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4 months from June through September. Only about 20 % of the total annual volume of precipitation occurs during the four driest months , December through March . The maximum annual rainfall that has been recorded for the Vero Beach climatological station is 81 . 74 inches , ( Indian River County Public Works , 2002 ) . In comparison to riverine flooding , coastal flooding is usually the result of a severe weather system such as a tropical storm or hurricane . The damaging effects of coastal floods are caused by a combination of storm surge , wind , rain , erosion and battering by debris . All coastal property and inhabitants are subject to severe damage and loss of life resulting from floods caused by hurricane-associated storm surge . Some coastal property , road arteries , and bridge approaches are subject to severe flooding caused by rare astronomical tides as well . Historical Flooding Events. Data on previous occurrences of flooding events in municipalities are limited ; therefore , the following events are based on the bes available data . Hurricane of September 1928 . This hurricane made Florida landfall near the City of Palm Beach as a strong Category 4 hurricane with one of the lowest barometric pressures ever recorded in this area ( 928 . 9 millibars [27 . 43 inches] ) . It reached Lake Okeechobee with very little decrease in intensity . In all , 1 , 836 people were killed and another 1 , 870 injured during this storm ' s passage . Nearly all the loss of life was in the Okeechobee area and was caused by overflowing of the lake along its southwestern shore . Hurricane of September 1933. This major Category 3 hurricane passed over Jupiter Island with a barometric pressure of 947 . 5 millibars (27 . 98 inches ) . Maximum winds recorded were 127 mph . There was considerable property damage all along tie Florida east coast, mostly in the area between Jupiter and Ft . Pierce . Severe waterfront damage was reported in Stuart , located in Martin County . Flood of 1947. This flood is generally considered to be the most severe flood recorded in southern Florida . Heavy rainfall , including the rains from two hurricanes , occurred over a period of 5 months . Many parts of Martin County , to the south , were flooded for months , and there was extensive damage to dairy pastures and agriculture in general . Such a flooding event in Indian River County would be much more si nificant today because of the increase in land development along the eastern side oft e County . Hurricane of August 1949 . This Category 3/Category 4 hurricane made landfall in Florida between Delray and Palm Beach with winds of 130 mph and a barometric pressure of 954 . 0 millibars (28 . 17 inches ) . As it moved inland , its center passed over the northern part of Lake Okeechobee . The levees in that area held , and no major flooding occurred . Damages in Florida were estimated at $45 million . Tides of 11 . 3 feet at Ft. Pierce , 8 . 5 ft at Stuart , and 6 . 9 ft at Lake Worth were reported . Statewide , over 500 people lost their homes as a result of this storm . Flood of 1953. As occurred in 1947 , this flood was preceded by 5 months of heavier than normal rainfall , which included a tropical storm in October. June through October rainfall was approximately 48 inches . Damage was heaviest in the beef cattle industry , with extensive losses of improved pastureland , which required supplemental feeding of cattle . Vegetable growers and dairy farmers also suffered significant losses as a 4-7