Why so dry in FL

[boca]

Why is it so dry in Florida and will this pattern change?

[ColdFront77]

This is the dry season; running from mid October to late May. Orlando is about an inch above average for the year to date.

[tropicana]

Orlando aside, which is running 3/4inch above normal since January 1st, most other places in Florida are running anywhere from slightly below normal to much below normal.
Miami is just 1/4inch below normal
Daytona Beach 3/4inch below
Ft Lauderdale and Melbourne 1 1/4inches below
Tampa, West Palm Beach, Vero Beach, Ft Myers and Sarasota 2 1/4inches below normal.

These aren't such great deficiences, there are greater shortfalls the further north in Florida you go, but this is the dry season down there and as we all know, a couple of thunderstorms can quickly change such small deficiences.

So not to worry. Enjoy the nice weather while it lasts.

-justin-

[Aquawind]

These aren't such great deficiences, there are greater shortfalls the further north in Florida you go, but this is the dry season down there and as we all know, a couple of thunderstorms can quickly change such small deficiences.

I hear that..Couple inches down here is nothing to worry about. It has been a relatively quiet fire season as well. I think that's a good thing considering all of the leftover debris from the hurricane season..there will be some fuel for the next real Florida drought either way.

Paul

[Mezocyclone]

It's Twuue, it's twuue, ahem,,, true.. Because of the single and isolated Thunderstorms down here, average rainfall amounts is not representative of actuals. Unlike many parts of the country that get blankets of rain activity, it rains on one side of the street and dry as a bone across the way. Also, the official rain gauge is at Tampa International Airport and for some reason, (I think because of all the concrete runways), the storms split and go around the area. While some areas may seem to be experiencing a dry spell, just a few miles up or down the road may be way over the average rainfall totals. I hope this clears up some of the misconceptions about Florida totals and the NWS stats.

[ColdFront77]

Orlando ended up being approximately ten inches above average last year.

So, even the last seven months (July 1st, 2004 through January 31st, 2005)
have been easily over six inches above average.

[depotoo]

thanks for the info cold front. how bout west palm beach area? are we running ahead as well? seems with all the rain we got with the hurricanes we might be.

[TexasStooge]

Probably just to make-up from the messy Hurricane Season.

[Aquawind]

This post helps explain the discrepency in rainfall..and it was dry alrighty..

http://www.storm2k.org/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?t=57415

Paul