High Surf in Florida

Events

157

Deaths

29

Injuries

24

Damage

$31 million

• Hurricane and Tornado in Florida, September 27 to 30, 202216 deaths · $1.1 billion · EF0 · 46 eventsAfter making landfall as a major hurricane in southwest Florida near Cayo Costa, Ian crossed the peninsula and into east central Florida (southern Osceola County) as a Category 1 Hurricane with estimated maximum sustained winds of 75 mph.
• Hurricane and Tornadoes in Florida, September 27 to 30, 202212 deaths · 8 injured · $2.2 billion · EF2 · 28 eventsA tropical depression formed in the central Caribbean Sea on September 23rd, then was upgraded to Tropical Storm Ian at 11 PM on September 23rd. Ian moved westward, then turned northwest on September 25th, passing just west of Jamaica and near the Cayman Islands.
• High Surf in Florida, November 11, 20033 deaths · 2 eventsStrong winds and large northeast swells impacted the southeast Florida coast. A 17' boat was found capsized in the Atlantic in Boca Raton with the bodies of three black males found nearby.
• Tropical Storm and High Surf in Florida, August 19 to 22, 20082 deaths · $580,000 · 9 eventsOn the morning of August 19th, Tropical Storm Fay came onshore in southwest Florida, moving north-northeast toward Lake Okeechobee.
• High Surf in Florida, June 17, 20122 deaths · 2 eventsBreezy onshore winds occurred along the Volusia County coastline as a result of a tight pressure gradient between a ridge of high pressure over the southeastern United States and a trough of low pressure located over the local western Atlantic.
• High Surf in Florida, April 20, 20032 deaths · 1 eventSwells from Subtropical Storm Ana combined with an outgoing tide caused a small craft to capsize as it attempted to traverse the Jupiter Inlet. Two tourists drowned and two others were rescued.
• Rip Current and High Surf in Florida, October 1 to 2, 20071 death · $7.0 million · 2 eventsSeveral days of hazardous conditions impacted the east-central Florida coast, primarily along the Volusia and Brevard County beaches, due to a combination of high surf and rip currents. A man drowned in the surf at Daytona Beach after being caught in a rip current.
• High Surf in Florida, November 22 to 23, 20121 death · 3 injured · 1 eventRough seas of 8 to 10 feet behind a cold front along with a building northerly swell led to very rough seas and hazardous marine conditions over the Atlantic waters of Southeast Florida.
• Tornado and High Surf in Florida, May 28, 20121 death · $20,000 · EF0 · 2 eventsTropical Storm Beryl impacted east central Florida during May 27-29. Rainbands directly related to the tropical storm impacted mainly areas north of a line from Orlando to Cape Canaveral.
• Tropical Storm and Tropical Depression in Florida, October 6 to 7, 2016$26 million · 11 eventsMajor Hurricane Matthew moved northwest across the Central Bahamas during the day on October 6th, making it's closest approach to the East coast of South Florida during the early morning hours of October 7th.
• High Surf in Florida, January 24 to 25, 20101 death · 1 injured · 1 eventA boat capsized during the morning due to large waves near the mouth of St. Lucie Inlet. Two men were rescued by another boat, but one of the men died before reaching shore.
• High Surf in Florida, August 22, 20091 death · 5 eventsAs major Hurricane Bill moved north over the Atlantic, paralleling the Florida coast approximately 900 miles offshore, rough surf occurred along the east central Florida beaches.
• High Surf in Florida, September 6 to 9, 20071 death · 1 eventTropical Storm Gabrielle, located off the Carolina Coast, produced rough surf along the Brevard County beaches for several days. A man surfing at Cocoa Beach fell off his board and drowned in the rough surf.
• High Surf in Florida, May 7 to 9, 20071 death · 1 eventHigh surf, comprised of long period swells from Sub-Tropical Storm Andrea, impacted the Volusia County coast for several days. A man surfing at New Smyrna Beach drowned in the high surf.
• High Surf in Florida, March 28, 20091 death · 1 eventA large wave capsized a boat in Shell Island Pass near Panama City Beach.
• High Surf in Florida, September 3 to 4, 20101 death · 1 eventSwells from Hurricane Earl off the mid-Atlantic coast affected the Palm Beach County waters, causing rough conditions at local inlets.
• High Surf in Florida, August 28 to 30, 20101 death · 1 eventHigh surf and dangerous rip currents affected the east central Florida coast for several days, beginning August 28. Rough, breaking waves of 4 to 6 feet caused the drowning of a surfer in Brevard County.
• High Surf in Florida, August 27, 20111 death · 1 eventLingering long period swells associated with departing Hurricane Irene produced strong rip currents along the east central Florida coast. A surfer at New Smyrna Beach was knocked over by a large breaking wave, became unconscious, and was pulled from the water by other surfers.
• High Surf in Florida, January 1 to 4, 20151 death · 1 eventRough surf and stronger than normal rip currents occurred during the first few days of January. A surfer drowned in the rough surf in Melbourne Beach.
• High Surf in Florida, December 24, 20151 death · 1 eventStrong and persistent onshore flow resulted in rough surf along the Gulf beaches of northwest Florida. An experienced paddle boarder was caught in the high surf and drowned.
• High Surf in Florida, April 3, 20161 death · 1 eventA pontoon boat capsized west of Sebastian Inlet due to rough seas. One of the boaters drowned and three others survived.
• High Surf in Florida, October 15, 20161 death · 1 eventStrong onshore flow and rough surf created dangerous nearshore water conditions. A high risk of rip currents was in effect.
• High Surf in Florida, December 29, 20161 death · 1 eventA man standing in the surf at Vero Beach was knocked down by a large wave. After being rescued from the ocean and transported to a hospital, he later died due to a broken neck, resulting from the wave impact.
• High Surf in Florida, September 23, 20181 death · 1 eventA man was rescued from rough surf at New Smyrna Beach and transported to a nearby hospital in critical condition where he later died.
• High Surf in Florida, May 19, 20181 death · 1 eventA 5 year old boy from Alabama died after getting caught up in rough surf at Panama City Beach during the evening of May 19th. Panama City Beach fire rescue crews and a bystander performed CPR on the boy, but he died a short time later at a hospital. Single red flags were flying.

High Surf everywhereEvery kind of event in Florida

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.