FLORIDA DROUGHT

[gsytch]

It has been about 6 weeks since it last rained here. A long dry spell, even for Florida standards in fall. The forecast for the next 10 days - zero chance of rain. I have lived here a long time, and this is a long time to go without appreciable rainfall. We need some rain here badly yet long term says dry. I believe we may be in for some serious trouble if it doesn't begin raining soon.

[RedRabbit]

It is pretty wild how long it has been now. I don't mind watering really, I'm just happy the intense summer sun is done for now.  

Edited November 19, 2016 by RedRabbit

[PalmTreeDude]

Interesting, maybe it will look like a desert soon... Ok just kidding...

[PalmatierMeg]

No rain here since mid-Oct. when the spigot shut off.

[Matthew92]

Yes, right after hurricane Matthew left FL (I can't believe it was that long ago) was about the last time we had real rainfall. A couple weeks ago a front moved through and it squeezed out a few drops but hardly even enough to wet the surface of the ground. No appreciable rainfall for about 2 months now: really don't like it. I've noticed mature trees showing stress.

Usually it seems the fall dryness pattern breaks around Christmas. I sure hope it does. My 10 day forecast does show rain in about a week- really hope it happens.

[gsytch]

Does anyone see anything in the future for Tampa Bay? November has been rainless. Zero. The last rains were the first week fo October and it is getting REALLY dry here. We need a pattern break. All these dry cold fronts!

[SubTropicRay]

This has been the driest stretch in many years.  My last rain was the last week of September.  This was icing on the cake after one of the driest summers in awhile.  At least it is not hot and hand watering can be kept at a minimum. 

[Palmaceae]

The last rain I had was on October 12th, recieved 0.13" at that time. Rain is at least in the forecast next week.

[Walt]

This seems to be the longest stretch without rain that I recall since I moved to Florida in 1997. Fortunately, we aren't in the dead of summer. I recall about 10 or more years ago we had a drought in late spring, and many trees really started to suffer, some died. I believe I heard a forecast a couple of weeks ago calling for a dry winter (drier than normal).

I've been hand watering about every four days, which is really every day as I divide my property up in four sections.

[Cindy Adair]

I am so sorry to hear this! In the Palm Beach to Miami area earlier this month all looked fine to me but I haven't seen the Tampa area since September.

 In western PR we have had LOTS of rain. Mudslides causing temporary road closures and weeds growing like crazy. Difficult to dry my clothes as I have elected to use a clothesline.

Good thing I have good hiking boots for the mud, but yes, I would much prefer extra rain than not enough. 

I was delighted to see the stars clearly early this morning, indicating no clouds, so perhaps a break here. I would send a bit of my extra wet weather to you in FL if I could....

 

[Walt]

5 minutes ago, Cindy Adair said:

I am so sorry to hear this! In the Palm Beach to Miami area earlier this month all looked fine to me but I haven't seen the Tampa area since September.

 In western PR we have had LOTS of rain. Mudslides causing temporary road closures and weeds growing like crazy. Difficult to dry my clothes as I have elected to use a clothesline.

Good thing I have good hiking boots for the mud, but yes, I would much prefer extra rain than not enough. 

I was delighted to see the stars clearly early this morning, indicating no clouds, so perhaps a break here. I would send a bit of my extra wet weather to you in FL if I could....

 

I guess what goes around comes around, as I recall just two years ago most of Puerto Rico was under drought conditions, and water rationing was taking place for those on municipal water systems. I think, as I recall, the western part of PR was faring better at the time. I read about it online in Caribbean Business. Like you, I prefer extra rain than not enough.

[Bill H2DB]

From NWS :

http://www.weather.gov/media/mlb/pdfs/CentralFlorida_Dry_Season_Forecast.pdf

 

 

[gsytch]

On 11/22/2016, 7:10:09, Walt said:

This seems to be the longest stretch without rain that I recall since I moved to Florida in 1997. Fortunately, we aren't in the dead of summer. I recall about 10 or more years ago we had a drought in late spring, and many trees really started to suffer, some died. I believe I heard a forecast a couple of weeks ago calling for a dry winter (drier than normal).

I've been hand watering about every four days, which is really every day as I divide my property up in four sections.

I moved here in 1988, and only once do I recall such a dry spell, and that started wildfires all over the state. As of today it has been 7 long weeks since any rain has fallen. I have my fingers crossed for next week but it does not look like a deal breaker, as of now. A nice, broken tropical system would be excellent.

[kinzyjr]

Hoping for rain here as well.  Palms are doing ok, but my turf is hating this drought.  Definitely the driest I've seen since I moved in 2002.

[Walt]

8 hours ago, gsytch said:

I moved here in 1988, and only once do I recall such a dry spell, and that started wildfires all over the state. As of today it has been 7 long weeks since any rain has fallen. I have my fingers crossed for next week but it does not look like a deal breaker, as of now. A nice, broken tropical system would be excellent.

The last drought I referred to in my above post was about 10 or more years ago. I recall it was in the late spring and/or early summer. At that time I had lots of red bay and silk bay trees growing (Persea genus) growing in an area of my property that was lower than the rest of it and was more prone to get standing water in it from a tropical storm. This genus of tree likes wetter/moister areas. Many of these trees started to suffer die back, and some died from the drought condition. Little matter, as just a year or two later they were hit by the laurel wilt disease that was killing this genus up and down the east coast. The disease all but wiped out all my bay trees as well as my avocado trees (Persea Americana).

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs379

[Mr. Coconut Palm]

The worst drought I remember in Florida was in 2000 and early 2001.  When I moved down to Coral Springs in Mar. of 2000, Florida as I recall was in the midst of its worst drought on record with MASSIVE fires raging daily in the Glades just to the west of my apartment throughout the summer.  The "rainy" season that year in Florida was non existent.  Martin County, just north of Palm Beach County was literally in desert conditions just like Arizona that year!  That year, there were over 280,000 acres that burned throughout the state, whereas in a normal year, I don't think there is more than about 40,000 acres that burn, if even that.  Also, just two years earlier in 1998, there was a bad summer drought raging in Southwest Florida with lots of wildfires around the Fort Myers area (my wife at the time and I took a quick weekend trip there for our anniversary in 1998 before moving to Florida a couple of years later, and I remember the fires in the Glades just east and southeast of Fort Myers.)

Edited November 28, 2016 by Mr. Coconut Palm

[Bill H2DB]

1998 was the year from Hell , here in east central Florida.   Huge drought , 100 deg temps . The entire County of Flagler was under

evacuation orders .   This link has the whole story .  https://www.thefreelibrary.com/The+1998+wildfires+in+Central+Florida%3a+Volusia+County's+own...-a054250752

There were ashes floating down onto the beach , even here in town , and I had a few red glowing ash clumps float into my yard .

This area is part of a huge Pine dominated forest , that has been a source of Pulpwood for the large paper industry mainly located in the Palatka area in

Putnam County just to the NW of us  , as well as turpentine etc . Newer subdivisions have been placed within and amongst the woods , and this was a result thereof . 

   Parts of the area went from green oceans of trees to literally a Moonscape in just a few hours .   Mom Nature at work .

   A few pics here , and Googling will get more :

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/features/florida360/orl-1998wildfires-pg-photogallery.html

 

[SubTropicRay]

By Florida standards, it's getting very bad.  I'm seeing shriveling bromeliads in public landscapes.

[RedRabbit]

I'm seeing a 60% chance of rain on Sunday.  

[Mr. Coconut Palm]

14 hours ago, Bill H2DB said:

1998 was the year from Hell , here in east central Florida.   Huge drought , 100 deg temps . The entire County of Flagler was under

evacuation orders .   This link has the whole story .  https://www.thefreelibrary.com/The+1998+wildfires+in+Central+Florida%3a+Volusia+County's+own...-a054250752

There were ashes floating down onto the beach , even here in town , and I had a few red glowing ash clumps float into my yard .

This area is part of a huge Pine dominated forest , that has been a source of Pulpwood for the large paper industry mainly located in the Palatka area in

Putnam County just to the NW of us  , as well as turpentine etc . Newer subdivisions have been placed within and amongst the woods , and this was a result thereof . 

   Parts of the area went from green oceans of trees to literally a Moonscape in just a few hours .   Mom Nature at work .

   A few pics here , and Googling will get more :

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/features/florida360/orl-1998wildfires-pg-photogallery.html

 

Bill,

 

It looks like more of Florida was hit by the extreme drought and fires that year than just Southwest Florida, where I was on an anniversary vacation with my exwife in Ft. Myers Beach.

John

[PalmatierMeg]

Got 0.6" rain last night (Mon.). Badly needed.

[Palmaceae]

4 hours ago, PalmatierMeg said:

Got 0.6" rain last night (Mon.). Badly needed.

No fair lol, I received zip, nada, zero.  But I was in Hollywood FL the last couple days and they had some rain.

[gsytch]

If it does not rain tomorrow, that leaves a completely RAINLESS November. Zero.By Dec 4th, two months will have passed since measurable rainfall. We did get some sprinkles in Mid October. I saw this coming when Matthew passed by east, setting up a blocking high and moisture starved fronts passing through. Stressed is not even the word for most landscapes. Brown Betty is more like it. 

[gsytch]

21 hours ago, Mr. Coconut Palm said:

I recall it well. Smoke choked even our coastal air, and it was preceeded by one of the wettest winters in history.

 

[RedRabbit]

On 11/28/2016, 8:08:07, RedRabbit said:

I'm seeing a 60% chance of rain on Sunday.  

No longer the case... Best we've got is 40% Tuesday. :(

[Palmaceae]

I received 0" inches of rain in November, hoping December is wetter.

[RedRabbit]

I actually got a little rain yesterday, believe it or not.

[SubTropicRay]

No rain here since the last week of September.  I'm hoping tonight is a deluge.

[Zeeth]

Finally getting some rainfall. It's been a long time coming. 

[SubTropicRay]

The event is over here and a measly 0.05" of rain fell.  This was a huge disappointment.  The drought is alive and well.

[Palmaceae]

3 hours ago, SubTropicRay said:

The event is over here and a measly 0.05" of rain fell.  This was a huge disappointment.  The drought is alive and well.

Ha, I got more than you did, 0.06".   Of course driving home from work I drove through some very heavy rain, a lot more than 0.06"!  At least I got a free car wash!

[Bill H2DB]

 I received about   0.8"  this afternoon , as a line of showers  passed though a lot of Central Florida .

That the first since Matthew .   Goody .

[gsytch]

Hit the jackpot with a HUGE .15"....sad. Drought just keeps getting deeper. 

[Tampa Scott]

I feel real lucky this time as I picked up .51" in the rain gauge.  

[Mr. Coconut Palm]

On ‎11‎/‎29‎/‎2016‎ ‎5‎:‎52‎:‎28‎, gsytch said:

 

We went from the worst drought in Texas' history to the worst flooding in Texas' history and back into drought again, all within the span of about 8 months last year!  That has a devastating effect on plants and everything tor that matter.

[Mr. Coconut Palm]

I sympathize with you guys.  The local weather men were predicting widespread rainfall totals here last weekend of between 1" and 3".  I got all of .2" over 3 days, but my Palm Society buddy who lives about 5.5 miles inland from me got .8", the airport got about 2", and Alice about an hour west of here in the arid brush country, got about 9"!  So I understand your disappointment.  I was hoping I wouldn't have to water my plants for about a week, but I am already having to water them again.

[gsytch]

Really nothing much in the near future. 20% chances during a warmer, more humid period next week is not promising. It is BROWN here. We are way past two months on any decent rain - enough to consider the yard watered - and pushing toward three months according to the dry forecast. On the up side, it has also been mild. Each year has its own M.O. and this year is the up and down swing of everything. 

[Palmaceae]

I actually had a surprise rain fall last night, 0.22". 

[SubTropicRay]

It's been so dry, I gave back .27" last night and the yearly rain total is actually going down..........  13 weeks and counting since significant rain has fallen here.

[gsytch]

I started this post on Nov 18th, and more than a month later, the drought is even worse. Just no rainfal at all. 10% chances I see for this week. We better start getting some wet fronts or we will be in deeper trouble come spring.