Severe Weather History


Florida Rip Current History: 669 Recorded Events

673

Recorded events

21

Counties affected

514

Direct deaths

$0

Property damage

Florida rip current history: 673 recorded events across 21 counties between 1996 and 2026.

Decade by decade

Florida rip current history by decade

Florida rip current history: recorded events per decade
Florida rip current history: recorded events per decade

The 2000s are the busiest decade on record with 124 reported rip current events across Florida. Earlier decades are thinner because systematic reporting for this hazard expanded over time, not because the weather was calmer.

County ranking

Counties with the most rip current events in Florida

RankCountyEventsDeathsDamageSpan
#1Escambia County3126$01996–2005
#2Miami-Dade County2719$01996–2005
#3Broward County2114$01996–2005
#4Palm Beach County168$01996–2004
#5St. Johns County1413$01996–2005
#6Walton County1216$01996–2005
#7Santa Rosa County1210$01996–2003
#8Bay County1011$02002–2005
#9Duval County103$01996–2005
#10Volusia County1010$01997–2005
#11Okaloosa County64$01996–2003
#12Nassau County44$01998–2004
#13Pinellas County33$01999–2005
#14Collier County34$01996–1998
#15Brevard County22$02004–2005
#16Flagler County21$01998–2004
#17Sarasota County20$01998–2005
#18Lee County23$01997–2001
#19Hillsborough County23$01998–1999
#20Manatee County11$02002–2002
#21Gulf County11$02003–2003
Source: NOAA/NCEI Storm Events · ranked by recorded event count

Significant events

Deadliest rip current events in Florida

DateCountyScaleDeathsInjuries
Jun 8, 2003Walton County—60
Jul 2, 2003Bay County—20
Jun 7, 2000Volusia County—20
Jun 6, 2001Escambia County—22
Sep 1, 2003Palm Beach County—20
Aug 23, 1998Hillsborough County—20
Jul 28, 1996Miami-Dade County—20
Jun 4, 2000Escambia County—20
Sep 27, 1997Collier County—20
Mar 28, 1997Lee County—20
Source: NOAA/NCEI Storm Events · dates UTC

All hazards in Florida · Rip Current across the U.S.