What should you know about Merritt Island's weather?
- NWS office
- Melbourne (MLB)
- Climate
- Humid subtropical
- Time zone
- EST/EDT
- Elevation
- 7 ft
- Coordinates
- 28.36° N, 80.70° W
- Nearest radar
- KMLB · Melbourne NEXRAD · 17 mi
- County
- Brevard County, FL
- Yearly rain
- 48.6 in
- Warmest month
- August · 81.2°F average
- Coldest month
- January · 60.1°F average
- Severe storm peak
- Apr to Jun
How much rain does Merritt Island get each month?
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 69.9 | 72.5 | 74.9 | 79.8 | 83.6 | 87.2 | 88.7 | 89.0 | 86.6 | 82.2 | 76.0 | 72.2 |
| Low °F | 50.3 | 52.3 | 55.5 | 60.2 | 66.0 | 70.8 | 72.6 | 73.5 | 72.3 | 67.1 | 60.2 | 54.6 |
| Rain (in) | 2.28 | 2.36 | 3.25 | 2.01 | 2.91 | 6.90 | 5.76 | 6.01 | 7.20 | 5.21 | 2.50 | 2.20 |
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Rain (in) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 69.9 | 50.3 | 2.28 |
| Feb | 72.5 | 52.3 | 2.36 |
| Mar | 74.9 | 55.5 | 3.25 |
| Apr | 79.8 | 60.2 | 2.01 |
| May | 83.6 | 66.0 | 2.91 |
| Jun | 87.2 | 70.8 | 6.90 |
| Jul | 88.7 | 72.6 | 5.76 |
| Aug | 89.0 | 73.5 | 6.01 |
| Sep | 86.6 | 72.3 | 7.20 |
| Oct | 82.2 | 67.1 | 5.21 |
| Nov | 76.0 | 60.2 | 2.50 |
| Dec | 72.2 | 54.6 | 2.20 |
TITUSVILLE 7 E, FL US · 18 mi away · NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991 to 2020
Why does Merritt Island see so many waterspouts?
Merritt Island sits in a local hot spot for waterspouts near Cape Canaveral. An NWS Melbourne study found that almost seventy-five percent of the near coastal spouts reported to the office came from the lagoons or islands just west and south of the Cape and the nearby offshore waters. The unusual shape of the coast and the large warm, shallow lagoons create local convergence that can set off showers. On June 24, 1993, a landspout damaged several light aircraft, a few trees and weak structures along a short path on Merritt Island.
How did lightning strike Apollo 12 after it lifted off from Merritt Island?
Apollo 12 rose into a cloudy, rain-swept sky on November 14, 1969 from Pad A at Launch Complex 39, which NASA places on Merritt Island just north of Cape Canaveral. Lightning struck it 36.5 seconds after liftoff, at about 6,000 feet altitude. It struck again at 52 seconds. Launch controllers lost telemetry both times, yet the crew made it safely to the Moon and back. Lightning can reach you before the heaviest rain does, so head indoors as soon as storms show up near the island on the loop.
What did Hurricane Frances do to Kennedy Space Center in 2004?
Frances brought sustained winds greater than 70 mph and gusts as high as 94 mph to Kennedy Space Center. The Vehicle Assembly Building lost 820 panels from its south wall, and Hurricane Jeanne later pulled 25 more off the east wall. The facility that made the shuttle's Thermal Protection System tiles and blankets lost nearly 35 percent of its roof. The water damage left the second floor, where the blankets were sewn, unusable for processing.
What does a tornado look like on the merritt island weather radar?
Look for a hook echo on reflectivity and a tight spin on the storm relative motion view, as KMLB showed on March 30, 1996. That day the radar tracked a small supercell with a hook echo moving offshore of Kennedy Space Center, then a severe squall line approaching north Brevard County. A strong mesocyclone in that line spawned the Cape Canaveral tornado, and the Storm Events entry for Brevard County records 18 injuries from a tornado that day. KMLB is only about 17 miles from the city center, and small storm features that are easy to see close to a radar are often masked at long range.
When should you check the Merritt Island radar?
Severe storm peak
April to JuneAbout 51% of the county's 1996 to 2025 severe reports fall from April to June. Visitors on Black Point Wildlife Drive have little shelter, so they check the loop before driving in on a building storm day.
Hurricane season
June 1 to November 30Most Atlantic activity comes between mid-August and mid-October. Residents watch for bands crossing the Banana River and leave over the SR 528 causeway early when evacuations are ordered.
What else do people ask about the Merritt Island radar?
Which NWS office and radar cover Merritt Island?
NWS Melbourne (MLB) issues forecasts and warnings for Merritt Island. The nearest NEXRAD radar is KMLB, about 17 miles from the city center.
How often does the radar on this page update?
The radar loop on this page updates every 5 minutes.
Is this page an official warning service?
No. It shows radar and forecasts only. For warnings, follow NWS Melbourne and local emergency alerts.
Quick facts
- Radar: KMLB (Melbourne NEXRAD), a new frame every 5 minutes
- Forecasts and warnings: NWS Melbourne (MLB)
- Severe storms peak from April to June (NOAA Storm Events, 1996 to 2025)
- Local time: EST/EDT
- Radar: KMLB, a new frame every 5 minutes
- Warnings: NWS Melbourne (MLB)
- Severe storms: April to June
- Local time: EST/EDT
Where does this data come from?
- NOAA NEXRAD radar via Iowa Environmental Mesonet
- National Weather Service, Melbourne office
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991 to 2020: TITUSVILLE 7 E, FL US
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 1996 to 2025
- USGS Elevation Point Query Service
- GOES-East satellite imagery
- Open-Meteo forecast API
- OpenStreetMap contributors
- NWS Melbourne: Waterspouts and weak tornadoes near Cape Canaveral (Technical Memorandum 156)
- NASA: Launch Complex 39, Pads A and B fact sheet
- NASA Science: Lightning strikes twice (Apollo 12)
- NASA: Apollo 12, the pinpoint mission
- NASA: Kennedy Space Center recovers from Hurricane Frances
- NASA: Kennedy Space Center 2005 annual report
- NWS Melbourne: WSR-88D imagery of the March 30, 1996 Cape Canaveral tornado
- NOAA JetStream: Radar beams
- National Hurricane Center: Tropical cyclone climatology