HYDROLOGIC STATEMENT FOR SOUTH FLORIDA
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIAMI FL
305 PM EDT THU MAY 15 2008
...EAST COAST METRO AREAS NOW IN ABNORMALLY DRY CONDITIONS...
...REST OF SOUTH FLORIDA IN A MODERATE TO SEVERE DROUGHT CONDITIONS...
SYNOPSIS...
HIGH PRESSURE HAS BEEN IN CONTROL OF SOUTH FLORIDA'S WEATHER DURING
THE FIRST COUPLE OF WEEKS IN MAY. THIS HAS KEPT SOUTH FLORIDA MAINLY
DRY WITH ONLY VERY LIGHT OR TRACE RAINFALL AMOUNTS.
HERE ARE SOME YEARLY RAINFALL TOTALS...NORMALS...AND DEPARTURES FROM
NORMAL ACROSS SOUTH FLORIDA FOR 2007 INTO 2008 AND THE 16 MONTH
PERIOD COVERING FROM JANUARY 1, 2007 TO MAY 14, 2008.
AIRPORTS 16 MONTH : 16 MONTH : DRY : DRY
TOTALS DEPARTURES SEASON SEASON
07-08 TOTAL 07-08 DEP.
MIAMI INTERNATIONAL : 78.27 : 8.05 : 15.88 : -1.62
FORT LAUDERDALE INTERNATIONAL : 73.41 : -7.73 : 20.22 : -1.67
PALM BEACH INTERNATIONAL : 83.09 : 5.86 : 22.14 : -2.17
NAPLES MUNICIPAL AIRPORT : 43.89 : -17.70 : 9.83 : -3.34
SECONDARY OBSERVATION SITES
IMMOKALEE : 50.19 : -9.47 : 8.72 : -3.29
DEVILS GARDEN : 45.41 : -9.19 : 11.84 : -1.68
CLEWISTON : 44.24 : -10.10 : 12.66 : -1.93
BELLE GLADE : 57.80 : -8.60 : 11.42 : -0.64
MOORE HAVEN LOCK : 39.94 : -16.74 : 14.47 : 0.26
FLAMINGO RANGER STATION : 54.50 : -4.91 : 12.88 : -1.32
MIAMI BEACH : 82.36 : 17.37 : 21.35 : 4.09
AS A RESULT...THE EAST COAST METRO AREAS OF SOUTH FLORIDA ARE NOW IN
AN ABNORMALLY DRY STATUS (D0)...AND THE EASTERN INTERIOR AREAS OF
SOUTH FLORIDA ARE NOW IN A MODERATE DROUGHT STATUS (D1).
GLADES...HENDRY...AND WESTERN COLLIER COUNTIES REMAIN IN A SEVERE
DROUGHT STATUS (D2)...WHILE REST OF COLLIER COUNTY REMAIN IN A
MODERATE DROUGHT STATUS (D1).
HYDROLOGIC IMPACTS...
SOME OF THE EAST COAST WELLS ARE STARTING TO FALL INTO THE 10 TO 30
PERCENT BELOW NORMAL LEVELS ESPECIALLY OVER THE FAR WESTERN
AREAS...WHILE REST OF THE EAST COAST WELLS ARE STILL IN THE NORMAL
LEVELS. WELLS ACROSS THE WESTERN AND INTERIOR SECTIONS REMAIN AT 10
TO 30 PERCENT BELOW NORMAL LEVELS...WHILE THE WELLS AROUND LAKE
OKEECHOBEE REMAIN BELOW THE 10 PERCENT LEVEL.
THE UNDERGROUND RESERVOIRS ARE AT ADEQUATE LEVELS OVER THE EASTERN
AREAS OF SOUTH FLORIDA...WHILE THE WESTERN AREAS OF SOUTH FLORIDA
ARE BELOW NORMAL LEVELS. THE LEVEL OF LAKE OKEECHOBEE REMAINS AROUND
10 FEET...WHICH IS ABOUT 3.5 FEET BELOW NORMAL FOR THIS TIME OF THE YEAR.
FIRE DANGER IMPACTS...
THE KEETCH-BYRAM DROUGHT INDEX ACROSS SOUTH FLORIDA WAS BETWEEN 450
AND 550...EXCEPT 550 TO 600 FOR HENDRY COUNTY. THIS INDICATES THAT
THE FIRE DANGER IS IN THE MODERATE RANGE FOR ALL OF SOUTH
FLORIDA...EXCEPT SEVERE IN HENDRY COUNTY.
RESPONSE/ACTIONS...
THE SOUTH FLORIDA WATER MANAGEMENT DISTRICT HAS KEPT THE WATER
RESTRICTION AT A PHASE II OVER MOST OF SOUTH FLORIDA. THE ONLY
EXCEPTION IS AROUND THE LAKE OKEECHOBEE AREA WHICH IS IN A PHASE III
WATER RESTRICTION DUE TO THE LOW LEVEL OF LAKE OKEECHOBEE. THIS WILL
LIMIT MOST RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL WATER USAGE TO TWICE A
WEEK...EXCEPT ONCE A WEEK AROUND THE LAKE OKEECHOBEE AREA.
OUTLOOK...
A WEAK TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE OVER THE CENTRAL UNITED STATES WILL
MOVE EAST INTO THE EASTERN UNITED STATES THIS WEEKEND. THIS WILL
ALLOW FOR A WEAK FRONTAL TROUGH TO MOVE SOUTH AND DISSIPATE OVER THE
LAKE OKEECHOBEE AREA THIS WEEKEND. THEREFORE...THERE IS A SLIGHT
CHANCE OF SHOWERS OVER ALL OF SOUTH FLORIDA INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK
ALONG WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF A FEW THUNDERSTORMS MAINLY OVER
NORTHERN AREAS LATE THIS WEEKEND.
THE CLIMATE PREDICTION CENTER'S PRECIPITATION OUTLOOK FOR THE NEXT
14 DAYS IS FOR EQUAL CHANCES OF ABOVE OR BELOW NORMAL RAINFALL. THE
LONGER TERM OUTLOOK THROUGH JULY CONTINUES TO CALL FOR EQUAL CHANCES
OF ABOVE OR BELOW NORMAL RAINFALL.
THE NEXT UPDATE WILL BE AROUND THE END OF MAY UNLESS CONDITIONS
CHANGE BEFORE THEN. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO AND OTHER LOCAL
MEDIA FOR FURTHER DETAILS OR UPDATES.
BAXTER