Florida Public Radio Emergency Network (FPREN) Storm Center | By Irene Sans
The heavy showers that moved through the sunshine state on Monday put a small dent in the drought, mainly across parts of Hillsborough, Manatee, and Sarasota counties. The severe drought is now labeled as a moderate, level one drought. This seems like a slight improvement, but it’s a welcome one, especially since January and February are the driest months of the year.
The drought also shrank in parts of Osceola County, and about 95% of the county is now experiencing an abnormal drought.
The good news also comes from the Panhandle. Areas west of Tallahassee were abnormally dry for the last few weeks. But this last batch of rains brought complete relief, and now the Panhandle is not experiencing drought. Across South Florida, although much of the area received between half an inch and 1.5 inches, the drought continues the same. Palm Beach, Broward, and Miami-Dade counties are at least under a moderate drought. The northern fringe of Palm Beach County is under a severe drought, which includes the southern portion of Lake Okeechobee and the Western portion of Henry County.
There was no change for Southwest Florida. Much of the area continues to experience a severe drought, with small spots over Lee and Collier counties experiencing abnormally dry conditions, the least severe of the four levels.
Looking ahead
The weather will remain predominantly dry until mid-next week. A high-pressure system will dominate the region, bringing warmer-than-average temperatures during the day and night to much of the state.
The next front is set to cross the state between Wednesday night and Thursday morning. Remember that this is several days out, and the timing of this front could vary. However, as of Thursday, February 27, the next cold front has the potential to bring a healthy dose of showers that will sweep through much of the state from north to south, even scattering showers across South Florida and the keys.
It is also worth mentioning that this cold front is forecast to bring cold and dry air to much of the state. The winds were mainly from the north, sometimes strong, to finish off the next work week. This could very well be our last significant cold front of the season. Of course, we will continue to monitor the situation and bring you updates as the weather pattern evolves.
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