What should you know about Okeechobee's weather?
- NWS office
- Melbourne (MLB)
- Climate
- Humid subtropical
- Time zone
- EST/EDT
- Elevation
- 28 ft
- Coordinates
- 27.24° N, 80.83° W
- Nearest radar
- KMLB · Melbourne NEXRAD · 61 mi
- County
- Okeechobee County, FL
- Yearly rain
- 50.3 in
- Warmest month
- August · 83.4°F average
- Coldest month
- January · 63.2°F average
- Severe storm peak
- Apr to Jun
How much rain does Okeechobee get each month?
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 74.4 | 76.9 | 82.3 | 84.4 | 88.5 | 90.3 | 92.0 | 91.9 | 90.1 | 86.2 | 80.3 | 75.9 |
| Low °F | 52.1 | 54.8 | 58.7 | 64.0 | 68.1 | 73.2 | 74.5 | 74.8 | 73.5 | 67.8 | 60.1 | 55.0 |
| Rain (in) | 2.47 | 2.12 | 2.96 | 2.86 | 4.15 | 7.28 | 5.90 | 7.31 | 7.23 | 3.80 | 1.89 | 2.33 |
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Rain (in) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 74.4 | 52.1 | 2.47 |
| Feb | 76.9 | 54.8 | 2.12 |
| Mar | 82.3 | 58.7 | 2.96 |
| Apr | 84.4 | 64.0 | 2.86 |
| May | 88.5 | 68.1 | 4.15 |
| Jun | 90.3 | 73.2 | 7.28 |
| Jul | 92.0 | 74.5 | 5.90 |
| Aug | 91.9 | 74.8 | 7.31 |
| Sep | 90.1 | 73.5 | 7.23 |
| Oct | 86.2 | 67.8 | 3.80 |
| Nov | 80.3 | 60.1 | 1.89 |
| Dec | 75.9 | 55.0 | 2.33 |
OKEECHOBEE, FL US · 7 mi away · NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991 to 2020
Why does lightning cluster near Lake Okeechobee in summer?
The lake makes its own breeze, and where that lake breeze meets the Atlantic sea breeze, storms and lightning increase. A National Weather Service lightning study found a flash density maximum east of Lake Okeechobee that first appears in April and continues through the warm season into autumn. It forms when the wind is light, because strong easterly or westerly flow weakens one of the two breezes and cuts the lightning. On radar, look for showers popping up along a line between the lake and the coast on calm, humid afternoons.
Can the okeechobee weather radar show a waterspout turning into a tornado?
Sometimes, as on May 12, 1996, when the Melbourne radar tracked showers developing on a boundary over Lake Okeechobee. Cells grew quickly over the north end of the lake, and a strong thunderstorm there produced an F0 tornado over extreme southwest Okeechobee County. NWS Melbourne judged that it likely began as a waterspout; it damaged several mobile homes and destroyed a motor home. The Storm Events entry for Okeechobee County records 1 death from a tornado that day. The tornado quickly dissipated even as the storm stayed intense, so treat any fast-growing storm over the lake as a threat to the shore.
What happened in the Fort Drum tornado of April 2017?
A squall line ahead of a cold front swept across the peninsula on the morning of April 6, 2017 and produced an EF-2 tornado in the Fort Drum area of northeast Okeechobee County. Earlier, its downburst winds flipped a few campers and uprooted big trees in Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park, and 3 people inside the flipped campers had minor injuries. The storm then pushed into far southwestern Indian River County before lifting. Squall lines like this one can arrive in the morning, so check the loop early on days when a front is on the way.
How strong was the August 2003 microburst in Okeechobee?
Its strongest winds were estimated at 75 to 85 mph when it hit Taylor Creek Estates on the south side of the city on August 1, 2003. A National Weather Service damage survey found a pattern that fit Fujita's model of a traveling microburst, with most of the damage from winds of 55 to 65 mph. A carport and porch were torn from one home, and a piece of roof sheathing was carried over the top of a house across the street. The survey noted that east to west canals upwind seemed to let the winds speed up and focus the worst damage downwind.
When should you check the Okeechobee radar?
Severe storm peak
April to JuneAbout 56% of the county's 1996 to 2025 severe reports fall from April to June. Drivers on US 98 and ranch crews in open pasture check the loop before lines of storms arrive.
Hurricane season
June 1 to November 30Most Atlantic activity comes between mid-August and mid-October. Watch for bands that keep passing over the same farms and ranches, and check the loop before driving US-441 when a storm is near.
What else do people ask about the Okeechobee radar?
Which NWS office and radar cover Okeechobee?
NWS Melbourne (MLB) issues forecasts and warnings for Okeechobee. The nearest NEXRAD radar is KMLB, about 61 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: OKEECHOBEE, 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: A 10-year monthly lightning climatology of Florida
- NWS Melbourne: WSR-88D imagery from the Okeechobee tornado, May 12, 1996
- NWS Melbourne: Okeechobee County damage survey, April 6, 2017
- NWS Melbourne: Okeechobee storm, August 1, 2003
- NOAA JetStream: Radar beams
- National Hurricane Center: Tropical cyclone climatology