FL wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Sep 14, 7:04 PM EST, 4 hours 57 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Sep 14, 7:04 PM EST, 4 hours 57 minutes before

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Tampa Bay Ruskin FL
804 PM EDT Tue Sep 14 2021

.DISCUSSION...
High pressure across the region continues overnight then begins
to break down Wed as what is currently Tropical Storm Nicholas
moves along the northern Gulf coast and a trough of low pressure
east of the Bahamas slides toward the Mid-Atlantic coast. The
easterly flow pattern of the last couple of days will take on a
more southerly component Wed and stay light. An already moist air
mass...with PWAT values 1.6-1.8 inches...increases with values
around 2 inches for most of Wed.

The afternoon showers and storms were rather well behaved with
just some gusty winds and brief heavy rainfall. Most of these have
shifted offshore and are winding down. Although a couple of bands
of heavier showers and isolated storms are across the interior
southern counties but these are expected to end by midnight. Mid
and high cloudiness prevails overnight with light winds. Showers
and storms start back up late morning and increase during the
afternoon...with the highest coverage inland.

&&

.AVIATION...
15/00Z-16/00Z. The bulk of the afternoon convection has pretty
much cleared the terminals...with lingering SHRA/TSRA TIL 03Z.
VFR overnight with BKN-OVC mid and clouds and light winds. Winds
increase from the SE in the morning then become S to SW during
the afternoon. AFT 17-18Z VCTS with FEW-SCT CB and PSBL MVFR/LCL
IFR.

&&

.MARINE...
Winds/seas no more than 10 knots/2 feet...except higher in and
near showers and thunderstorms. High pressure across the waters
begins to break down with easterly flow becoming more southerly
during the next few days. By the weekend high pressure start to
build in from the Atlantic...switching the flow back to easterly
and continuing into early next week.

&&

.Preliminary Point Temps/PoPs...
TPA  76  89  77  89 /  60  50  30  60
FMY  74  90  76  89 /  50  60  40  60
GIF  75  90  74  89 /  30  60  60  70
SRQ  75  87  75  87 /  60  50  30  50
BKV  72  90  72  89 /  50  60  50  60
SPG  78  88  78  87 /  60  50  30  60

&&

Sea Breeze Thunderstorm Regime For Tomorrow: 6

For Additional Information On Sea Breeze Regimes go to the link
below https://www.weather.gov/tbw/ThunderstormClimatology

&&

.TBW WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
FL...None.
Gulf waters...None.
&&

DISCUSSION/AVIATION/MARINE...09/Rude
UPPER AIR...29/Delerme
DECISION SUPPORT...29/Delerme

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

1 flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Flood, Citrus

When: September 15, 12:01 AM EST to September 22, 11:59 AM EST
Where: Citrus County, 6.47 mi WNW of Red Level to 2.83 mi WNW of Chassahowitzka
Cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: $10 million
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 29.004, -82.730

Emergency Management assessed around 200 properties with flood damage as a result of locally heavy rainfall over the course of the week coupled with swollen creeks and rivers along with saturated soils. A rising water table also contributed to the flooding. Damage ranges from water intrusion into homes to water rising into home-adjacent locations such as garages or areas beneath homes. Water levels remain elevated with some properties still to be assessed and some streets and highways still impassable.

What these are

Flood: Flooding that develops more slowly than a flash flood: rivers leaving their banks, or water standing over land for an extended time.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Florida in 2021 Every state in 2021 This day in weather history Warnings in Florida, September 2021

Sources

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: 981458.