DROUGHT INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TALLAHASSEE FL
545 AM EST THU MAR 13 2008
...DROUGHT INFORMATION STATEMENT FOR SOUTHEAST ALABAMA...SOUTHWEST
AND SOUTH CENTRAL GEORGIA...THE FLORIDA BIG BEND AND FLORIDA
PANHANDLE...
...SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT TO NORMAL CONDITIONS FOR MUCH OF THE
AREA DUE TO SEVERAL RAIN EPISODES DURING THE PAST 30 DAYS...
SYNOPSIS...
FROM MID-FEBRUARY THROUGH THE FIRST WEEK OF MARCH...THE SUBTROPICAL
JET STREAM WAS ACTIVE WITH SEVERAL LOW PRESSURE SYSTEMS PRODUCING
LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL IN A CORRIDOR FROM THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE
ACROSS EXTREME SOUTHEAST ALABAMA AND SOUTHERN GEORGIA INTO MUCH OF
THE FLORIDA BIG BEND. DURING THE PAST 30 DAYS...OBSERVED RAINFALL IN
THESE AREAS RANGED FROM 8 TO 15 INCHES WITH LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS.
PARTS OF BAY COUNTY...INCLUDING THE PANAMA CITY AREA...EXPERIENCED
SIGNIFICANT FLOODING ON FEB 21-22 FROM 5 TO 10 INCHES OF RAIN.
PORTIONS OF THE SOUTHEAST BIG BEND...WHICH WERE CLASSIFIED
ABNORMALLY DRY TO MODERATE DROUGHT...RECEIVED 4 TO 8 INCHES OF RAIN
ON MARCH 7.
THE FOLLOWING TABLE SHOWS THE OBSERVED RAINFALL...30-YEAR NORMALS
...DEPARTURE FROM NORMAL...AND PERCENT OF NORMAL FROM JANUARY 1
THROUGH MARCH 11 FOR SELECTED SITES ACROSS THE REGION. SEASONAL
STATISTICS ARE SHOWN FOR THE PERIOD MARCH 1 THROUGH MARCH 11.
STATION OBSERVED 30-YEAR DEPARTURE PERCENT
RAINFALL NORMAL FROM NORMAL OF NORMAL
TALLAHASSEE FL
SINCE JANUARY 1 14.18 12.34 1.82 115
SINCE MARCH 1 2.32 2.35 -0.03 99
APALACHICOLA FL
SINCE JANUARY 1 9.12 10.38 -1.26 88
SINCE MARCH 1 2.49 1.75 0.74 143
5 N PANAMA CITY FL
SINCE JANUARY 1 20.63 12.68 7.95 163
SINCE MARCH 1 3.31 2.23 1.08 148
CHIPLEY FL
SINCE JANUARY 1 15.36 13.10 2.26 117
SINCE MARCH 1 0.99 2.20 -1.21 45
CROSS CITY FL
SINCE JANUARY 1 8.49 9.47 -0.98 90
SINCE MARCH 1 3.73 1.52 2.21 245
GENEVA AL
SINCE JANUARY 1 15.57 14.08 1.49 111
SINCE MARCH 1 1.55 2.42 -0.87 64
CAMILLA GA
SINCE JANUARY 1 15.58 13.02 2.56 120
SINCE MARCH 1 20.48 16.94 3.54 121
ALBANY GA
SINCE JANUARY 1 10.81 12.98 -2.17 83
SINCE MARCH 1 1.90 2.08 -0.18 91
HYDROLOGIC IMPACTS...
IN SOUTHEAST ALABAMA...SIGNIFICANT RISES WERE RECORDED ON THE
CHOCTAWHATCHEE RIVER FROM THE FEBRUARY 21-23 STORMS. AT GENEVA...THE
RIVER CRESTED WITHIN A FOOT OF FLOOD STAGE (18 FT) ON FEBRUARY 24.
ACROSS SOUTHWEST AND SOUTH CENTRAL GEORGIA...SHARP RISES WERE
OBSERVED ON THE FLINT RIVER...WITH BAINBRIDGE CRESTING NEAR 22 FT
(FLOOD STAGE 25 FT) ON FEBRUARY 24. ABOVE NORMAL FLOWS WERE OBSERVED
ON THE MUCKALEE AND SPRING CREEKS. MINOR FLOODING WAS OBSERVED ON
THE OCHLOCKONEE RIVER AT THOMASVILLE AND WITHLACOOCHEE RIVER NEAR
VALDOSTA.
IN THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE...HEAVY RAIN EPISODES IN LATE FEBRUARY AND
EARLY MARCH PRODUCED MINOR FLOODING ON THE CHIPOLA NEAR CARYVILLE
AND ALTHA...AND THE APALACHICOLA RIVER NEAR BLOUNTSTOWN. ABOVE NORMAL
FLOWS WERE OBSERVED ON THE SHOAL AND CHOCTAWHATCHEE RIVERS...AS WELL
AS HOLMES CREEK.
ACROSS THE FLORIDA BIG BEND...INFLOWS FROM RUNOFF UPSTREAM IN
SOUTHWEST GEORGIA PUSHED THE OCHLOCKONEE RIVER OVER ITS BANKS AT
CONCORD AND HAVANA...WITH MINOR TO MODERATE FLOODING REPORTED.
FURTHER DOWNSTREAM AT BLOXHAM...WATER SURROUNDED SEVERAL HOMES ALONG
THE RIVER AT 19.5 FT. SHARP RISES TO NEAR FLOOD STAGE WERE OBSERVED
ON THE ST MARKS RIVER NEAR NEWPORT AND AUCILLA RIVER AT LAMONT.
RECENT RAINS PRODUCED FLOW INCREASES ON THE SUWANNEE RIVER...MOST
NOTABLY ON ITS UPPER REACHES. THE WITHLACOOCHEE RIVER NEAR PINETTA
CRESTED AT 1.4 FEET ABOVE FLOOD STAGE ON FEBRUARY 29. THE SUWANNEE
RIVER AT BRANFORD ROSE NEARLY 10 FEET THE LAST WEEK OF FEBRUARY.
RIVER LEVELS ROSE AT MOST MONITORED SITES...BUT A RECORD MONTHLY LOW
WAS OBSERVED AT THE SANTE FE RIVER NEAR FORT WHITE PRIOR TO THE
FEBRUARY 21-23 STORMS. SINCE MARCH 1...STREAMFLOWS AT MOST DISTRICT
GAGING SITES IMPROVED TO WITHIN NORMAL RANGES...WITH SHARP RISES
NOTED ON THE ECONFINA...STEINHATCHEE AND FENHOLLOWAY RIVERS FROM
THE MARCH 7 STORM.
GROUND WATER CONDITIONS...
FLORIDA PANHANDLE...SEVERAL RAINY EPISODES MARKEDLY INCREASED GROUND
WATER LEVELS FOR MOST AREAS. THE USGS WELLS NEAR CRAWFORDVILLE AND
GREENHEAD AVERAGED TWO TO THREE FOOT RISES SINCE LATE FEBRUARY. THE
SAND-AND-GRAVEL AQUIFER AND THE FLORIDAN AQUIFER LEVELS WERE
GENERALLY TWO TO FOUR FEET ABOVE THE RECORD LOW LEVELS OBSERVED
DURING THE 2000-2002 PERIOD.
ACROSS SOUTHWEST AND SOUTH CENTRAL GEORGIA...INCREASED RUNOFF FROM
THE LATE WINTER RAINS GENERATED AVERAGE TWO TO THREE FOOT RISES IN
GROUND WATER TABLES FROM SEVERAL OF THE MONITORED USGS WELLS.
THE SUWANNEE RIVER WATER MANAGEMENT DISTRICT REPORTED THAT GROUND
WATER LEVELS INCREASED BY AN AVERAGE OF A FOOT SINCE JANUARY. ABOUT
TWO-THIRDS OF THE MONITORED WELLS WERE BELOW THE 10TH
PERCENTILE...COMPARED TO 82 PERCENT IN JANUARY.
FIRE DANGER IMPACTS...
KEETCH-BYRAM DROUGHT INDICES/FIRE DANGER (KBDI/FD) OVER SOUTHEAST
ALABAMA...SOUTHWEST AND SOUTH CENTRAL GEORGIA...AND THE WESTERN
TWO-THIRDS OF THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE REMAINED FROM 0-100/VERY LOW.
ACROSS THE FLORIDA BIG BEND...KBDI/FD VALUES LOWERED FROM
100-400/LOW-MODERATE IN MID-FEBRUARY TO 0-100/VERY LOW DURING THE
THE FIRST WEEK OF MARCH.
AGRICULTURAL IMPACTS...
FLORIDA PANHANDLE AND BIG BEND...RECENT HEAVY RAIN EPISODES DELAYED
EARLY SPRING FIELD PREPARATIONS. TOPSOIL AND SUBSOIL MOISTURE WAS
ADEQUATE TO SURPLUS ACROSS THE PANHANDLE...AND ADEQUATE IN THE
BIG BEND. THE PASTURE CONDITION WAS FAIR TO GOOD AS PASTURES
IMPROVED FOLLOWING WARMER WEATHER AS COOL SEASON FORAGES HAVE BEGUN
TO GROW. STOCK PONDS WERE FILLING AND APPROACHING NORMAL LEVELS.
THE CONDITION OF LIVESTOCK WAS FAIR TO GOOD.
SOUTHEAST ALABAMA...HEAVY RAINFALL EVENTS THE PAST SEVERAL WEEKS
SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVED TOPSOIL AND SUBSOIL MOISTURE SUPPLIES TO
ADEQUATE TO SURPLUS LEVELS...BUT HAMPERED FIELDWORK. THE CONDITION
OF LIVESTOCK WAS FAIR TO GOOD.
SOUTHWEST AND SOUTH CENTRAL GEORGIA...RECENT RAINS DELAYED MOST
FIELD ACTIVITIES. SMALL GRAINS REMAINED IN GOOD CONDITION DUE TO THE
ABUNDANT MOISTURE AND WARM SPELLS. TOPSOIL AND SUBSOIL MOISTURE WAS
ADEQUATE TO SURPLUS. THE PASTURE CONDITION WAS FAIR TO GOOD.
SOCIETAL IMPACTS...
A PHASE TWO WATER SHORTAGE ORDER REMAINS IN EFFECT BY THE SUWANNEE
RIVER WATER MANAGEMENT DISTRICT. THIS ORDER INCLUDES
RESTRICTIONS...AND SOME EXEMPTIONS...FOR ALL WATER-USE CATEGORIES
INCLUDING RESIDENTIAL...COMMERCIAL...INDUSTRIAL AND AGRICULTURAL.
MANDATORY WATER-USE RESTRICTIONS WILL TAKE EFFECT ON MAY 14 2008.
A WATER SHORTAGE WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT BY THE NORTHWEST FLORIDA
WATER MANAGEMENT DISTRICT FOR RESIDENTS OF THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE AND
WESTERN FLORIDA BIG BEND. THESE RESIDENTS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REDUCE
WATER USE AND CONSERVE WATER TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT POSSIBLE. THUS
FAR...WATER RESTRICTIONS HAVE NOT BEEN ENFORCED. THE DISTRICT WILL
CONTINUE TO MONITOR WATER RESOURCES AND WILL WORK WITH WATER UTILITY
COMPANIES AND OTHER USERS TO IMPLEMENT CONSERVATION MEASURES.
A STATEWIDE LEVEL-2 OUTDOOR WATER-USE SCHEDULE REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR
ALL SOUTHERN GEORGIA COUNTIES.
OUTLOOK...
THE 6-10 DAY OUTLOOK ISSUED MARCH 12 BY THE CLIMATE PREDICTION
CENTER FOR THE PERIOD MARCH 18-22 CALLS FOR ABOVE NORMAL
TEMPERATURES AND NORMAL PRECIPITATION. THE 8-14 DAY OUTLOOK ISSUED
MARCH 12 FOR THE PERIOD MARCH 20-26 CALLS FOR NORMAL TEMPERATURES
AND PRECIPITATION. THE MONTHLY OUTLOOK FOR MARCH AND SEASONAL
OUTLOOK FOR MARCH THROUGH MAY PREDICT ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES AND
BELOW NORMAL PRECIPITATION.
ATMOSPHERIC AND OCEANIC CONDITIONS DURING THE PAST MONTH INDICATED A
MODERATE TO STRONG LA NINA. EQUATORIAL SEA SURFACE TEMPERATURE
ANOMALIES WERE GREATER THAN 2 DEGREES CELSIUS BELOW AVERAGE. TRENDS
AND MODEL FORECASTS PREDICT THE MODERATE TO STRONG LA NINA WILL
CONTINUE THIS MONTH...FOLLOWED BY A WEAKENING TREND FROM APRIL
THROUGH JUNE. WITH BELOW NORMAL PRECIPITATION PREDICTED THIS
SPRING...MOISTURE FROM THE LATE WINTER RAINS WILL BECOME DEPLETED.
GROWERS WHO PLAN TO PLANT SPRING CROPS AND DO NOT HAVE IRRIGATION
CAPABILITY WILL BE AT RISK OF BEING IMPACTED BY THE DROUGHT.
ALSO...THE RISK OF WILDFIRES WILL INCREASE DURING THE SPRING
WILDFIRE SEASON.
CREDITS...
INFORMATION FOR THIS REPORT WAS PROVIDED COURTESY OF THE WEEKLY
DROUGHT MONITOR REPORT...UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF
AGRICULTURE...WEEKLY WEATHER AND CROP BULLETIN...DEPARTMENTS OF
FORESTRY FOR ALABAMA...FLORIDA AND GEORGIA...THE NATIONAL DROUGHT
MITIGATION CENTER...CLIMATE PREDICTION CENTER...NORTHWEST FLORIDA
WATER MANAGEMENT DISTRICT...SUWANNEE RIVER WATER MANAGEMENT
DISTRICT...THE UNITED STATES GEOLOGIC SURVEY...AND THE NATIONAL
RESOURCES CONSERVATION SERVICE.
THIS WILL BE THE FINAL STATEMENT FROM THIS OFFICE UNTIL MODERATE
DROUGHT CONDITIONS RETURN.
JAMSKI