Drought worsens for some areas in Florida, is the rainy season here yet?

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Florida Weather Report

Introduction

Except for the Central West Coast of Florida, the rest of the state has been drought-free all winter and much of the spring. This is typical of El Niño years, as more storms and fronts tend to pass by the state producing more stormy and rainy episodes.

2023-2024 Dry Season Overview

The 2023-2024 dry season remained mostly benign. The year started with a severe drought affecting the Tampa Bay area and surroundings. Then, several heavy rain episodes happened, vanishing the drought by the beginning of March. By the beginning of April, the entire state was drought-free, but by the end of April, abnormally dry conditions started to sneak in over the Treasure Coast through Lake Okeechobee. By mid-May, the drought had worsened a category to a moderate drought stretching from the Space Coast to the Southwest Coast through Sarasota and Lake Okeechobee. The lack of cold fronts traveling south enough is mostly to blame for the expanding drought. But we can’t forget the extreme temperatures experienced in recent weeks, they also carry some of the blame.

Current Weather Patterns

Luckily, the pattern has started to shift. (No, not the temperatures! You can count on the heat staying for a few more months.) We have noticed more storms developing courtesy of the sea breeze and these storms have a good chance of putting a dent in the drought levels currently affecting the areas mentioned.

Rainy Season in Florida

Has the rainy season arrived in Florida?… Yes, for most parts.

Much of the state has two seasons: rainy and dry. The rainy season tends to start in May and run through October. Some areas have an exact start date, others go with certain thresholds. For example, South Florida´s rainy season starts on May 15 and runs through mid-October, and during this time the area receives 70 percent of its average rainfall. For Central Florida, the rainy season starts in late May and runs through October, and about 61 percent of the average rainfall happens during these 6 months. It is roughly the same start for North Florida, but ending late September. Those areas that follow certain criteria are based on observations and trends that have been happening for several days or weeks, such as low temperatures, dew points, and the onset of the storm activity.

Shift in Seasons

What causes the shift in the seasons?

Two main mechanisms bring the rain to Florida. During the dry season months, the arrival of rain to the state is mostly dependent on cold fronts or low-pressure systems. During the wet season, the arrival of rain is mostly dependent on the sea breeze-driven thunderstorms, and the sea breeze is dependent on the day’s heating.

## Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Addressed in the Article

### SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation
The article discusses the impact of drought conditions and heavy rain episodes on different regions of Florida, highlighting the importance of water availability and management.

### SDG 13: Climate Action
The article mentions the changing weather patterns in Florida, such as the shift from dry to rainy seasons, which are influenced by climate factors like El Niño and sea breeze-driven thunderstorms.

## Specific Targets Identified in the Article

### SDG 6.4: Water Stress
The article addresses the issue of drought conditions affecting various parts of Florida, indicating a need to monitor and manage water stress levels in the region.

### SDG 13.1: Strengthen Resilience and Adaptive Capacity
The discussion on changing weather patterns and the mechanisms that bring rain to Florida highlights the importance of building resilience and adaptive capacity to climate change impacts.

## Indicators for Measuring Progress

1. Drought Severity Index: The article mentions the severity of drought conditions in different regions of Florida, indicating a need for monitoring and assessing drought levels.
2. Rainfall Distribution: The article discusses the onset of rainy seasons and the average rainfall received in different parts of Florida, which can be used as an indicator to measure water availability and climate patterns.

## Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

| SDGs | Targets | Indicators |
|————————————-|———————————————–|————————————–|
| SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation | 6.4 – Water Stress | Drought Severity Index |
| SDG 13: Climate Action | 13.1 – Strengthen Resilience and Adaptive Capacity | Rainfall Distribution |

Copyright: Dive into this article, curated with care by SDG Investors Inc. Our advanced AI technology searches through vast amounts of data to spotlight how we are all moving forward with the Sustainable Development Goals. While we own the rights to this content, we invite you to share it to help spread knowledge and spark action on the SDGs.

Fuente: wuft.org

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