A continued lack of rainfall allowed pre-existing drought conditions to worsen in the month of February with much of South Florida entering a severe to extreme drought.
Every event with a place to put it; 1 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. 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.
A continued lack of rainfall allowed pre-existing drought conditions to worsen in the month of February with much of South Florida entering a severe to extreme drought.
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 Feb 17, 6:35 AM EST, 3 hours 25 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Miami FL
635 AM EST Tue Feb 17 2026
...New AVIATION...
.KEY MESSAGES...
Updated at 626 AM EST Tue Feb 17 2026
- High risk of rip currents for all Atlantic beaches will
start developing today and spread southward during the next
couple of days. Moderate risk of rip currents remains in
place for the Gulf beaches today.
- A warming trend continues through the rest of the work week
with temperatures remaining around or above normals
throughout most of the week and into the upcoming weekend.
&&
.SHORT TERM...
(Today through Wednesday)
Issued at 345 AM EST Tue Feb 17 2026
The overall synoptic scenario will be dominated by a large and
deep- layered ridge sprawling across the region as high pressure
remains centered around the Atlantic seaboard and the west
Atlantic waters. Models flatten the ridge a little today, with
SoFlo well inside the southern periphery of the high and its
associated east-northeast flow. While winds will become moderate
to brisk at times along the east coast, flow quickly decreases as
it pushes further inland. This will result in a rather split
temperature profile this afternoon, with the more robust easterly
flow keeping the Atlantic side of the area a little cooler than
the west side. But overall, expect a warming trend for the rest of
the week with persisting subsidence and drier air aloft. Highs
over the east half of SoFlo will range in the U70s to L80s, while
west coast locations could reach the M-U80s. Very low POPs are
still carried in the forecast for a few quick east coast showers
possible with moisture advection from the Atlantic. But any shower
that forms today will be shallow and brief.
For tonight and into Wednesday, the ridge drifts a little further
east and veers winds to the SE/S through the afternoon hours. Winds
over land will become light at times, with warmer air filtering into
the peninsula from the south. Therefore, M-U80s could become more
widespread across the area.
&&
.LONG TERM...
(Wednesday night through Monday)
Issued at 345 AM EST Tue Feb 17 2026
Broad, deep-layered high pressure ridge will dominate the
synoptic setup for the rest of the work week and into Saturday.
With a relatively stable and dry airmass in place expect little to
no measurable POPs, outside of maybe a brief coastal shower later
in the week. The lack of rain combined with decreasing cloud
cover will allow for afternoon highs to climb into the mid-upper
80s through much of the forecast period. Even some 90s may be
possible by Friday and Saturday afternoon.
The next potential rainmaker may approach the area on Sunday with
another cold front passage, with model confidence now increasing
about having another event of cooling temps for the late
Sunday-Monday timeframe.
&&
.AVIATION...
(12Z TAFS)
Issued at 626 AM EST Tue Feb 17 2026
Generally VFR conditions prevail through the TAF period. Light and
variable winds this morning will become easterly at 5-10 kts by
16Z, except at KAPF where a Gulf Breeze will develop. Winds become
light and variable again overnight. Winds veer out of the south-
southeast on Wednesday. There will be a very low-end chance for
fog over the interior overnight, but impacts to the sites should
be minimal.
&&
.MARINE...
Issued at 345 AM EST Tue Feb 17 2026
Moderate to fresh easterly winds continue today across most of the
local waters, strongest over the Atlantic marine zones. Only
exception will west-northwest flow over the Gulf coastal waters with
sea breezes this afternoon. Isolated showers will remain possible
across the Atlantic waters during this time frame.
Seas across the Atlantic waters today will range from 4 to 6 feet
while seas across the Gulf will remain at 2 to 3 feet.
&&
.BEACHES...
Issued at 345 AM EST Tue Feb 17 2026
High risk of rip currents will begin developing today starting
at the Palm beaches and spreading southward during the next
couple of days. Moderate risk remains in place for the Gulf
beaches today.
&&
.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
Miami 78 67 80 65 / 0 10 0 0
West Kendall 81 62 83 61 / 0 0 0 0
Opa-Locka 80 66 82 64 / 10 10 0 0
Homestead 80 67 81 65 / 0 0 0 0
Fort Lauderdale 76 67 79 64 / 10 10 0 0
N Ft Lauderdale 77 67 80 65 / 10 10 0 0
Pembroke Pines 80 66 83 64 / 10 10 0 0
West Palm Beach 76 65 80 63 / 10 0 0 0
Boca Raton 78 66 80 64 / 10 10 0 0
Naples 81 62 80 62 / 0 0 0 0
&&
.MFL WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
FL...High Rip Current Risk through Friday evening for FLZ168.
High Rip Current Risk from 1 PM EST this afternoon through
Thursday evening for FLZ172.
High Rip Current Risk from this evening through Wednesday
evening for FLZ173.
AM...None.
GM...None.
&&
SHORT TERM...AR
LONG TERM....AR
AVIATION...ATVThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 drought. Local standard time, as filed.
Severe to extreme drought developed across coastal Broward County in February.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Florida in 2026Every state in 2026This day in weather historyWarnings in Florida, February 2026
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: 1321439.