HYDROLOGIC OUTLOOK FOR SOUTH FLORIDA
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIAMI FL
1037 AM EDT FRI MAR 10 2006

...BELOW NORMAL RAINFALL FORECAST FOR THIS SPRING ACROSS SOUTH
FLORIDA...

SINCE EARLY FEBRUARY...THE BERMUDA HIGH HAS WEAKENED OVER THE 
ATLANTIC WATERS ALLOWING FOR A FEW COLD FRONTS TO MOVE THROUGH SOUTH 
FLORIDA FROM THE NORTH. THIS HAS ALLOWED SOUTH FLORIDA TO RECEIVE 
SOME BENEFICIAL RAINFALL BRINGING THE RAINFALL TOTALS CLOSER TO 
NORMAL BUT STILL BELOW NORMAL ACROSS THE AREA SINCE JANUARY 1, 2006. 

THE RAINFALL TOTALS...NORMALS...AND DEPARTURES FOR SOUTH FLORIDA 
FROM JANUARY 2006 TO EARLY MARCH 2006 ARE:

AIRPORTS                       : TOTALS :  NORMALS :  DEPARTURES 

MIAMI INTERNATIONAL            : 3.79   :   4.67   :  -0.88
FORT LAUDERDALE INTERNATIONAL  : 6.19   :   6.43   :  -0.24
PALM BEACH INTERNATIONAL       : 4.41   :   7.28   :  -2.87
NAPLES MUNICIPAL AIRPORT       : 3.77   :   4.82   :  -1.05

SECONDARY OBSERVATION SITES

IMMOKALEE                      : 2.66   :  4.64    :  -1.98
DEVILS GARDEN                  : 1.30   :  4.46    :  -3.16
CLEWISTON                      : 3.02   :  4.39    :  -1.37
BELLE GLADE                    : 3.53   :  4.39    :  -0.86
FLAMINGO RANGER STATION        : 2.54   :  3.57    :  -1.03
MIAMI BEACH                    : 2.94   :  5.21    :  -2.27
 

LAKE OKEECHOBEE WATER LEVEL WAS NEAR NORMAL THIS TIME OF YEAR AT 
15.12 FEET...AND THE SOIL MOISTURE ACROSS SOUTH FLORIDA WAS NEAR
NORMAL. 

THE CLIMATE PREDICTION CENTERS OUTLOOK FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE 
2006 DRY SEASON IN SOUTH FLORIDA...WHICH EXTENDS THROUGH THE END OF 
MAY...IS FOR BELOW NORMAL FOR SOUTH FLORIDA. THIS WILL ALLOW FOR THE
SOIL MOISTURE TO BECOME A LITTLE BIT DRIER THROUGH MAY.  
THEREFORE...THE FLOOD THREAT FOR THIS SPRING IS LOW FOR SOUTH 
FLORIDA.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO AND OTHER LOCAL MEDIA FOR FURTHER
DETAILS OR UPDATES.

$$

BAXTER