Drought

[BobbyinNY]

They've just started implementing water restrictions in the county to the west of us.... I'm sure we're next..... We haven't had a good soaking in over a month.. just a couple drips here & there..

[SubTropicRay]

Drizzle this morning but no significant accumulation.

[junglegalfla]

.6 at the house when I left this morning...hope it continues all day!

[spockvr6]

A little over an inch fell at my place early this AM and another nice downpour is hitting as we speak!

[SubTropicRay]

Apparently the south Tampa hole (in the clouds) is alive and well.

[BobbyinNY]

We got a good soaker yesterday... unfortunately, the temps dropped to around 70f with the moisture from the Atlantic.... but we're supposed to be up around 90f by the weekend again to make everything start growing like crazy.

[bubba]

I do not intend to demean the issue of drought as it apparently is interelated with Global Warming ,as many believe. However, every year around May, the same News story commences about drought. Does everyone forget that South Florida is a Tropical Savanah climate?This essentially means a marked humid wet six months followed by a dry and somewhat cooler six months. The only additional requirement is that our average temperature in our coldest month(JAN.) exceed 64 degrees F.(Koepell? definition) Why is everyone down here "blown away" when we experience this condition virtually every year?

[junglegalfla]

When I first moved here in the very early nineties, you could almost set your watch by the afternoon rainfall. Granted, I pay attention more since I got into gardening but it seems as though at least here in my area that the rain is less reliable.

For the last few years, it seems like I am dragging the hose around until at least July, just to keep my jungle alive. This year scares me a bit because so far, it seems like 2004. I had exactly these types of conditions before all hell broke loose. Maybe Ma Nature uses the canes or other types of natural disasters to replenish the water pattern. Unfortunate but perhaps intended by nature.

My Mom called and apparently Lake Superior is at record lows so it's all over.

[junglegalfla]

LOL, I dunno if the gods were reading but I am getting dumped on right now

[happ]

My Mom called and apparently Lake Superior is at record lows so it's all over.

Bren

Are the Great Lakes at low water levels?

[SubTropicRay]

Bone dry here for the last 2 weeks.  I'm getting concerned thay the entire rainy season may pass me by this year.

[junglegalfla]

happ,

I dunno, she just mentioned that to me in a conversation this week, my family is on the banks of lake Michigan but apparently the record lows of Superior is making their newscasts. I'll ask more when I talk to her tomorrow.

Ray,

so weird, I got nearly 3" last night. The cell just stopped on top of me and dumped, very unexpected BTW! We need a lot more!! Sorry you're having to schlepp that hose around! This will hold me for 3-4 days w/o more.

[SunnyFl]

(junglegalfla @ Jun. 15 2007,17:32)

QUOTE

When I first moved here in the very early nineties, you could almost set your watch by the afternoon rainfall. Granted, I pay attention more since I got into gardening but it seems as though at least here in my area that the rain is less reliable.

Bren, I remember those days too.  I moved here in '70, and the rain was much more reliable.  In the spring, it seemed to rain every night, leaving the morning air so refreshing, it was wonderful.

It's quite different now - it seems we're experiencing a lot less rain than we used to, and lower humidity.  And the "winters" are very different, too.  Back in the 80's, it got a lot colder - not so much in the 90's.

[SubTropicRay]

Hi Bren,

More rain missed me last night.  I'm getting used to this.

Ray

[junglegalfla]

I left the house this morning & didn't check the gage. I awoke to thunder and lightening but I'm not sure if it rained by me. I saw on the way in here to work that the streets were wet & it was spritzing as I walked in the bldg.

Sorry Ray...I'll send some rain karma your way, you need it. Hauling that hose gets old. It's times like that when we question our sanity about our plant obsessions.

[SubTropicRay]

It's times like that when we question our sanity about our plant obsessions.

I was just thinking that yesterday and this morning.

[junglegalfla]

Ray,

You got rain last night right, yes? It looked like it on the radar. I know it was dumping in downtown Tampa.

[junglegalfla]

happ,

Article on the Lake Superior

http://www.usatoday.com/news....r_N.htm

[SubTropicRay]

Nada, zilch, the big zero.   I could see it in the distance.  The forecasters are saying it will be drying some in the coming days.  This must mean I have to give what little rain I've had back.

[SubTropicRay]

Still dry.  The saga continues.

[SunnyFl]

(Ray @ Tampa,Jun. 19 2007,22:18)

QUOTE

Still dry.  The saga continues.

Isn't it frustrating when you can see the beautiful towering grey clouds - as they move away without raining one drop  

Nothing here either, still bone dry.

[SubTropicRay]

Sunny, to add some salt in the wound, today's rain chances seem diminshed by the forecasters.  June is a wash (definitely not literally).

[BobbyinNY]

Nada, zilch, the big zero.   I could see it in the distance.  The forecasters are saying it will be drying some in the coming days.  This must mean I have to give what little rain I've had back.

Ray, my friend.... I wish I could send some of the rain we got last night down to you.. but it's been by no means rainy here either.. Mostly sunny & warm every day, with low humidity.. We got about 3 hours of rain last night, but that's it - now it's over..  It seems like you can never have the right balance... Usually we're complaining that it always rains on the weekends here and it's nice during the week when we have to work...

[redant]

I jinxed the rain in my parts. We where doing quite well until I spread some grass seed in a barren weedy spot I have.

[SubTropicRay]

Does a 10 minute downpour break the streak?  Logic says yes but that's hardly enough after 17 rain-free days.

[SunnyFl]

(Ray, Tampa @ Jun. 20 2007,21:33)

QUOTE

Does a 10 minute downpour break the streak?  Logic says yes but that's hardly enough after 17 rain-free days.

Does this mean you actually got some rain?

We got nary a drop.  Some clouds, a few peals of thunder, then it all moved eastward.  Argh.

I hope I don't sound too selfish but I do hope the weekend will be clear for the CFPACS palm event.

[SubTropicRay]

That's a tough call Sunny.  The east coast has been much more fortunate with rainfall totals.

[BS Man about Palms]

(Ray, Tampa @ Jun. 20 2007,18:33)

QUOTE

Does a 10 minute downpour break the streak?  Logic says yes but that's hardly enough after 17 rain-free days.

17?  

We have gone almost 6 months in the past...... !!!

[SubTropicRay]

17 days without rain in Florida's rainy season is about as bad as your 6 months.  The average yearly rainfall here is about 50 inches and we have less than 10 in the bucket.

[palmmermaid]

Ray,

It is raining here in Palm Beach County at this very moment.  Hope you get more soon.

[SubTropicRay]

Kitty,

More came down this morning as I was leaving the house for work.   Let's hope this is a new trend.

Ray

[junglegalfla]

I had to water last night....have had nothing lately either.

[SubTropicRay]

It's been way to sporadic this year.  I sure hope July makes up for it.

[palmmermaid]

Ray,

Glad to hear you are getting some rain.  I am hoping for a couple of really rainy tropical depressions - not hurricanes!

[junglegalfla]

It's my opinion lately that we just don't have the needed humidity for those afternoon/early eve storms in this area. I hauled the hose again tonight!

[SunnyFl]

That's probably true.  They had a red-flag warning up for low humidity values yesterday, which doesn't improve our chances - there's just not enough moisture in the air.

Sounds as if Tampa got some precip.  We, OTOH, didn't.  wahhh.

[SubTropicRay]

It's raining here next to Raytheon Bren.  The shower appears very, very isolated.

[www.dadluvsu.com]

I want to reoutfit my boat with Raymarine...  HOORAY FOR RAIN!!!

[SunnyFl]

I went out a little while ago with my lil electric mower to cut the grass and got as far as the front yard when...

.... it started RAINING!!  Unbelievable!  I hauled the mower inside and went right back out.  Love the sound of it - even put some ferts on the palms in need.

Somehow, in spite of this nasty drought, my spindle has 2 new fronds!  And the little lutescens is not so little any more, and it's been busy pushing new fronds as well.  I'm very surprised by the toughness of lutescens, it's held up quite well.

[junglegalfla]

I saw that Ray, went out for lunch and it was spritzing (great Thai place near us by the way on 66th/park)...rain was not too impressive, can only  hope I got more at the house.