May's record rainfall soaks South Florida drought
The wet season arrived with a historically soggy splash and erased most drought impacts.
BY CURTIS MORGAN
cmorgan@MiamiHerald.com
In a swift and soggy reversal, South Florida's weather has gone from historically dry to historically wet in the space of a month.
It was the rainiest May on record for the South Florida Water Management District, which recorded just over nines inches overall in the 16 counties it oversees, including Miami-Dade, Broward and Monroe.
That's more than double the average, replenishing lakes and ground-water supplies that had been drained dangerously low by one of the driest dry seasons ever.
''I think for all intents and purposes the drought is over,'' said Robert Molleda, warning coordination meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Miami.
Water managers weren't quite ready to go that far.
South Florida gets about 70 percent of its annual rainfall, normally 35 to 45 inches, during the rainy season.
But as the last year has shown, average rainfall in the subtropical lower peninsula is often the point between two extremes.
Spokesman Randy Smith said the district was reviewing the improving conditions but with the six-month rainy season less than a month old, it was too early to declare the drought over.
But it was the rainiest May in West Palm Beach in 119 years, with a gauge at Palm Beach International Airport collecting 15.69 inches.
Moore Haven, on the southern shore of Lake Okeechobee, recorded 11.52 inches, less than a half-inch short of the two wettest Mays in 1923 and 1954.
Miami and Fort Lauderdale were almost above normal but far short of records. Miami International Airport recorded 7.53 inches -- nearly a foot short of the 18.66 record of Miami 1925. Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International saw 7.80 inches -- 10 inches short of the 17.85 that fell in 2003.
The district's broader array of gauges across the counties showed coastal Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties all at or near 10 inches for the month, close to double the normal amount of rainfall.
The upper basin of the Kissimmee River, which feeds Lake Okeechobee, recorded a stunning 14.16 inches -- more than four times the average.
The lake, which serves as the region's water barrel, has rebounded as well, rising three-quarters of a foot in the last few weeks and erasing evaporation losses from the last month.
The lake still remains seven-tenths of a foot below where water managers would like to see it at this time of year.
Even the driest region, Naples and Southwest Florida, recorded well above average rainfall.
Because the rainfall deficit between November and April was so deep -- with Miami about a foot below average and Fort Lauderdale and Palm Beach more than 16 inches below normal -- groundwater and lake levels were at extreme low levels only a few weeks ago.
Much of Homestead, Florida City and the Keys remain on once-weekly watering restrictions because of concerns that encroaching salt water could taint well fields.
Forecasters expect the patterns of afternoon thunderstorms to continue into the week
Let it rain! let it rain! Let it rain! everything is greening up and looking good. of course now my grass needs to be cut every week now, but......
Showing posts with label South Florida Water Management District. Show all posts
Showing posts with label South Florida Water Management District. Show all posts
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Rain makes dent in South Florida drought
WEATHER
Rain makes dent in South Florida drought; more storms expected
The last two weeks of rain matched the previous six months' worth, but it wasn't enough to wash away lingering impacts of drought in South Florida.
BY CURTIS MORGAN
cmorgan@MiamiHerald.com
The wicked weather that washed out much of the Memorial Day weekend is going to hang around to make rush hour miserable for the next few days, as well.
But there is a silver lining to the daily dark clouds: The storms have put a significant dent in South Florida's drought. The last two weeks have brought nearly as much rain as the previous six months -- from five to eight inches over Miami-Dade and Broward counties to as much as 12 inches north of Lake Okeechobee.
Water managers said the soaking has not erased a regional deficit, but it has recharged a system running dangerously low -- particularly in South Miami-Dade.
''This was a tremendous rain event, but it's still very early in the rainy season,'' said Gabe Margasak, a spokesman for the South Florida Water Management District, which oversees the water supply from Orlando to Key West.
The district recorded nearly seven inches of rain over the last two weeks when the annual wet season turned on in full force. But the region remains seven inches below average since November, the start of what turned out to be the third driest dry season on record.
Rain gauges are likely to rise more in the next few days.
The National Weather Service predicts a good chance for scattered storms through at least Thursday, mainly in the afternoon and early evening. The most intense could bring lots of lightning strikes, strong gusts and flooding threats for low-lying areas.
''We're still in the same environment, where the atmosphere is pretty unstable,'' said Robert Molleda, a meteorologist with the weather service in Miami. ``All you need is some daytime heating and everything takes off.''
A weak low pressure system in the western Atlantic Ocean and southwestern winds will continue to spark the strongest storms over the Southeast coast, he said.
The rain lifted water levels in Lake Okeechobee, which stood at 10.79 feet above sea level Tuesday, by several inches, but a bigger boost may come in weeks ahead. The heaviest rains fell in the Kissimmee River basin, which drains south into a lake that is the heart of the regional water supply system.
Still, for now, the big lake remains more than two feet below its historic average, so low that the district two weeks ago cut farmers' allocations by nearly half.
Groundwater levels across much of South Florida also have rebounded from near-historic lows, but South Miami-Dade still ''needs a little more help,'' Margasak said.
In early May, water managers concerned about salt water intrusion tainting drinking water wells and Everglades marshes drying out issued an emergency order cutting much of South Miami-Dade and the Florida Keys back to once-weekly lawn sprinkling.
That order, covering homes and businesses from Southwest 216th Street to Key West, remains in place. The rest of Miami-Dade and Broward remain on twice-weekly irrigation schedules.
Rain makes dent in South Florida drought; more storms expected
The last two weeks of rain matched the previous six months' worth, but it wasn't enough to wash away lingering impacts of drought in South Florida.
BY CURTIS MORGAN
cmorgan@MiamiHerald.com
The wicked weather that washed out much of the Memorial Day weekend is going to hang around to make rush hour miserable for the next few days, as well.
But there is a silver lining to the daily dark clouds: The storms have put a significant dent in South Florida's drought. The last two weeks have brought nearly as much rain as the previous six months -- from five to eight inches over Miami-Dade and Broward counties to as much as 12 inches north of Lake Okeechobee.
Water managers said the soaking has not erased a regional deficit, but it has recharged a system running dangerously low -- particularly in South Miami-Dade.
''This was a tremendous rain event, but it's still very early in the rainy season,'' said Gabe Margasak, a spokesman for the South Florida Water Management District, which oversees the water supply from Orlando to Key West.
The district recorded nearly seven inches of rain over the last two weeks when the annual wet season turned on in full force. But the region remains seven inches below average since November, the start of what turned out to be the third driest dry season on record.
Rain gauges are likely to rise more in the next few days.
The National Weather Service predicts a good chance for scattered storms through at least Thursday, mainly in the afternoon and early evening. The most intense could bring lots of lightning strikes, strong gusts and flooding threats for low-lying areas.
''We're still in the same environment, where the atmosphere is pretty unstable,'' said Robert Molleda, a meteorologist with the weather service in Miami. ``All you need is some daytime heating and everything takes off.''
A weak low pressure system in the western Atlantic Ocean and southwestern winds will continue to spark the strongest storms over the Southeast coast, he said.
The rain lifted water levels in Lake Okeechobee, which stood at 10.79 feet above sea level Tuesday, by several inches, but a bigger boost may come in weeks ahead. The heaviest rains fell in the Kissimmee River basin, which drains south into a lake that is the heart of the regional water supply system.
Still, for now, the big lake remains more than two feet below its historic average, so low that the district two weeks ago cut farmers' allocations by nearly half.
Groundwater levels across much of South Florida also have rebounded from near-historic lows, but South Miami-Dade still ''needs a little more help,'' Margasak said.
In early May, water managers concerned about salt water intrusion tainting drinking water wells and Everglades marshes drying out issued an emergency order cutting much of South Miami-Dade and the Florida Keys back to once-weekly lawn sprinkling.
That order, covering homes and businesses from Southwest 216th Street to Key West, remains in place. The rest of Miami-Dade and Broward remain on twice-weekly irrigation schedules.
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