Weather and safety sources

South Florida trips are shaped by the weather more than most. The guides on this site describe heat, storms and beach conditions in general terms only. For anything that affects your safety, the official sources below come first, and their guidance always outranks ours.

Storms and hurricanes

• National Hurricane Center (NOAA). The official source for tropical storm and hurricane forecasts, watches and warnings in the Atlantic basin. The Atlantic hurricane season officially runs from June 1 to November 30.
• National Weather Service. Local forecasts for Miami and the Keys, heat advisories, thunderstorm and lightning warnings, flood alerts and rip current statements.
• County emergency management. Miami-Dade County covers Miami and Miami Beach; Monroe County covers the Florida Keys. They publish evacuation zones and issue evacuation orders, including orders aimed specifically at visitors. Follow them.

Beaches and water

• Lifeguards and beach flags. Swim near a staffed lifeguard stand and check the flags and posted signs before you go in. Ask a lifeguard if you are unsure what a flag means that day.
• Rip currents. The National Weather Service publishes rip current risk in its local forecasts. If you are caught in one, the standard advice is to stay calm and swim parallel to the shore before heading back in.

Parks and the outdoors

• National Park Service. Alerts, closures, wildlife guidance and seasonal conditions for Everglades National Park, Biscayne National Park and Dry Tortugas National Park.
• Florida State Parks. Conditions and closures for state parks, including those in the Keys.
• Florida Department of Transportation. Road conditions, closures and traffic incidents, which matter on the Overseas Highway and during evacuations.

Health and entry

• CDC. Travel health information, including heat illness and mosquito-borne illness guidance.
• US Department of State and US Customs and Border Protection. Visa and ESTA information and what to expect on arrival if you are an international visitor.

In an emergency

Call 911 for police, fire or medical emergencies anywhere in the United States. If you need medical care that is not an emergency, your lodging, a pharmacy or an urgent care clinic can point you in the right direction, and your travel insurer can explain what your policy covers.

My Beacon is a planning guide. It is not a weather service, a medical service or an official source, and conditions can change faster than any guide can be updated.