Brevard Floods After Dry Start

Preliminary storm totals from the National Weather Service show 24.69 inches of rain fell near Malabar, Florida, from November 1 to November 4. This amount represents nearly half of the average rainy season precipitation for the region, which is typically 28.63 inches between June and September.

The deluge triggered catastrophic flooding across southern Brevard County. The NWS identified the rainfall as associated with a 1-in-100-year event, meaning there is a 1 percent chance of such a volume occurring in any given year at a specific location. Other areas recorded 22.75 inches near Grant-Valkaria and 22.00 inches near Palm Bay. By November 5, the heaviest rain had ceased, but floodwaters remained high along the St. Johns River.

This sudden wet period followed a dry finish to the climatological rainy season. Orlando International Airport recorded only 2.57 inches of rain in September, a deficit of 3.80 inches compared to the normal 6.37 inches. The city received 19.39 inches from June through September, well below the 29.57 inch average for that period. NWS Melbourne identified October 15 as the median start of the dry season for Orlando and Daytona Beach.

Rainfall distribution varied sharply across the state during October. Sarasota-Bradenton recorded 9.76 inches, making it the fifth-wettest October on record for that location. Jacksonville recorded 11.23 inches in the first two weeks of October, a surplus of 8.62 inches over the normal 2.61 inches. Tallahassee received 6.71 inches in the first ten days of October, though the city remained 11.13 inches below normal for the year as of October 10.

Cooler temperatures and lower humidity marked the transition from summer thunderstorms to fall frontal systems. Jacksonville's average temperature dropped to 63 degrees on October 19, seven degrees below normal. Tallahassee saw overnight lows fall to 42 degrees on October 21 and 22. NOAA data showed Florida received approximately 82 percent of normal September rainfall, while northern Florida received only 58 percent.

As of September 29, approximately 52 percent of Florida experienced some level of drought. The 2026 rainy season began with conditions that had already developed from a drought starting in fall 2025. For the June to September period, Tampa recorded 26.39 inches of rain, below its 30.24 inch average. Gainesville received 21.48 inches, below its 25.69 inch average. The state now enters November relying on cold fronts and larger weather systems for precipitation rather than daily afternoon storms.