Strange summer in SW FL

[PalmatierMeg]

Here in the Cape Coral/Fort Myers area we are having the most bizarre rainy season weather I've seen in my 16+ years residence. It's becoming the rainy season that wasn't. It is July 17 and we've had rain on 2 days: July 2 - 8 inches and July 11 - 0.8 inches. Other than that - nada. Normally we get almost daily thunderstorms that form inland and travel west toward the Gulf. But for weeks we've had on-shore winds in which clouds form over the Gulf in early morning, then travel over us to rain inland. Or storms form just north and cross the state but never come further south. It's like we have a dome over us that deflects all rain elsewhere. Our skies stay blue and almost cloudless, just like in winter, except 30 degrees hotter. Last night I could see the thunderclouds pouring 20 miles away while we baked.

And wow, is it hot, 95+ degrees every day without a moment of relief. Unbelievable. Anyone else noticed this disturbing trend? Is it El Nino or what?

[happ]

Also of note is that there is no tropical activity in the Atlantic [maybe the hurricane season will be weak this year!

[gsytch]

This westerly trend began in late May and has been continuous since then except for a few days in June. It has been persistent and yes, odd. We were drenched last week with about 10" over 4 days, but not a drop this week and the nights are HOT! Most mornings are in the low 80's and the storms do form inland. Bizarre is the word! Greg in New Port Richey

[Tampa Scott]

I live just N of Tampa Bay and have had plenty of rain as of late. Jan-April tl rain was only 4.18". May-July18 I have received 19.72". It has been really a strange season in that only a couple storms were the typical afternoon storms.

[happ]

Anyone know how unusual it is to not have any hurricanes by mid-July? The Pacific off Mexico has already experienced 4 named tropical storms.

[PalmatierMeg]

Anyone know how unusual it is to not have any hurricanes by mid-July? The Pacific off Mexico has already experienced 4 named tropical storms.

I don't think it is all that unusual. Hurricane Andrew hit land as a Cat 5 on Aug 24, 1992. So it was the first hurricane that year (but it was a monster). Basically, I don't worry much until Aug/Sep, which are prime times for major hurricane development (although Wilma in Oct. 2005 was a big exception). Before August 1, most storms arise in the Caribbean and don't get enough time & heat energy to go above storm or Cat 1 strength - nothing I fret over other than hauling in plants & porch furniture and closing shutters. The same situation generally goes for late season hurricanes, although there are major exceptions (Wilma, Mitch). I am (or was) fortunate living where I do on the SW coast of FL. Hurricanes must cross the state or negotiate a 90 degree turn east to nail Fort Myers, although that has occurred (Charley, Donna). Still, that kind of storm gymnastics is hard for a hurricane to execute and Fort Myers' chance of a direct hit in any given year is 4%, much lower than Pensacola, New Orleans & Texas Gulf coast. But that is no consolation when our number comes up (Charley). I blame Charley on a local moronic newspaper columnist who bragged before that storm that Fort Myers was "hurricane proof".

[Cristóbal]

Anyone know how unusual it is to not have any hurricanes by mid-July? The Pacific off Mexico has already experienced 4 named tropical storms.

the east pacific has more longer season for the hurricanes - 15 may - 30 november.

the atlantic season is 1 june - 30 november.

the east pacific in most years has more storms then the atlantic and more storms categorys 3-5 but in most the time they go away from the land.

i remember the hurricanes when i grow up in la paz, a hurricane in the desert with mountains it is very, very bad - i am very glad i live now in some area where there is not these storms.

PACIFIC DATA 1949 - 2008

ATLANTIC DATA 1851 - 2008

Edited July 20, 2009 by Cristóbal

[Cristóbal]

one comment i forget - i read many pages of weather every day, in this summer theres much dust and dry air from sahara africa in the west atlantic.

this is probably why theres no rain by you meg.

cristóbal

[bubba]

Meg, That is strange because over on the Southeast Coast, we are over normal rainfall. Jan.-1 to May 15=Approximately 4 inches(Dry Season). Now we are close to 30 inches, which is a little higher than normal. Thunderstorms hit predictably around 4:00 PM and we have had quite a bit of rain at night.

Lake Okeechobee has filed back up close to normal. It does seem things are moving much more from the West. We also seem to be getting more lightning. Hopefully, the El Nino will keep the Big Ones away but as we all know there are no guarantees. It is hard to believe it can de so different less than 90 miles away. I hope you get more rain!

[PalmatierMeg]

Bubba, our weather really has been weird. Today is our 10th day without a drop of rain and none forecast. "Maybe Tuesday" was the mantra last night. If I remember right, last week the mantra was "Maybe Thursday....Friday...forget it." If it weren't for irrigation and a couple hoses all our plants would be fried. I'm not asking for a tropical storm, just the garden variety 20-30 minute afternoon rain shower. As of last week we were 11+ inches behind in rainfall.

[Cristóbal]

meg, it is very posible you get good rain soon.

this is a tropical depression in the atlantic. 50% chance to go to area of fort meyers.

[PalmatierMeg]

Actually, about 1 hour after I posted last, I saw clouds darken over the Gulf, then head toward my office on Little Pine Island. And for once they didn't pass over us but pelted us with rain for over 30 minutes. My boss says we got only 1/4" of rain but at my house 9 miles east, we got 0.8". So maybe our drought is over. The winds are supposed to shift to the southeast later in the week.

[palmsOrl]

It has been unusual here in the Orlando area too. We will get a week or two of hardly any rain, then a few days that more than make up for it. A week ago the lawn was crunchy and many plants wilted as the storms had been going all around us every day. Then from Tuesday-Friday we had 5.5" of rain. July is normally a pretty slow month for tropical activity in the Atlantic basin.

-Michael

[happ]

Meg, That is strange because over on the Southeast Coast, we are over normal rainfall. Jan.-1 to May 15=Approximately 4 inches(Dry Season). Now we are close to 30 inches, which is a little higher than normal. Thunderstorms hit predictably around 4:00 PM and we have had quite a bit of rain at night.

Lake Okeechobee has filed back up close to normal. It does seem things are moving much more from the West. We also seem to be getting more lightning. Hopefully, the El Nino will keep the Big Ones away but as we all know there are no guarantees. It is hard to believe it can de so different less than 90 miles away. I hope you get more rain!

There was a discussion of the developing El Nino on tonight's tropical report\ Weather Channel & how it may be effecting the Atlantic Ocean. But apparently, hurricanes aren't historically that common until August. Hope it stays quiet for Florida this hurricane season.

[gsytch]

We got dumped on overnight into Mon morning. I big tstorm cluster dumped over 2 inches. Then, by 11am the skies cleared, a breeze blew, and the dewpoint dipped to 70F!!!!!!!!! What a beautiful day - never hit 90F. This morning it was 72F. I thought I woke up in heaven, and it is nice out, still. The SE flow has set up for the week, so now we look for the storms from inland/east toward the coast. Right now the dewpoint is 69F under sunny skies, 86F. What a nice change. I could go a few days without rain here so everything dries out nicely. Greg I picked up a beautiful Sabal maritima at USF this weekend, such beautiful blue-silver coloring. It should LOVE this weather once I get it planted.

[palmislandRandy]

Actually, about 1 hour after I posted last, I saw clouds darken over the Gulf, then head toward my office on Little Pine Island. And for once they didn't pass over us but pelted us with rain for over 30 minutes. My boss says we got only 1/4" of rain but at my house 9 miles east, we got 0.8". So maybe our drought is over. The winds are supposed to shift to the southeast later in the week.

See what happens when you complain to the right people! Congratulations Let me know if you need me to send more your way!

[PalmatierMeg]

Actually, about 1 hour after I posted last, I saw clouds darken over the Gulf, then head toward my office on Little Pine Island. And for once they didn't pass over us but pelted us with rain for over 30 minutes. My boss says we got only 1/4" of rain but at my house 9 miles east, we got 0.8". So maybe our drought is over. The winds are supposed to shift to the southeast later in the week.

See what happens when you complain to the right people! Congratulations Let me know if you need me to send more your way!

Randy, get busy. Today has been back to the same-old again. We're almost 7/12 through the year and have had 15.05" of rain (yearly avg is 54.19"). Considering Oct-Dec average 5.88" total, we need to score 33.26" in August & September to catch up.

[Dave-Vero]

We've been getting afternoon rain fairly consistently. Mosquitos, too.

[PalmatierMeg]

Well, come yesterday evening the winds changed to offshore and I got about 1/2" rain at the house. Maybe the weather gods are starting to smile on us again. My plants were smiling.

[palmmermaid]

Meg,

That big high pressure has been parked over southern Texas and Louisiana for days. Those prevailing winds may be the culprit. Here in Palm Beach county we've been getting pretty good rain - Sunday we had about 3" where I live and other areas had as much as 4". And lots of thunder and lightening. El Nino is defintely playing a role.

Hopefully the Bermuda high will stay in place and push any storms south of Florida. And the ocean temp here seems a little cooler than normal. We went snorkeling on Sunday morning and the water still felt cool. Cooler ocean temperatures are good.

[PalmatierMeg]

Meg,

That big high pressure has been parked over southern Texas and Louisiana for days. Those prevailing winds may be the culprit. Here in Palm Beach county we've been getting pretty good rain - Sunday we had about 3" where I live and other areas had as much as 4". And lots of thunder and lightening. El Nino is defintely playing a role.

Hopefully the Bermuda high will stay in place and push any storms south of Florida. And the ocean temp here seems a little cooler than normal. We went snorkeling on Sunday morning and the water still felt cool. Cooler ocean temperatures are good.

Cooler ocean temps bode well for hurricane season. The Gulf is like bath water: 89-91F

[PalmatierMeg]

The dry trend continues. No rain yesterday, none predicted for today, Friday ...... maybe 40% chance come Sunday or Monday. My company just planted 10,000 slash pine seedlings on the wildlife preserve where I work. No summer rains and goodbye pines.

[FRITO]

Meg, I wish you guys would get some rain down there. I know winter aznd spring you guys have beautiful wether with not much rain, and now with this heat the rains should be there!

its been below average up here as well. I just hope this el nino pattern we are in supposely nakes for a mild winter.

might want to break out the rain sticks and do the rain dance

[junglegalfla]

Rain has not been regular here in NE St. Pete either. Last gully washer was on the 12th. Fast and quick which isn't ever beneficial. These 90+ temps have been brutal without canopy and the regular afternoon showers.

[PalmatierMeg]

We are going to our timeshare on Ft. Myers Beach today. With no rain since 7/21 and none in the immediate forecast, I set up sprinklers in the shadehouse and hosed down the potted palms in the front yard before we leave. Fortunately, we can get back & forth in about 45 minutes to check on things and might do that occasionally during the heat of the day. What with temps in the mid-90s, blazing sun and no rain, seedlings in pots dry out in a day.

[gsytch]

After a week of sunny, hot clear weather, yesterday saw boomers rocking the house for an hour - and not a drop of rain! But, there was cloud cover....small favors. I guess be careful what you wish for. We are supposed to have 60% rain chances this week, and maybe the "normal" E to W pattern which we have yet to see. I can now use the rain. My landscape in my back area has cooked this summer except for the palms and tropicals - the rest was ripped out yesterday. Until my canopy grows more, i guess this is the norm. The rest of the yard has some shade now and it handles the heat much better. I did have dewpoints in the upper 60's for a while over the weekend, which was nice, but it is now much higher! Greg in NPR

[Paul The Palm Doctor!]

That daily heat & very little rain approaches the other end of Alligator Alley (I-75) as well, and except for 10 days in June, we'd still be down 15 inches of precip. year to date!

Three hundred $$$ water bills per month are the norm for this household as the moisture retention here under daily 93-97 F. temperatures, dry out even the most heavily mulched plot of land in this arid sundivision just south of Weston, and three and a half miles east of U.S. 27 (on Pines Blvd.)

East Broward & Miami-Dade are doing fine with an almost daily dousing/cooling provided by one to two inches of rain at least every other third day. Here wer're getting rain every 8-10 days and maybe only 1/4 to 1/2 a inch!

Plants are happy, but they should be with my faucets connected to four sprinkler zones!

Paul

[SubTropicRay]

Meg,

The pattern has been reversed for most of the summer because of a persistent east coast trough. Thank goodness it's not winter or the cold weather would be enjoying more staying power than we would like. Storms forming in the Gulf start small and push well inland by the time they pack any punch. This leaves most of Florida's west coast dry. It's not been dry up here though.

Ray