Drought!

[Palm Guy]

Hi all,

Anyone else experiencing drought out there? We're about 5 inches behind on the year and it hasnt rained any decent amount in weeks.

Mike

[gsn]

It hasn't rained here in east central Florida for 4 weeks now!

The St. Johns river is drying up!

Edited May 6, 2009 by gsn

[BS Man about Palms]

You mean a REAL drought, or just you guys that normally get a lot of rain but are behind? Or us out here that get 9" total in a GOOD year, with none between May and October.....

Oh yeah, we're behind a lot, supposed to start water rationing this summer.

[Tyrone]

Officially Perth has had 5mm of rain since the beginning of January. We could be in drought now.

Best regards

Tyrone

[gsn]

You mean a REAL drought, or just you guys that normally get a lot of rain but are behind? Or us out here that get 9" total in a GOOD year, with none between May and October.....

I didn't know that deserts had DROUGHTS!

[happ]

It feels like a desert tonight w/ wind gusting over 20MPH & 8PM temp still 85F. I was watching the TV coverage of the fire above Santa Barbara [all those houses & beautiful palm trees going up in smoke It was 100F there today.

Water restrictions are going to be hard on palm growers this summer.

Edited May 7, 2009 by happ

[KMartin]

Amazing subsidence eh Happ?

Maybe summer will go above average in rainfall to the area! hehe.

[PalmatierMeg]

I heard we've had less than 2" of rain since Jan. 1. Actually, I can't remember the last time Ft. Myers area had measurable rain. Weeks and weeks. With temps now 90+F and cloudless sky, I have to hand water the palms every other day to supplement irrigation.

[palmislandRandy]

I heard we've had less than 2" of rain since Jan. 1. Actually, I can't remember the last time Ft. Myers area had measurable rain. Weeks and weeks. With temps now 90+F and cloudless sky, I have to hand water the palms every other day to supplement irrigation.

Same here on the east side of the state. I can't remember the last time it rained! And none in sight!

[SunnyFl]

Swiftmud's been calling this a three-year drought, but the scary thing was in yesterday's paper, where there's speculation that it will become a 4-year drought. After that.............??

My zoysia's cooked, crotons that survived the unusually cool winter are succumbing to the drought. My most special container plants are okay - not great - due to handwatering, but as far as the stuff in the ground, it's parched. I lost track of which restrictions we're under (Phase 3? 4?) and what day we're allowed to water, but it's something like one day a week, from midnight to 4AM, at least that's what the radio said. But don't be using sprinklers outside your designated time, b/c they're not just doing warnings.

We do water the palms in the ground, but it's not the same as rain!!! One of the two trunks of my beloved A. myolensis fried........

......it came through the winter unscathed, only to be withered in this @#$%#$ drought

And then ya see the pictures of the horrible wildfires in California, and that puts it all in perspective. Good luck to everyone near the awful situation going on out there - my heart goes out to those affected by the fires.

[Jeff Searle]

You mean a REAL drought, or just you guys that normally get a lot of rain but are behind? Or us out here that get 9" total in a GOOD year, with none between May and October.....

I didn't know that deserts had DROUGHTS!

Yea Bill, did you forget where you guys live??? 9" of rain....that's on a good, wet, "where's my umbrella" year. Usually it's mild, somewhat cold most of the year, and no rain to speak of. Similar conditions to your basic dessert.

Jeff

Oh.....are you guys out of the 60-70's yet???????????????????

[BS Man about Palms]

Oh yes, on the coast, I've moved to the 70's and 80's. Add 10 more degrees inland.

And "cold" is a matter of "perspective". Compared to Colorado or Texas, we don't get cold at all.

[Jeff Searle]

Mother's Day Forcast.......

Today a high of 90 or 91 degrees. Very hot! And no forcast of rain.........

Jeff

[aztropic]

105 yesterday for Phoenix AZ;low 100's for the next week;not a drop of rain until mid July. At least it's a dry heat!

aztropic

Mesa,Arizona

[Palm Guy]

Seems like its a pretty widespread drought. Supposedly rain and thunder is in the works for Tuesday and Wednesday!

[amazondk]

There is certainly no drought down this direction. Our monthly averages have been at least 25 percent above normal. Interestingly the far southern state of Rio Grande do Sul has been experiencing drought conditions even though most of Brazil has had above average percipitation. We have been impacted by La Niña from what I understand. The result of this is a year of record high water levels througout the Amazon Basin and a lot of cities are now impacted by areas underwater. I expect that parts of downtown Manaus will be flooded by the time the Negro River peaks around the end of June.

dk

[gsytch]

Here in New Port Richey, the same drought. No rain since April 14th. We did get 1.1" that day, but that was the only rain measured in April. May is rainless, cloudless, hot! I water with the hose constantly and it gets tiring. Sunscreen has been a best friend, but I've lived here 21 years, and I never remember anything of merit for rainfall during May. Just hot and sunny with an afternoon seabreeze. I believe the latest rainfall for my area from Weather Underground is 8.2" for the year, average is double that. Rainy season get here!!!!!!!!

[junglegalfla]

I'm getting depressed watching everything fry. Today the closest weather station is currently reading 94. Legally I am not supposed to water until Tues & I have virtually no canopy to protect anything

I think I will shed a few tears (ok, lots) of joy when the skies open up

[happ]

I'm getting depressed watching everything fry. Today the closest weather station is currently reading 94. Legally I am not supposed to water until Tues & I have virtually no canopy to protect anything

I think I will shed a few tears (ok, lots) of joy when the skies open up

Can you sneak at night & water in the dark? I ask because water restrictions are set to start on June 1st here & I am worried how to keep the palms healthy.

[junglegalfla]

Happ,

I suppose I could but I am trying to abide. Hard now with this blaring heat.

Part of me says screw it though. St. Pete keeps allowing developers to come in and build condos. They are breaking ground on a development 2 miles south in downtown that is supposed to house 600 people. Our roads are already congested enough.

Sometimes I think that until the golf courses dry up, pepsi, coke etc stop getting unlimited supply to our springs (for a $100 permit) and permits to developers stop being issued, then this supposed lack of water is just a farce for revenue (fines & more so to preserve resources for higher tax payers)

Oh who am I kidding, I'm watering tonight & will continue to do so until the rains start. If I lose my collection, I can't afford to replace it. I'm officially taking my chances with the water police. **flips big bird** I'll get serious when they do. :rage:

[palmsOrl]

Agreed, jungle...I believe in obeying the laws but I will not let my collection of palms and many other plants die. I recall May being similar last year with no rain and highs soaring into the 90s.

-Michael

[Palm Guy]

Judging by my weather station you guys in Florida should be having some water by now. We had a few trickles but hopefully more is on the way... only .20 inches so far for May. 14.23 inches for the year when it should be 19.61 inches.

http://www.goes.noaa.gov/HURRLOOPS/huwvloop.html

[popper1]

You are right Michael, we had some good rains in parts of Florida the last two days, particularly yesterday. Most of it was inland but some coastal regions did get rain too. Rain chances look pretty good for the next week or so. It would be great if we had an early start to our rainy season this year.

[palmsOrl]

The last three days have brought central Fl some much needed rain. Somehow we haven't gotten a single good rain out of it at my house, .1" yesterday and that's it. With such good coverage I just don't see how...I'm done venting now:) I think the rainy season might be off to a slightly early start.

-Michael

[PalmatierMeg]

So far only sprinkles here but lots of clouds. Please, more rain.

[junglegalfla]

Wow...we are getting pummeled here in St. Pete. First measurable rain in a LONG time and it's coming down in buckets. Looking at radar it's like all the storms on the west coast are converging here. THANK YOU Ma Nature!

[JimStPete]

Wow...we are getting pummeled here in St. Pete. First measurable rain in a LONG time and it's coming down in buckets. Looking at radar it's like all the storms on the west coast are converging here. THANK YOU Ma Nature!

Definitely Bren!! Finally a good rain (1.28" in my rain guage). That is the heaviest one day total at my house since July 11th of last year. The rain also woke up the tree frogs and they woke me up in the middle of the night with all the croaking! It was wondeful to hear the rain and later the croaking of the frogs around the Koi pond. I was out in the yard at 4:30am with a flash light checking everything out before heading in to work and all the palms and plants really perked up with one rain storm! Any palm that was getting ready to drop an old leaf will definitely drop them today! I'm really hoping we're having an early start to the rainy season this year...we need it very badly!

[happ]

Here's the most recent drought outlook that shows improving conditions in Florida & Texas but not California.

[popper1]

It was very stormy in central Florida again yesterday. There was 4" at my place (nearly 6" total for the last 3 days). Some areas of Polk county (east of Tampa) got nearly 8" yesterday. This week's storms have spawned a few tornadoes in the area and there was (as usual) street flooding in many areas of Tampa. Perhaps the beginning of a good rainy season for FL this year.

[www.dadluvsu.com]

[gsn]

I'm glad someone in Florida is getting rain.... DRY as a BONE here the last to days on the east coast! It has started west of I-95 and and continued west both days?

Been almost 2 months since it has rained here in Titusville!

Edited May 15, 2009 by gsn

[www.dadluvsu.com]

Scott, it only rained like for that about 10 minutes... I am still eager to see some real rainfall. Right around noon too, weird... Not the typical 5 o' clock showers. Rainy season is right aroundthe corner!

[KMartin]

You'll get more pummeled, a tropical system will develop right over you by Monday in Florida, a LARGE, wide system. Rain, rain, and more rain.

[junglegalfla]

3.7" since Wednesday! No end in sight. This is great I can assure you I will have TONS of weeding next weekend but I welcome them! I think I can roll up the hoses for awhile.

[gsn]

Still not a drop over here on the coast in east central Florida!

Maybe today? Radar looks like it is FINALLY going to hit us! But it has missed us completely the last 5 days ,so who knows?

[SubTropicRay]

Surely you got some rain today Scott?!

[gsn]

Surely you got some rain today Scott?!

Ray,

YIPPEEE, as Bill would say!!!

Finally after 2 months of complete DRY, we got 1.2 inches of RAIN this afternoon! Looks like maybe today won't be the last of it, looking good for the rest of the week hopefully!

[Jeff Searle]

Surely you got some rain today Scott?!

Ray,

YIPPEEE, as Bill would say!!!

Finally after 2 months of complete DRY, we got 1.2 inches of RAIN this afternoon! Looks like maybe today won't be the last of it, looking good for the rest of the week hopefully!

Scott,

Glad to hear you finally got some rain. Large sections of the state are now getting some, and hopefully the lake will too. We got 1.8 inches yesterday/night and as of now ( 8:30pm) were at exactly 1.8 inches again, but threating to pour more through the night. It's amazing how green everything is looking so fast after the rains.

Jeff

[Palm Guy]

Glad to see you guys getting some rain! Now send some over this way. We haven't gotten pummelled at all!

If this Bermuda High eases up just a touch we should be in business to get the same system S Florida is getting.

[SubTropicRay]

I can't remember ever getting this much rain in May. The airport has over 6 inches in the bucket and the next two days are forecasted to be the same.