A continued lack of rainfall allowed pre-existing drought conditions to worsen in the month of January with much of South Florida entering a severe drought.
Every event with a place to put it; 2 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 January with much of South Florida entering a severe 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 Jan 6, 6:24 AM EST, 3 hours 36 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Miami FL
624 AM EST Tue Jan 6 2026
...New AVIATION...
.KEY MESSAGES...
Updated at 621 AM EST Tue Jan 6 2026
- Areas of dense fog possible interior and SW Florida early
Tuesday morning. Fog may stretch to portions of east coast
metro, most likely in Palm Beach County.
- Gradual warming trend continues this week.
- Little to no rain expected.
&&
.SHORT TERM...
(Today through Wednesday)
Issued at 1214 AM EST Tue Jan 6 2026
The benign weather pattern continues into the mid-week period. The
mid-level and upper-level ridge presence over the Florida Peninsula
remains strong and does not look to break down any time soon. Thus,
expect ongoing dry and warm conditions across South Florida through
mid-week. Temperatures today and tomorrow are expected in the low
80s.
With the calm weather pattern and weak flow ongoing, the one thing
to monitor the next couple of mornings is for areas of fog
developing. This remains primarily a concern for interior and
Southwest Florida early this morning and again early Wednesday
morning. Dew points remain in the low to mid 60s and with clearing
skies, radiational cooling gives a high chance for air temperatures
to cool to the dew points and lead to fog formation. Latest HREF
guidance gives a 50-70% chance for interior and Southwest Florida
plus even areas closer to the metro areas of Palm Beach to see fog
development that results in visibilities falling to a half mile or
less this morning. Most likely time to see fog will be between 3-9
AM again both this morning and tomorrow morning. Dense Fog
Advisories may become necessary as conditions develop, which will be
monitored closely.
&&
.LONG TERM...
(Wednesday night through Monday)
Issued at 1214 AM EST Tue Jan 6 2026
A stagnant weather pattern looks to persist through the rest of the
week and into this upcoming weekend as the ridging pattern continues
to amplify and prevent troughs and frontal boundaries from pushing
southwards and into the South Florida region. As a result, quiet
weather will be ongoing for a while. Just enough low level moisture
may stick around to provide low chances for a few isolated showers
along the weak sea breezes each day, but overall the chances even
for these brief weak showers are very low. Long range guidance is
trying to hint at a frontal approach late this weekend, but with
this being near the end of the forecast period the uncertainty is
high.
High temperatures each day continue to rebound slowly with
temperatures settling into the low to mid 80s for the middle to end
of this week and the first half of the weekend. Some spots in the
interior may reach the upper 80s late this week. Overnight lows
during this same time frame will fall to the upper 50s and low 60s
for interior and SW Florida each night, with east coast metro areas
expected to see lows in the mid 60s.
&&
.AVIATION...
(12Z TAFS)
Issued at 621 AM EST Tue Jan 6 2026
Mainly VFR conditions will prevail throughout the forecast period.
Areas of fog over the interior portions should stay away from the
terminals early this morning, however, periods of MVFR cannot be
ruled out through 14z mainly across KTMB and KAPF. Light and
variable winds this morning will increase out of the SE after 17z
and will range between 5 and 10 kts this afternoon. At KAPF, winds
will increase out of the SW after 17z as a Gulf breeze develops.
&&
.MARINE...
Issued at 1214 AM EST Tue Jan 6 2026
Light to gentle winds continue across the local waters through mid-
week and likely into the late week period as high pressure presides
over the area. Seas are expected mostly at 2 feet or less across all
local waters.
&&
.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
Miami 80 65 80 67 / 0 0 0 0
West Kendall 82 59 81 61 / 0 0 0 0
Opa-Locka 82 63 82 65 / 0 0 0 0
Homestead 80 62 80 64 / 0 0 0 0
Fort Lauderdale 79 63 79 66 / 0 0 0 0
N Ft Lauderdale 80 64 80 67 / 10 0 0 0
Pembroke Pines 81 62 81 64 / 0 0 0 0
West Palm Beach 80 62 81 65 / 10 0 0 0
Boca Raton 81 63 81 65 / 10 0 0 0
Naples 79 60 79 60 / 0 0 0 0
&&
.MFL WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
FL...Dense Fog Advisory until 9 AM EST this morning for FLZ063-066-
067-070-071.
AM...None.
GM...None.
&&
SHORT TERM...Redman
LONG TERM....Redman
AVIATION...CWCThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
2 drought. Local standard time, as filed.
A severe (D2) drought developed over Glades County at the beginning of January.
A severe (D2) drought developed over Hendry County at the beginning of January.
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, January 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: 1313644, 1313645.