A new report from U.S. Drought Monitor Thursday shows that much of the Tampa Bay area’s dry conditions have worsened. While simply dry in last week’s drought monitor, a good part of the region is now abnormally dry.
In May, Tampa has only seen one day with measurable precipitation. On May 6, 0.16 of an inch fell. Through May 26, two inches is normal, so Tampa is now 1.84 inches below normal.
It’s not the driest May ever in Tampa. That occurred in 2001 when no measurable rain fell. The dry May has Tampa 3.20 inches below normal for the year.
The abnormally dry designation is not official drought status, but it is one step closer. The next category of dryness is a moderate drought.
The good news is the rainy season typically begins in late May, so sooner or later, daily rain chances should start to refresh our vegetation. There are hints of the rainy season starting to develop. The latest 7-day forecast shows daily rain chances, although low, starting to develop.
The rainy season is characterized by warm, humid conditions with nearly daily showers and thunderstorms. Aside from the onset of almost daily showers and thunderstorms over the Florida peninsula, the rainy season also features night and morning showers and thunderstorms over the waters in the Gulf of Mexico.
This is typically accompanied by an increase in humidity with persistent dew point values above 70 degrees, daily low temperatures in the 70s to around 80, and high temperatures in the upper 80s to the mid-90s.
Sarasota County Fire Chief Michael Regnier issued a countywide recreational burn ban effective immediately Thursday due to the dry weather and an increased chance of wildfires.
Recreational fires in Sarasota County are defined as any non-commercial burning of approved fuel for pleasure, religious, or ceremonial reasons. This includes campfires, bonfires and any open fires not specifically permitted by Florida Forest Service.
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