Deerfield Beach

Population 89,339 (2025)

51 tropical storms and hurricanes have passed within 50 miles of Deerfield Beach since 1851; the strongest at closest approach was an unnamed storm in 1928 (Category 4).

Hazard fingerprint for Deerfield Beach Tornado: 98th percentile. Tropical: 99th percentile. Wildfire: 100th percentile. Flood: 75th percentile. Hail & wind: 60th percentile. Heat: 43th percentile. Cold: 70th percentile. Winter: 0th percentile. TORTROPFIREFLOODSEVEREHEATCOLDWINTER

Hazard fingerprint Each spoke is this county’s percentile among U.S. counties where that hazard occurs. How it is computed

2026
  • Tornado damage paths within 25 miles since 1950222
  • Tropical cyclone tracks within 100 miles since 1851, wider where stronger108
  • Wildfire burn scars within 25 miles since 198430
  • Major flood years since 1978, Broward County6

At a glance

Tornado paths within 25 miles, tropical cyclone tracks within 100 miles and wildfire perimeters within 25 miles of the city centre. Storm events, flood insurance claims and disaster declarations are for Broward County. Earthquakes within 50 miles, volcanoes within 100 miles and smoke days are measured from the city centre; river and tide gauges, tsunami and landslide records and the drought index are for Broward County.

Large wildfires within 25 mi

30

Largest: State Fire, 1999

Details

Tropical cyclones within 50 mi

51

26 at hurricane strength since 1851

Details

Tornadoes since 1950, within 25 mi

222

4 rated F3/EF3 or stronger

Details

Flood insurance claims

35,049

Broward County

$458 million paid since 1978

Details

Strongest tornado

EF3

October 9, 2024, 32.9 mile path

Strongest tropical cyclone

Cat. 4

Hurricane (unnamed), 1928, 27.5 miles away

Federal disaster declarations

43

Most recent: Hurricane Milton, 2024

Details

Record high

100°F

June 22, 2009

Details

Tornadoes

About 3 tornados a year since 1950, 4 of them rated F3/EF3 or stronger.

Strongest

October 9, 2024

EF3, 32.9 mile path

457 yards wide.

Deadliest

March 1, 1980

1 killed, F3

33 injured along the whole path.

Most recent

Wednesday, October 9, 2024

EF3, 32.9 mile path

2 years ago.

Tornadoes by decade, within 25 miles Doppler radar era² 1950s: 11 11 1960s: 22 22 1970s: 20 20 1980s: 41 41 1990s: 46 46 2000s: 29 29 2010s: 36 36 2020s: 17 17 1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
Recorded tornadoes per decade. The 2020s are incomplete.
Tornadoes by month J: 9 F: 27 M: 20 A: 22 M: 22 J: 30 30 J: 17 A: 26 S: 25 O: 14 N: 9 D: 1 JFMAMJJASOND
By month of occurrence, all years.

Every recorded tornado

Tornadoes within 25 miles since 1950
Oct 9, 2024EF332.945770
Feb 18, 2024EFU0.25000
Feb 18, 2024EF03.435000
Feb 18, 2024EF03.410000
Jan 6, 2024EF01.610000
Apr 28, 2023EF00.810000
Apr 21, 2023EF00.11000
Apr 21, 2023EF00.01000
Apr 12, 2023EF01.75000
Apr 12, 2023EF00.01000
Sep 28, 2022EF00.25000
Sep 27, 2022EF00.15000
Sep 27, 2022EF27.020020
Sep 27, 2022EF07.47500
Sep 27, 2022EF15.715000
Aug 19, 2020EF00.516000
Apr 17, 2020EF00.87500
Apr 27, 2018EF02.04000
Apr 10, 2018EF03.24000
Apr 10, 2018EF03.56000
Oct 28, 2017EF02.112500
Oct 28, 2017EF00.27500
Oct 24, 2017EF00.02000
Sep 9, 2017EF01.910000
Jun 5, 2017EF00.11000
Mar 13, 2017EF01.35000
Mar 19, 2016EF00.25000
Feb 16, 2016EF13.815000
Feb 16, 2016EF01.95000
Feb 16, 2016EF13.55000
Feb 16, 2016EF06.75000
Jan 28, 2016EF07.11000
Jan 27, 2016EF12.33520
Sep 16, 2015EF02.34000
Aug 3, 2015EF00.11000
May 25, 2015EF00.11040
Feb 5, 2015EF01.15000
Feb 5, 2015EF10.37000
Aug 16, 2014EF00.41000
Sep 16, 2013EF00.11000
Jul 23, 2013EF00.01000
Jul 19, 2013EF00.11030
Jun 6, 2013EF020.72500
May 2, 2013EF00.45000
Apr 30, 2013EF00.11000
Feb 14, 2013EF00.01000
Jun 24, 2012EF00.52000
Jun 24, 2012EF00.02000
Oct 18, 2011EF21.112500
Aug 2, 2011EF12.19000
Jan 25, 2011EF00.25000
Aug 7, 2010EF01.83000
Mar 29, 2010EF02.410000
Aug 18, 2008EF22.710000
Aug 18, 2008EF00.22500
Jun 13, 2008EF00.11000
Feb 12, 2008EF03.122000
Apr 10, 2007EF00.67500
Feb 28, 2007EF02.210000
Nov 14, 2006F00.02000
Aug 21, 2006F00.13000
Mar 23, 2006F01.05000
Jun 18, 2005F00.52000
Aug 12, 2004F00.31500
Jun 19, 2003F00.11000
Mar 27, 2003F12.030000
Aug 6, 2002F00.11000
Aug 2, 2002F00.51000
Sep 8, 2001F00.21000
Sep 6, 2001F00.51000
Aug 2, 2001F11.51500
Jun 23, 2001F11.51500
Nov 25, 2000F00.51000
Sep 17, 2000F00.22000
Sep 16, 2000F00.31000
Sep 16, 2000F11.03000
Sep 16, 2000F00.41000
Jul 11, 2000F00.11000
Jun 6, 2000F00.1000
Apr 15, 2000F00.21000
Apr 15, 2000F00.11000
Apr 14, 2000F00.1000
Oct 15, 1999F12.02000
Oct 15, 1999F11.02030
Oct 14, 1999F00.11010
Sep 14, 1999F00.1000
Sep 6, 1999F00.51000
Jul 28, 1999F00.21000
Jun 24, 1999F00.1000
Feb 18, 1999F01.0000
Feb 18, 1999F02.01000
Nov 4, 1998F00.13000
Jul 21, 1998F10.23000
May 4, 1998F00.13000
Mar 9, 1998F12.53000
Feb 28, 1998F11.04020
Feb 28, 1998F00.23000
Feb 6, 1998F10.23000
Feb 2, 1998F221.020000
Aug 6, 1997F00.22300
Jun 17, 1997F00.12300
Jun 16, 1997F11.05010
Jun 10, 1997F00.52300
May 31, 1997F00.12300
Jun 21, 1996F11.51000
Jun 9, 1996F00.11000
May 29, 1996F10.11000
Jan 3, 1996F00.41000
Jul 12, 1995F00.11000
Jul 11, 1995F00.21000
Jul 3, 1995F00.11000
Apr 30, 1995F00.11030
Jan 14, 1995F03.03000
Nov 16, 1994F00.11000
Nov 15, 1994F12.52300
Nov 15, 1994F10.83000
Aug 29, 1994F00.11000
Aug 29, 1994F00.11000
Jun 21, 1994F00.11000
Mar 2, 1994F00.41300
Apr 5, 1993F13.05020
Sep 17, 1992F00.11000
Jun 26, 1992F00.75000
May 14, 1991F00.21000
Jan 15, 1991F13.56010
Jun 20, 1990F00.21000
Jun 4, 1990F00.21000
May 30, 1990F00.21000
Jul 17, 1989F00.21000
Jul 14, 1989F00.21000
May 24, 1989F00.21000
May 15, 1989F00.21000
Mar 24, 1989F00.510000
May 27, 1988F13.03000
May 27, 1988F01.03000
Apr 30, 1988F11.03000
Jun 28, 1987F00.43000
Jun 28, 1987F00.23000
Jun 25, 1987F00.33000
Jan 4, 1987F01.03000
Sep 8, 1986F01.03000
Aug 28, 1986F01.03000
Mar 14, 1986F01.01000
Aug 28, 1985F00.51000
Aug 1, 1985F00.51010
Apr 9, 1984F15.03000
Mar 13, 1984F00.55000
Jul 20, 1983F10.53000
Jul 19, 1983F00.32000
May 31, 1983F00.42000
Mar 17, 1983F252.56020
Feb 10, 1983F00.52000
Sep 23, 1982F00.51000
Jun 17, 1982F03.01000
May 23, 1982F00.32000
Mar 29, 1982F10.55010
Jul 2, 1981F00.51700
Jun 21, 1981F00.12000
May 28, 1981F00.12000
May 20, 1981F10.12000
May 20, 1981F10.12000
May 20, 1981F11.05000
May 7, 1981F00.12000
Nov 15, 1980F00.31700
Sep 9, 1980F11.03000
Jun 10, 1980F15.610010
Apr 19, 1980F00.32000
Mar 1, 1980F10.53300
Mar 1, 1980F37.8500331
Sep 3, 1979F00.13000
May 24, 1979F23.03020
Jan 2, 1979F10.12000
Nov 8, 1978F10.44000
Aug 19, 1978F00.11000
Jul 29, 1978F00.11000
Jun 12, 1978F00.11000
Mar 3, 1978F10.11000
Dec 7, 1976F00.31700
Sep 18, 1976F00.12000
Mar 7, 1976F00.11000
Jun 29, 1975F00.55000
Jun 3, 1975F00.11000
Feb 11, 1975F00.22700
Aug 19, 1974F00.11000
May 25, 1973F00.22000
Mar 4, 1972F22.050060
Jun 13, 1971F24.55000
Feb 8, 1971F00.11000
Jul 22, 1970F20.11000
Aug 10, 1969F10.11000
Aug 10, 1969F10.11000
May 15, 1969F00.11000
Nov 9, 1968F110.03320
Oct 17, 1968F10.11000
Sep 12, 1968F042.81000
Feb 23, 1968F10.11000
Feb 19, 1968F25.7100210
Jun 3, 1967F10.11000
Feb 22, 1967F10.11020
Mar 14, 1965F20.11000
Feb 23, 1965F35.76060
Feb 23, 1965F114.11000
Oct 14, 1964F20.11000
Oct 14, 1964F20.1100220
Oct 14, 1964F10.11030
Oct 14, 1964F10.11030
Aug 28, 1964F10.11000
Aug 18, 1962F00.11000
May 26, 1961F20.55020
Mar 21, 1961F00.11000
Sep 25, 1960F10.12300
Jul 14, 1959F00.11000
Aug 3, 1958F10.11000
Aug 3, 1958F10.11000
Apr 22, 1958F10.11700
Mar 18, 1958F20.11000
Apr 10, 1956F37.8200200
Oct 13, 1955F10.11000
Apr 2, 1955F10.11000
Sep 22, 1954F20.13300
Jul 8, 1954F00.11000
Feb 26, 1952F11.51700
  1. Injuries and deaths are for the tornado’s whole path, which may extend beyond this area.
  2. Weak tornadoes were under-recorded before Doppler radar coverage became national in the early 1990s, so earlier decades read low. Ratings use the Fujita scale before February 2007 and the Enhanced Fujita scale after.

Storm Prediction Center severe weather database, 1950 to 2025.

Hurricanes and tropical storms

51 passed within 50 miles since 1851; 26 at hurricane strength, 10 as major hurricanes.

Strongest within 50 miles

September 16, 1928

Unnamed storm, Category 4

27.5 miles at closest approach, winds near 145 mph.

Most recent

November 10, 2022

Nicole, Category 1

70.4 miles at closest approach.

Tropical cyclones within 50 miles by decade 50s: 1 60s: 2 70s: 3 80s: 5 90s: 2 00s: 6 6 10s: 1 20s: 4 30s: 4 40s: 6 50s: 3 60s: 2 70s: 3 80s: 2 90s: 4 00s: 2 10s: 0 20s: 1 50s60s70s80s90s00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s00s10s20s
Storms within 50 miles, by decade. Records before about 1900 miss storms that never reached land or ships.

Every storm within 100 miles

Tropical cyclones within 100 miles
Nicole202270.4Category 175Category 1
Alex202260.0Disturbance45Tropical storm
Isaias202043.4Tropical storm63Category 1
Gordon201890.6Tropical storm52Tropical storm
Irma201797.7Category 2102Category 5
Matthew201673.2Category 4131Category 5
Arthur2014100.0Tropical storm40Category 2
Nicole201070.7Remnant low46Tropical storm
Fay200874.5Tropical storm67Tropical storm
Ernesto200652.4Tropical storm40Category 1
Wilma200534.0Category 3112Category 5
Tammy200573.1Tropical storm40Tropical storm
Katrina200520.6Category 179Category 5
Jeanne200460.1Category 3121Category 3
Frances200458.0Category 2106Category 4
Irene199922.0Category 175Category 2
Harvey19997.7Tropical storm52Tropical storm
Mitch199842.1Tropical storm61Category 5
Jerry199524.8Tropical storm40Tropical storm
Erin199571.7Category 186Category 2
Gordon199490.2Tropical storm55Category 1
Andrew199256.9Category 5167Category 5
Fabian199166.5Tropical storm46Tropical storm
Floyd198769.0Tropical storm67Category 1
Bob198549.0Tropical storm46Category 1
Isidore198420.9Tropical storm56Tropical storm
Dennis198166.6Tropical storm40Category 1
David197928.0Category 298Category 5
Dottie197615.0Tropical storm40Tropical storm
Unnamed197428.4Subtropical storm60Tropical storm
Jenny196992.5Tropical storm39Tropical storm
Inez196682.5Category 189Category 5
Betsy196587.6Category 3112Category 4
Isbell196428.2Category 192Category 3
Cleo19644.7Category 192Category 4
Florence196034.2Tropical storm39Tropical storm
Donna196095.2Category 3124Category 4
Judith195952.9Tropical storm52Category 1
Unnamed195632.8Tropical storm63Tropical storm
Hazel195389.5Category 174Category 1
Unnamed195355.9Tropical storm40Tropical storm
Unnamed195225.0Tropical storm63Tropical storm
How195177.2Tropical storm55Category 2
King195023.2Category 3125Category 4
Unnamed194920.0Category 4132Category 4
Unnamed194820.2Category 194Category 3
Unnamed194841.0Category 297Category 4
Unnamed194711.0Category 181Category 2
Unnamed194714.3Category 4132Category 4
Unnamed194615.2Tropical storm46Tropical storm
Unnamed194554.8Category 3120Category 4
Unnamed194156.3Category 298Category 3
Unnamed193949.8Category 175Category 1
Unnamed193667.9Tropical storm60Category 2
Unnamed193631.9Tropical storm46Tropical storm
Unnamed193528.5Category 298Category 2
Unnamed193570.0Category 4138Category 4
Unnamed193598.8Category 5173Category 5
Unnamed193399.1Category 3117Category 3
Unnamed193335.7Category 3127Category 4
Unnamed193351.6Category 175Category 1
Unnamed193266.5Tropical storm63Category 1
Unnamed192993.6Category 3115Category 4
Unnamed192827.5Category 4145Category 5
Unnamed192842.1Category 2104Category 2
Unnamed192655.7Category 3127Category 4
Unnamed192648.8Category 4137Category 4
Unnamed192655.3Category 2109Category 4
Unnamed192589.0Tropical storm60Category 1
Unnamed192421.6Tropical storm69Category 5
Unnamed191648.1Post-tropical56Tropical storm
Unnamed191627.3Tropical storm44Category 2
Unnamed191672.7Tropical storm45Tropical storm
Unnamed190961.0Category 2107Category 3
Unnamed19096.3Tropical storm52Tropical storm
Unnamed190911.6Tropical storm48Tropical storm
Unnamed190617.2Category 3113Category 3
Unnamed190625.0Category 186Category 2
Unnamed190313.3Category 181Category 1
Unnamed19011.8Tropical storm46Category 1
Unnamed189990.8Tropical storm40Category 2
Unnamed189861.3Tropical storm69Tropical storm
Unnamed189889.7Tropical storm46Tropical storm
Unnamed189851.6Tropical storm40Category 1
Unnamed189674.9Tropical storm45Category 2
Unnamed189599.0Category 2104Category 2
Unnamed189594.2Tropical storm58Tropical storm
Unnamed189388.8Category 3121Category 3
Unnamed18922.7Tropical storm40Tropical storm
Unnamed189136.4Tropical storm46Tropical storm
Unnamed189162.1Category 175Category 3
Unnamed188922.0Tropical storm46Tropical storm
Unnamed188816.9Tropical storm44Category 1
Unnamed188823.7Tropical storm52Tropical storm
Unnamed188830.4Category 3115Category 3
Unnamed188687.7Category 297Category 3
Unnamed188531.0Category 181Category 2
Unnamed188189.2Tropical storm46Category 1
Unnamed187828.2Category 181Category 2
Unnamed187874.9Tropical storm55Category 2
Unnamed187656.7Category 298Category 3
Unnamed187639.0Tropical storm69Category 3
Unnamed187398.0Category 2101Category 3
Unnamed187397.7Tropical storm46Tropical storm
Unnamed187152.5Category 2104Category 3
Unnamed187145.1Category 3115Category 3
Unnamed187061.2Category 178Category 2
Unnamed187068.2Category 2104Category 3
Unnamed186513.8Category 192Category 2
Unnamed186331.5Tropical storm58Tropical storm
Unnamed186181.8Tropical storm60Category 1
Unnamed18596.3Tropical storm69Tropical storm
  1. Tropical storms and hurricanes (34 kt or more, still tropical) at closest approach. Post-tropical remnants with gale-force winds are listed but not counted. Direct: track within 50 miles; near: within 100 miles. Distance is measured to the county boundary for counties and to the city centre for cities, using positions interpolated hourly between HURDAT2 fixes.

National Hurricane Center HURDAT2, 1851 to 2025.

Wildfire and smoke

30 large fires burned within 25 miles since 1984.

Largest

April 19, 1999

State Fire, 171,183 acres

21.8 miles from the city centre.

Most recent

August 16, 2022

The 44 (06) Fire

2,174 acres in total.

Acres burned by large fires within 25 miles, cumulative 1984: 17,9511985: 36,2881986: 1,1801987: 5,1471989: 160,9781994: 11,0031996: 2,3411999: 171,1832000: 1,6972001: 2,4752003: 2,3372004: 9,4862007: 6,8312010: 7,1882014: 50,6252018: 6252020: 7642022: 2,174 490,273 acres 198519901995200020052010201520202025
Running total of acres burned (line) and each year’s acres (bars).

Every large fire

Large wildfires since 1984
The 44 (06)202223.52,174
2020-18-0155-L-6202021.9764
Lonebird201824.7625
Alligator201421.950,625
Loxburn 520109.45,758
Compartment D201023.01,430
Midnight Special200723.0872
Scared Armadillo200722.64,681
Loxburn 5200711.51,278
Hillsboro Canal200417.25,464
Rx Sw 1200416.64,022
Ne Unit 4200316.72,337
Unnamed200114.42,475
Unnamed200018.01,697
State Fire199921.8171,183
Unnamed199624.02,341
Unnamed199417.711,003
Eight Mile19898.61,388
Unnamed198922.690,053
Unnamed198919.249,672
Unnamed198923.62,790
Unnamed198912.215,991
Unnamed198923.11,084
Unnamed198713.41,529
Unnamed198723.41,333
Unnamed198713.92,285
Unnamed198624.71,180
Unnamed198524.71,293
Unnamed198521.934,995
Unnamed198416.517,951
  1. Large fires mapped by the Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity program since 1984: 1,000 acres or more in the West, 500 or more in the East. Prescribed burns are excluded. Acres here are the part of each perimeter inside this place.

Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity (USGS and U.S. Forest Service), 1984 to 2026.

Smoke overhead

Smokiest year

2022: 7 days

Heavy smoke on 1 day in 2023, the most of any year.

Last 10 years

1.4 days a year

Medium or heavy smoke, 2016 to 2025.

2025

0 days

Medium or heavy smoke. 4 so far in 2026.

Days with medium or heavy smoke overhead, by year 2011: 2 2012: 0 2013: 0 2014: 1 2015: 0 2016: 1 2017: 1 2018: 0 2019: 0 2020: 1 2021: 0 2022: 7 7 2023: 3 2024: 1 2025: 0 201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025
Days each year on which a satellite-traced plume of medium or heavy smoke covered the city centre, 2011 to 2025.
  1. A smoke day is a date on which a smoke plume traced by NOAA Hazard Mapping System analysts from satellite imagery covered this place's point (the county's population centre or the city centre). Counts here are of medium or heavy smoke. Since 2018 analysts have often drawn light smoke as one area over most of the continent, so light-smoke counts are not comparable from year to year. The plumes show smoke anywhere in the air above, not air quality at the ground, and smoke hidden by cloud is missed.

NOAA Hazard Mapping System smoke analysis, 2011 to 2026, retrieved October 30, 2026.

Floods and flood insurance

35,049 federal flood insurance claims since 1978, with $458 million paid.

Flood insurance figures are for Broward County, the county that contains Deerfield Beach.

Federal flood insurance claims by year 1978: 29 1979: 2,142 1980: 80 1981: 885 1982: 185 1983: 154 1984: 96 1985: 102 1986: 183 1987: 25 1988: 52 1989: 43 1990: 18 1991: 476 1992: 595 1993: 67 1994: 794 1995: 405 1996: 163 1997: 143 1998: 389 1999: 6,520 6,520 2000: 1,487 2001: 390 2002: 350 2003: 562 2004: 1,034 2005: 4,853 2006: 173 2007: 182 2008: 264 2009: 944 2010: 255 2011: 972 2012: 888 2013: 285 2014: 175 2015: 136 2016: 95 2017: 1,917 2018: 97 2019: 377 2020: 1,382 2021: 57 2022: 126 2023: 3,723 2024: 657 2025: 91 2026: 31 1978198319881993199820032008201320182023
Claims per year since 1978. Years with fewer than five claims are not shown.

Most claims in one year

1999: 6,520 claims

$19.4 million paid.

2nd most

2005: 4,853 claims

$12.3 million paid.

3rd most

2023: 3,723 claims

$250 million paid.

Claims by ZIP code

Flood insurance claims by ZIP code
330092,032$67.2 million
333121,800$78.6 million
330241,459$3.0 million
333111,430$26.8 million
333151,402$82.0 million
330191,388$28.1 million
333191,357$3.8 million
330231,338$4.1 million
330681,257$1.8 million
330201,234$29.9 million
333131,194$3.8 million
333091,184$6.3 million
33351944$2.6 million
33334913$8.0 million
33063875$1.0 million
33321871$1.4 million
33322817$1.0 million
33065722$1.0 million
33025688$1.0 million
33317631$2.9 million
33071624$1.4 million
33026593$1.0 million
33328573$1.2 million
33004545$23.4 million
33029528$1.6 million
33324509$842,000
33325501$2.5 million
33062481$2.7 million
33305480$7.1 million
33060463$1.3 million
33021450$1.3 million
33308414$5.0 million
33314413$3.7 million
33064408$1.4 million
33304400$7.2 million
33027400$890,000
33316392$20.6 million
33301389$8.3 million
33326333$1.1 million
33330318$1.4 million
33323296$418,000
33331266$720,000
33441235$3.0 million
33076227$433,000
33069195$1.7 million
33028165$312,000
33327161$255,000
33067139$374,000
33332130$322,000
33442126$684,000
33066114$63,000
3330680$678,000
55$8,007
3307342$166,000
3335712$55,000
330009$64,000
330228$10,000
333107$28,000
333075$22,000

Flood events since 1996

  • Flood79
  • Coastal Flood44
  • Flash Flood35
  • Heavy Rain22

This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's OpenFEMA API, but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s).

OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims v3, refreshed August 4, 2026. NOAA Storm Events through 2026.

River crests

River gauges in Broward County, the county that contains Deerfield Beach.

The National Weather Service sets flood stages for 8 gauges here but lists no crests for them.

River gauges

River gauges and their highest listed crests
Atlantic Ocean Tide Gauge at South Port Everglades (in MHHW)1.3——0
Atlantic Tide Gauge at Deerfield Beach Pier (in MHHW)1.3——0
Atlantic Tide Station at Dania Beach Pier (in MHHW)1.3——0
Intracoastal Waterway at Deerfield Island Park (in MHHW)1.3——0
Middle River George English Park at Sunrise Blvd (in MHHW)1.3——0
New River at Riverwalk Fort Lauderdale (in MHHW)1.3——0
Port Laudania Canal at Port Laudania (in MHHW)1.3——0
South Fork New River near Secret Woods Nature Center (in MHHW)1.3——0
  1. Crests are the highest and the recent crests the National Weather Service lists for each river gauge in the county that has a flood stage, not every flood. Flood categories use each gauge's current flood stages; crests from before levees, dams or channel changes may not be comparable. Crests measured on an old datum are left out of the rankings.

NOAA National Water Prediction Service gauge records, retrieved October 30, 2026.

Drought

In severe drought or worse for 108 of 1,581 months since 1895 (7%); the longest spell lasted 20 months.

The drought index is for Broward County, the county that contains Deerfield Beach.

108

Months in severe drought or worse since 1895

33

Months in extreme drought

7%

Share of all months, severe or worse

85

Drought reports to the Weather Service since 1996

Lowest reading

February 1990

−5.65, extreme drought

Longest severe spell

20 months

December 1988 to July 1990.

Latest month

September 2026

−2.89, moderate drought

Last severe month: August 2026.

Months in severe drought or worse, by year 1895: 0 1896: 0 1897: 0 1898: 0 1899: 0 1900: 0 1901: 0 1902: 0 1903: 0 1904: 0 1905: 0 1906: 0 1907: 2 1908: 0 1909: 0 1910: 0 1911: 0 1912: 0 1913: 0 1914: 0 1915: 0 1916: 0 1917: 0 1918: 0 1919: 0 1920: 0 1921: 1 1922: 0 1923: 0 1924: 0 1925: 0 1926: 0 1927: 0 1928: 0 1929: 0 1930: 0 1931: 1 1932: 0 1933: 0 1934: 0 1935: 0 1936: 0 1937: 0 1938: 1 1939: 9 1940: 0 1941: 0 1942: 0 1943: 0 1944: 3 1945: 6 1946: 0 1947: 0 1948: 0 1949: 0 1950: 0 1951: 0 1952: 2 1953: 0 1954: 0 1955: 0 1956: 10 1957: 1 1958: 0 1959: 0 1960: 0 1961: 1 1962: 5 1963: 1 1964: 0 1965: 0 1966: 0 1967: 0 1968: 0 1969: 0 1970: 0 1971: 10 1972: 1 1973: 0 1974: 0 1975: 0 1976: 0 1977: 0 1978: 0 1979: 0 1980: 0 1981: 0 1982: 0 1983: 0 1984: 0 1985: 0 1986: 0 1987: 0 1988: 1 1989: 12 12 1990: 11 1991: 0 1992: 0 1993: 0 1994: 0 1995: 0 1996: 0 1997: 0 1998: 0 1999: 0 2000: 0 2001: 0 2002: 0 2003: 0 2004: 0 2005: 0 2006: 0 2007: 0 2008: 0 2009: 0 2010: 0 2011: 5 2012: 0 2013: 0 2014: 0 2015: 3 2016: 2 2017: 5 2018: 0 2019: 0 2020: 0 2021: 0 2022: 0 2023: 0 2024: 0 2025: 7 18951905191519251935194519551965197519851995200520152025
Months each year with a Palmer index of −3 or lower, 1895 to 2025. Twelve means the whole year.
  1. The Palmer Drought Severity Index is computed by NOAA each month from the county's average temperature and precipitation, relative to the county's own climate. Zero is normal; -3 or lower is severe drought and -4 or lower extreme drought. It describes the long-term balance of moisture, not water supply or crop losses.

NOAA NCEI nClimDiv county Palmer Drought Severity Index, 1895 to September 2026, issued October 6, 2026.

Earthquakes

No earthquake of magnitude 2.5 or more is recorded within 50 miles of the city centre in the USGS catalogue, which begins in 1900.

Severe weather and other events

1,486 events in the National Weather Service record for Broward County, 1,278 of them since 1996.

92

Hail reports, 1 inch or larger

4

Hail, 2 inches or larger

305

Damaging gusts, 58 mph+

0

Winter weather events since 1996

7

Heat events since 1996

20

Cold events since 1996

Largest hail

February 10, 1983

3.00 inches

Strongest measured or estimated gust

April 29, 1955

130 mph

More event types since 1996

Other Storm Events types since 1996
Rip currents644365Apr 12, 2026
High surf and sneaker waves343Oct 6, 2016
Storm surge and tide700Nov 9, 2022
Lightning1331889Sep 18, 2024

Costliest events since 1996

  1. Sep 4, 2004Hurricane (Typhoon), Coastal Broward$80.0 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    Hurricane Frances formed from a tropical depression in the deep tropical Atlantic on August 25 about 1400 miles east of the Lesser Antilles and reached hurricane strength on August 26. Frances became a Category 4 Hurricane on August 28 while about 700 miles east of the Lesser Antilles. Frances then moved generally west northwest and weakened to a Category 2 hurricane while crossing the northwest Bahamas. After stalling for about 12 hours on September 4 in the Florida Straits between Grand Bahama Island and the southeast Florida coast, the center of the nearly 70-mile diameter eye crossed the Florida coast near Sewalls Point, at 1 A.M. EDT, September 5, 2004 with the southern…

  2. Oct 14, 1999Hurricane (Typhoon), Coastal Broward$54.0 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    After lingering as a broad area of low pressure in the western Caribbean Sea for four days, a tropical depression formed just after midnight EDT on October 13 and became tropical storm Irene in the northwest Caribbean Sea later that morning. Irene moved north across western Cuba on October 14 and strengthened to hurricane intensity early on October 15 in the Straits of Florida. It then made its first landfall in south Florida in the lower Florida Keys around 9 AM EDT, October 15. After crossing Florida Bay the center of Irene made landfall on the peninsula near Cape Sable around 4 PM EDT, October 15 as a Category One intensity hurricane. It moved northeast across central…

  3. Sep 25, 2004Hurricane (Typhoon), Coastal Broward$50.0 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    Hurricane Jeanne formed from a tropical depression just east of the Leeward Islands on September 13. She moved across Puerto Rico and Hispaniola then turned north into the Atlantic and became a hurricane on September 20. Jeanne made a clockwise loop for three days in the Atlantic north of Hispaniola before moving west northwest. It strengthened to a Category 3 Hurricane while over the northwest Bahamas and then make landfall around 11 P.M., September 25 near the south end of Hutchinson Island, nearly coincident with the landfall point of Hurricane Frances nearly three week before. The 40-mile diameter eye was not quite as large as Frances, but the southern eyewall again affected…

  4. Oct 15, 1999Flash Flood$45.0 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    Widespread flooding from hurricane Irene inundated most of the metropolitan areas of Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties.

  5. Aug 25, 2005Hurricane (Typhoon), Coastal Broward$36.0 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    A tropical wave that moved across the Atlantic from near the west coast of Africa eventually spawned the tropical cyclone that became hurricane Katrina. The tropical wave became a tropical depression near the central Bahamas late on August 22. The depression moved slowly northwest and became tropical storm Katrina on August 24 near the northwest Bahama Islands then turned west and intensified to a hurricane on August 25, a few hours before making landfall on the southeast Florida Coast.The center of the ragged 25-mile-wide eye of Katrina made landfall around 6:30 PM EDT, Thursday, August 25 near the Broward/Miami-Dade County border then moved toward the southwest across central…

  6. Feb 2, 1998Tornado$30.0 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    At 2034 est the f1 tornadoes crossed the dade-broward counties line and damaged a strip shopping center in miramar. The multiple tornadoes moved across north perry airport at 2036 est where 40 aircraft were destroyed and 40 aircraft were damaged. The tornadoes weakened to f0-f1 intensity as they continued north-northeast damaging a shopping center in davie near orange rd/hiatus rd.

  7. Nov 4, 1998Tropical Storm, Coastal Broward$30.0 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    Tropical Storm Mitch, after devastating portions of central America as a hurricane then dissipating over land, reformed over the Bay of Campeche and moved northeast across the Yucatan Peninsula, the southeast Gulf of Mexico and into south Florida. Casualties in south Florida included two drownings in a fishing boat that capsized near the Dry Tortugas and about 65 injuries, most of them minor, in the upper Keys involving tornadoes. Losses are estimated at $50 million, including $20 million in crop damage. Much of the property damage was caused by the five tropical storm-spawned tornadoes, one of which reached a maximum intensity of F2, in the upper Keys. A total of 646 dwellings…

  8. Apr 12, 2023Flash Flood$28.0 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    During the afternoon and evening of April 12th, prolific rainfall occurred across southern and central metro Broward County, including the cities of Fort Lauderdale, Hollywood, Dania Beach, and Wilton Manors. Showers and thunderstorms repeatedly training over this urban corridor brought multiple hours with rainfall rates of 3-6 inches/hour, with total rainfall of 15-25 inches between Noon and Midnight. The highest measured rainfall amount was 25.91 at a WeatherSTEM gauge at Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport, with 20 inches falling between 4 and 10 PM. This rainfall rate has less than a 0.1% chance of being exceeded in any given year, and the rainfall over most of the…

  9. Oct 3, 2000Flood, Coastal Broward$10.0 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    On October 2 and 3, 2000 a broad area of low pressure in the Gulf of Mexico off the southwest Florida coast moved northeast across central florida and eventually became subtropical depression number 1 then tropical storm Leslie off of the northeast Florida coast. A band of heavy rain along its southern flank became nearly stationary across southeast Florida and produced a 10-mile wide swath of 10 to 20 inches of rain in Miami-Dade and extreme southeast Broward counties. The swath was centered from Golden Beach to Opa Locka to Miami Springs to Sweetwater to West Kendall. About 2 to 3 inches of the rain fell on October 2 and another 12 inches fell during the late afternoon and…

  10. Oct 18, 2011Tornado$4.0 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    A strong tornado rated as an EF-2 with maximum estimated winds of 125 mph moved across western portions of Plantation and Sunrise on the evening of October 18th. A total of 136 structures suffered damage, with about 20-25 of these sustaining significant to severe damage. A few mobile homes in the Plantation section of the tornado were destroyed with roof and wall collapse. The tornado intensified as it moved into Sunrise, damaging homes in the New Orleans Homes subdivision. Two concrete block homes sustained significant to total roof loss, and several other homes had significant roof, garage and window damage. Cars were damaged by winds and debris as well as uprooted and sheared…

  1. Storm Events records before 1996 cover only tornadoes, thunderstorm wind and hail. Damage figures are as reported by the National Weather Service at the time, not adjusted for inflation.

NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 1950 to 2026, issued October 26, 2026.

Weather records

From Fort Lauderdale International Airport, 16.2 miles from the city centre, with records from 1945.

All-time high
100°FJun 22, 2009
All-time low
34°F2 times, most recently Dec 14, 2010
Warmest night
85°F2 times, most recently May 14, 2024
Coldest day
49°FJan 10, 2010
Wettest day
22.50 inApr 12, 2023
Hottest year
2015mean 78.8°F
Coldest year
2010mean 74.9°F
Wettest year
2023113.92 in
Driest year
201140.60 in
Average monthly high and low temperature and precipitation, last 30 years, Fort Lauderdale International Airport 76° 61° 2.1 Jan 78° 64° 2.3 Feb 80° 66° 2.4 Mar 83° 71° 3.8 Apr 86° 74° 5.7 May 89° 77° 8.7 Jun 90° 78° 6.2 Jul 90° 78° 7.5 Aug 89° 77° 9.5 Sep 86° 75° 6.1 Oct 81° 68° 4.0 Nov 78° 65° 2.8 Dec Precipitation, inches
Average daily high and low by month, and average monthly precipitation, over the last 30 years.
Nights at or below freezing per year 1999: 0 2000: 0 2001: 0 2002: 0 2003: 0 2004: 0 2005: 0 2006: 0 2007: 0 2008: 0 2009: 0 2010: 0 2011: 0 2012: 0 2013: 0 2014: 0 2015: 0 2016: 0 2017: 0 2018: 0 2019: 0 2020: 0 2021: 0 2022: 0 2023: 0 2024: 0 2025: 0 199920092019
Nights at or below freezing each complete year, last 50 years. Thirty-year average: 0.0.

Station Fort Lauderdale International Airport (USW00012849), 3 ft elevation, 16.2 miles from the city centre. Daily records from 1945 to October 27, 2026; 93.7% of days in the last 30 years are complete. Records at a single station can differ from a city’s official threaded record, which may combine several stations.

NOAA NCEI Global Historical Climatology Network Daily.

Federal disaster declarations

43 since 1953. The most recent: Hurricane Milton, October 11, 2024.

Declarations for Broward County.

Federal disaster declarations
Oct 11, 2024HurricaneHurricane MiltonMajor disasterDR-4834-FL
Oct 7, 2024HurricaneHurricane MiltonEmergencyEM-3622-FL
Apr 27, 2023FloodSevere Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disasterDR-4709-FL
Dec 13, 2022HurricaneHurricane NicoleMajor disasterDR-4680-FL
Nov 8, 2022Tropical StormTropical Storm NicoleEmergencyEM-3587-FL
Sep 29, 2022HurricaneHurricane IanMajor disasterDR-4673-FL
Sep 24, 2022HurricaneTropical Storm IanEmergencyEM-3584-FL
Aug 1, 2020HurricaneHurricane IsaiasEmergencyEM-3533-FL
Mar 25, 2020BiologicalCovid-19 PandemicMajor disasterDR-4486-FL
Mar 13, 2020BiologicalCovid-19EmergencyEM-3432-FL
Oct 21, 2019HurricaneHurricane DorianMajor disasterDR-4468-FL
Aug 30, 2019HurricaneHurricane DorianEmergencyEM-3419-FL
Sep 10, 2017HurricaneHurricane IrmaMajor disasterDR-4337-FL
Sep 5, 2017HurricaneHurricane IrmaEmergencyEM-3385-FL
Oct 8, 2016HurricaneHurricane MatthewMajor disasterDR-4283-FL
Oct 6, 2016HurricaneHurricane MatthewEmergencyEM-3377-FL
Aug 21, 2008Severe StormTropical Storm FayEmergencyEM-3288-FL
Oct 24, 2005HurricaneHurricane WilmaMajor disasterDR-1609-FL
Sep 20, 2005HurricaneTropical Storm RitaEmergencyEM-3259-FL
Sep 5, 2005HurricaneHurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergencyEM-3220-FL
Aug 28, 2005HurricaneHurricane KatrinaMajor disasterDR-1602-FL
Sep 26, 2004HurricaneHurricane JeanneMajor disasterDR-1561-FL
Sep 4, 2004HurricaneHurricane FrancesMajor disasterDR-1545-FL
Aug 13, 2004HurricaneTropical Storm Bonnie and Hurricane CharleyMajor disasterDR-1539-FL
Feb 5, 2001FreezingSevere FreezeMajor disasterDR-1359-FL
Oct 4, 2000Severe StormSevere Storms and FloodingMajor disasterDR-1345-FL
Oct 20, 1999HurricaneFl-Hurricane Irene-Dr-ReqMajor disasterDR-1306-FL
Oct 15, 1999HurricaneTropical Storm Irene - FloridaEmergencyEM-3150-FL
Sep 14, 1999HurricaneHurricane Floyd Emergency DeclarationsEmergencyEM-3143-FL
Apr 27, 1999FireFl-Fires 04/15/99EmergencyEM-3139-FL
Apr 18, 1999FireFl-Fires 04/13/99Fire managementFM-2256-FL
Sep 25, 1998HurricaneHurricane GrorgesEmergencyEM-3131-FL
Jun 18, 1998FireExtreme Fire HazardMajor disasterDR-1223-FL
Feb 12, 1998Severe StormSevere Storms, High Winds, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disasterDR-1204-FL
Jan 6, 1998Severe StormSevere Storms, High Winds, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disasterDR-1195-FL
Mar 13, 1993TornadoTornadoes, Flooding, High Winds & Tides, FreezingMajor disasterDR-982-FL
Aug 24, 1992HurricaneHurricane AndrewMajor disasterDR-955-FL
Jan 15, 1990FreezingSevere FreezeMajor disasterDR-851-FL
Mar 18, 1985FreezingSevere FreezeMajor disasterDR-732-FL
May 6, 1980Human CauseUndocumented AliensEmergencyEM-3079-FL
Jan 31, 1977FreezingSevere Winter WeatherMajor disasterDR-526-FL
Mar 15, 1971FreezingFreezeMajor disasterDR-304-FL
Sep 14, 1965HurricaneHurricane BetsyMajor disasterDR-209-FL

This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's OpenFEMA API, but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s).

OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries, retrieved October 30, 2026. Statewide declarations are not listed.

Sources and vintage

Every number on this page comes from these public records.

  • Tornadoes NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather database, through 2025.
  • Tropical cyclones NOAA National Hurricane Center HURDAT2 (Atlantic; Northeast and Central Pacific), through 2025.
  • Wildfire USGS/USFS Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity, through 2026.
  • Storm events NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, through 2026.
  • Flood insurance OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims v3, refreshed August 4, 2026.
  • Declarations OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries v2, retrieved October 30, 2026.
  • Weather records NOAA NCEI Global Historical Climatology Network Daily, station USW00012849.
  • River crests NOAA National Weather Service, National Water Prediction Service river gauges, retrieved October 30, 2026.
  • Drought NOAA NCEI nClimDiv county Palmer Drought Severity Index, through September 2026.
  • Smoke NOAA NESDIS Hazard Mapping System smoke analysis, retrieved October 30, 2026.
  • Earthquakes USGS ANSS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog (ComCat), retrieved October 30, 2026.

Joins, thresholds and known limits are set out in the methodology. Found an error? Report it. Page built October 30, 2026.