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Prepared by Melissa Griffin, Preston Leftwich, and David F. Zierden
Florida Climate Center
The Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL

Average temperatures were well above normal in February. Average temperatures were well above normal across the entire state (Table 1). Departures from normal ranged from 2.6˚F at Miami to 4.5˚F at Pensacola. There was only one strong cold front that passed through the state around the middle of the month, leading to record low temperatures being tied and broken on the 12th and 13th (Appendix). For the rest of the month, most of the state experienced warmer than normal temperatures, which are typically reported with La Niña conditions. Various record high temperatures were tied and broken at the end of the month (Appendix). Some of the record high temperatures were in the upper 80s, with Melbourne reporting a record high of 90˚F on the 24th.

Table 1: February average temperatures and departures from normal (° F) for selected cities.

table 1

Rainfall totals varied statewide in February. Rainfall totals varied statewide in February (Table 2). Most stations saw below normal rainfall, while some stations saw slightly above normal rainfall for the month. Portions of Holmes, Jackson and Washington counties in the Panhandle saw rainfall totals approximately 3.00” above normal. Heavy rains impacted The Keys and coastal Dade County at the beginning of the month, and the middle of the month brought heavy rains to portions of the Panhandle (Table 3). Areal patterns of monthly rainfall relative to normal are depicted in Figure 1.

Table 2: February precipitation totals and departures from normal (inches) for selected cities.

table 2

Table 3: Daily rainfall records (inches) broken during February (compiled from NOAA, NWS).

table 3

Figure 1: A graphical depiction of the monthly rainfall departure from normal (inches) for February is given in the figure below (courtesy of NOAA, NWS).

Precipitation

La Niña losing steam in the Pacific Ocean. La Niña conditions have peaked across the equatorial Pacific. Equatorial sea surface temperatures (SST) were at least 0.5˚C below average in the central Pacific, but have warmed considerably across the east-central and eastern Pacific Ocean in the last couple of weeks. The atmospheric circulation anomalies and winds are still consistent with La Niña, but the La Niña is expected to transition to neutral conditions during March-May 2012. The Climate Prediction Center continues to predict warmer than normal temperatures and below normal precipitation through May.

Hazardous weather. A few significant weather events took place in the month of February. On February 18 and 19, a line of strong thunderstorms pushed through the Panhandle and portions of North Florida. Heavy rain was reported in many locations, with some storm spotters across the Panhandle reporting up to 7.00” in localized areas and flood conditions in portions of Holmes and Walton Counties. High winds accompanied the line of storms with wind gusts ranging from 45 mph to 60 mph from a variety of locales, such as Jacksonville, Daytona Beach, Gainesville, Orlando and DeFuniak Springs, while trees were reported down in Marianna and Flagler Beach. A rapidly moving cold front brought high winds to central Florida on the 22nd, with wind gusts up to 50 mph reported in Orlando and Tampa. Another cold front moved through Florida on the 24th, causing downed trees in Tallahassee and Marianna, while the Jacksonville International Airport reported a 40 mph wind gusts as the front passed.

There were a few fires reported during February. A small wildfire in Pasco County forced some homes to be evacuated on the 8th. On the 11th, a wildfire in Hillsborough County caused parts of I-75 to be closed due to low visibility caused by smoke. The No-Go Fire in Brevard County grew to engulf 1800 acres of the St. John’s Wildlife Refuge on the 23rd.

Agricultural and other impacts. Freezing temperatures on the 12th and 13th caused damage to crops in the interior portions of the state. But for the most part, the above average temperatures across the state have aided the development of winter wheat. The episodes of windy conditions throughout the month have helped to deplete topsoil moisture. Fruit orchards and vegetable fields have been frequently irrigated to combat the drought conditions, while trees were also being hedged and topped. Statewide, producers were busy preparing fields for spring planting.

Since the beginning of February, the drought conditions have gotten worse in some areas. The area of extreme drought expanded from just a few counties in the Panhandle to include most of North Florida and the Big Bend region. At one point during February, the National Drought Monitor had Gadsden, Leon, Jackson, Jefferson, Washington, and Calhoun counties under D4 drought designation, signifying an exceptional drought. Rains during the 18th and 19th eased those areas back into an extreme drought classification. The rest of the state has seen below normal precipitation as well, leading to the expansion of severe drought along the Sun and Space Coasts. Even though La Niña is forecasted to transition to neutral conditions during the next three months, current predictions still have most of the southeastern U.S. experiencing warmer than normal temperatures and below normal precipitation.

Figure 2: Drought conditions in Florida as of February 28, 2012 (courtesy of U.S. Drought Monitor).

Appendix: Daily maximum and minimum temperature records (° F) tied or broken during February (compiled from NOAA, NWS).

appendix

Prepared by Melissa Griffin, Preston Leftwich, and David F. Zierden
Florida Climate Center
The Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL

Average temperatures were well above normal in March. Average temperatures were well above normal for across the entire state (Table 1). Departures from normal ranged from 2.6˚F at Key West to 8.0˚F at Tallahassee. March 2012 was the warmest on record at Pensacola and Tampa, while it was the 2nd warmest on record at Tallahassee. The mornings of March 5-6 had some low temperatures around the mid 30’s, and below freezing temperatures in a few places, including Perry, FL. Most of the state experienced warmer than normal temperatures, which are typically reported with La Niña conditions, and various record high temperatures were tied and broken throughout the month (see Appendix). No record low temperatures were reported during the month.

Table 1: March average temperatures and departures from normal (° F) for selected cities.

table 1

Rainfall totals varied statewide in March. Rainfall totals varied statewide in March (Table 2). Most stations saw below normal rainfall, while Miami saw slightly above normal rainfall. Portions of Jackson, Walton, and Washington counties in the Panhandle saw rainfall totals approximately 3.00” above normal. Heavy rains mainly impacted southeast portions of the state during separate rain events (Table 3). At the beginning of the month, a Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow (CoCoRaHS) observer reported 7.28” in Jackson County. Areal patterns of monthly rainfall relative to normal are depicted in Figure 1.

Table 2: March precipitation totals and departures from normal (inches) for selected cities.

table 2

Table 3: Select daily rainfall records (inches) broken during March (compiled from NOAA, NWS).

table 3

Figure 1: A graphical depiction of the monthly rainfall departure from normal (inches) for March is given in the figure below (courtesy of NOAA, NWS).

Precipitation

La Niña has weakened across the tropical Pacific Ocean. La Niña continues to weaken across the equatorial Pacific. Equatorial sea surface temperatures (SST) were at least 0.5˚C below average in the central Pacific but are above average in the east-central and eastern Pacific Ocean. The atmospheric circulation anomalies and winds are still consistent with La Niña, but the La Niña is expected to transition to neutral conditions by the end of April 2012. The Climate Prediction Center (CPC) continues to predict warmer than normal temperatures and is now predicting normal precipitation through June.

Hazardous weather. A few significant weather events took place in March. On March 3rd and 4th, a strong cold front pushed through the entire state. There were multiple reports of tornadoes and funnel clouds in Gadsden County on the 3rd. The event proved to be a significant wind event across the state. High wind reports came in from all portions of the state, with wind gusts ranging from 42 mph in Jacksonville to 52 mph in Tampa. Portions of a roof from an apartment complex building sustained damage in the Tampa area, and there were statewide reports of trees down. In addition to the wind damage, there were reports of flooding in Jackson and Walton counties, with portions of major roads, such as US 231, US 331, and I-10 under water. On the 14th, portions of north and north-central Florida saw hail from pea sized (0.25”) in Tallahassee to half-dollar sized (1.25”) in Gainesville. Another round of severe weather at the end of the month, the 30th-31st, brought high winds and more hail to the state. Funnel clouds were reported at St. Marks and St. Augustine. Lightning caused a house fire in Niceville on the 31st.

There were a few fires reported during March. A small wildfire near Faver-Dykes State Park was reported on the 3rd, while another fire near Bunnell in Flagler County was reported on the 5th. Two structures and two cars were damaged from a wildfire that started near Lake Geneva in Clay County on the 6th. On the 18th, a wildfire burned about 200 acres near Natural Bridge in Wakulla County.

Agricultural and other impacts. Rain early in the month helped wheat production in north Florida, but spring planting in the area was limited. By mid-month, crop producers were busy prepping fields, and, while strawberry, grapefruit, and Valencia orange harvest increased, some additional rainfall caused fungal problems with certain crops. Warm weather and limited rainfall towards the end of the month promoted a fast fieldwork pace for row crops and fruit and vegetable producers. Irrigation of vegetable crops increased in south Florida. Increased reports of blite, powdery mildew, and mites were seen in some areas. Statewide, most of the pastures are in fair to excellent condition.

Since the beginning of March, the drought conditions have gotten worse in some areas but eased in others. Some of the rains during the month eased the extreme drought conditions in the Panhandle and Big Bend regions, with some counties, such as Leon, Gadsden, Jackson, and Washington, seeing a two- category improvement in their drought designation. The area of extreme drought continues to linger from Duval and Nassau counties across the northeast portion of the state to Dixie and Levy counties. The area of D2 (severe) drought increased in the central part of the state, and areas of southeast Florida are now listed in moderate drought. The Climate Prediction Center (CPC) is calling for near normal rainfall through June; however, April and May are typically the driest months for many locations across the state.

Figure 2: Drought conditions in Florida as of March 17, 2012 (courtesy of U.S. Drought Monitor).

Appendix: Select daily maximum and minimum temperature records (° F) tied or broken during March (compiled from NOAA, NWS).

appendix

Prepared by Melissa Griffin and David F. Zierden
Special thanks to A. Griffin and R. Worsnop
Florida Climate Center
The Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL

Average temperatures were near or slightly above normal in April. Average temperatures were near or slightly above normal for April across the entire state (Table 1 and Appendix 1). Departures from normal ranged from normal at Key West to 3.5˚F at Tallahassee. While March 2012 was extremely warm for much of the state, average temperatures for April saw a return to normal, partly due to the weakening La Niña. There were numerous records broken during April (Appendix 2), both maximum and minimum temperatures.

Table 1: April average temperatures and departures from normal (° F) for selected cities.

table 1

Rainfall totals varied statewide in April. Rainfall totals varied statewide in April (Table 2). Most stations saw below normal rainfall, while Key West, Miami, and Tampa saw above normal rainfall totals for the month. April 2012 was the 7th wettest on record at Miami and the 6th wettest April from the 142-year-long record at Key West. It was also the 4th wettest April on record at Fort Lauderdale (Appendix 1). Heavy rains mainly impacted southeast portions of the state during two separate rain events, and some rainfall records were broken toward the end of the month (Table 3). A Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow (CoCoRaHS) observer reported a total rainfall of 14.46” for the month of April in the Florida Keys, while another observer in Broward County reported a monthly total of 14.33”. Areal patterns of monthly rainfall relative to normal are depicted in Figure 1.

Table 2: April precipitation totals and departures from normal (inches) for selected cities.

table 2

Table 3: Select daily rainfall records (inches) broken during April (compiled from NOAA, NWS).

table 3

Figure 1: A graphical depiction of the monthly rainfall departure from normal (inches) for April is given in the figure below (courtesy of NOAA, NWS).

Precipitation

Transition from La Niña to Neutral conditions to continue in Pacific. A transition from La Niña to Neutral ENSO conditions continues across the equatorial Pacific. Equatorial sea surface temperatures (SST) were slightly below average in the central Pacific, but are above average in the east-central and eastern Pacific Ocean. The atmospheric circulation anomalies and winds are still consistent with La Niña, though they have weakened in recent weeks. La Niña is expected to transition to neutral conditions sometime in May 2012. The Climate Prediction Center (CPC) continues to predict warmer than normal temperatures and is now predicting normal precipitation through July. There is a chance that the equatorial Pacific will warm enough that an El Niño could set up by the winter of 2012.

Hazardous weather events in April. A severe thunderstorm on the 3rd impacted the Tallahassee area, resulting in high winds, heavy rain, and hail. Numerous reports of downed trees were made throughout the town and one of the incidents of a downed tree led to an injury that later became fatal. The 4th-6th of the month saw reports of high winds from a non-thunderstorm event from St Petersburg-Tampa to the Florida Keys. On the 6th, there was a waterspout that moved onshore near Naples and did minor damage (small trees down and downed pour lines). The tornado was rated as EF0, and was accompanied by 1” hail. From April 7th-11th, wildfire reports came from the area near Fargo and Lake City, FL, and by April 19th, the wildfire had burned almost 35,000 acres. Pea-sized to nickel-sized hail was reported across central Florida as a severe thunderstorm made its way across the peninsula on the 20th, along with high winds and damage reports. Twin waterspouts were reported a couple hundred yards off St. George Island State Park on the 21st; hail and downed trees were reported inland from the park. Lightning started a house fire in Tallahassee on the 21st. On the 22nd, about 35 high wind reports came in from all portions of the state, and, on the 30th, roughly 30 reports of high winds were reported.

Agricultural and other climate-related impacts. Topsoil and subsoil moisture have continued to be problems for growers across the state as the drought conditions to worsen. Hot, dry winds mid-month dried out soils and limited forage growth in pastures. The use of irrigation has increased amongst vegetable growers, and pastures have suffered from the dry conditions. Stock pond water is at critical levels in the northern and central parts of the state.

Since the release of the March 27 Drought Monitor, conditions have worsened across most of the state. As of April 24, nearly 12% of the state is listed as being in exceptional drought, the highest designation of the drought monitor. This area of exceptional drought extends from portions of the Nature Coast to the First Coast, impacting locations such as, Lake City, Gainesville, and Jacksonville. Parts of the Suwannee River are at some of the lowest flows seen on record. The areas of moderate and extreme drought grew as rainfall was below normal in central Florida and parts of the Big Bend. The only part of the state that saw any improvement in conditions was south Florida, where portions of the area saw almost double the normal monthly rainfall for April.

Figure 2: Drought conditions in Florida as of April 24, 2012 (courtesy of U.S. Drought Monitor).

Appendix 1: Additional departures from normal data for Florida locations.

appendix

Appendix 2: Select daily maximum and minimum temperature records (° F) tied or broken during April (compiled from NOAA, NWS).

appendix

Monthly Climate Summaries for Florida

Prepared by the Florida Climate Center.

Custom Summaries

If you need a summary for a specific climate division or for Florida as a whole, please submit a custom request.

Prepared by Melissa Griffin and David F. Zierden
Special thanks to R. Worsnop
Florida Climate Center
The Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL

Average temperatures varied across the state in May. Average temperatures were slightly below normal to above normal for May across the entire state (Table 1 and Appendix 1). Departures from normal ranged from -0.3˚F at Key West to 3.9˚F at Pensacola. May 2012 was the warmest on record (about 65 years of data) at Pensacola and was the 5th warmest May on record at both Tallahassee and Tampa. Tallahassee broke a record high on the 26th with a reported maximum temperature of 100˚F. The month saw numerous records broken (Appendix 2), both maximum and minimum temperatures.

Table 1: May average temperatures and departures from normal (° F) for selected cities.

table 1

Rainfall totals varied statewide in May. Rainfall totals varied statewide in May (Table 2). Most stations saw slightly below normal rainfall, while Key West, Miami and Jacksonville saw above normal rainfall totals for the month. May 2012 was the 7th wettest on record at Miami and the 5th wettest May at Jacksonville. Rainfall was also above normal at Fort Lauderdale and Gainesville (Appendix 1). On the 22nd, Miami reported a record rain event of 9.70” in a 24-hour period, and 4.40” of that total fell in one hour (Table 3). From May 26 to 29, Tropical Storm Beryl impacted the state, dumping an estimated 2.00” to 10.00” on parts of northeast and north central Florida (Figure 1). Areal patterns of monthly rainfall relative to normal are depicted in Figure 2.

Table 2: May precipitation totals and departures from normal (inches) for selected cities.

table 2

Table 3: Select daily rainfall records (inches) broken during May (compiled from NOAA, NWS).

table 3

Figure 1: A graphical depiction of radar-estimated rainfall amounts from May 24 to 30, during the time that Tropical Storm Beryl passed through the state (courtesy of NOAA, NWS).

Precipitation

Figure 2: A graphical depiction of the monthly rainfall departure from normal (inches) for May is given in the figure below (courtesy of NOAA, NWS).

Precipitation

ENSO-neutral conditions have returned in the Pacific. The transition from La Niña to neutral ENSO conditions has happened along the equatorial Pacific. Equatorial sea surface temperatures (SST) are near average in the central Pacific but are above average in the far eastern Pacific Ocean. ENSO-Neutral conditions are expected to continue in the Northern Hemisphere through Summer 2012. The Climate Prediction Center (CPC) continues to predict warmer than normal temperatures and is now predicting normal precipitation through August. There is a chance that the equatorial Pacific will warm enough that an El Niño could set up by the winter of 2012.

Hazardous weather events in May. May was a very active month for severe weather in Florida.

Severe weather - A variety of hail reports were made on the 6th, with marble sized hail reported in Callahan, 0.50” seen in Lake City and 1.00” hail in Luraville. Storm damage was reported along the Panhandle from Vernon, FL, to Jacksonville, FL, including Tallahassee. There were numerous reports of trees and power lines down, along with high gusts as high as 50 mph. Three waterspouts were reported over the St. George Island Bay. May 8 was another active day with storm damage, high winds and hail reported along the southeast coast. A house was struck by lightning in Port St. Lucie. 4.37” of rain was reported at the NWS Miami office on the campus of Florida International University on the 8th, and additional reports of heavy rains on the 8th caused flooding in low-lying areas. A storm on the 9th caused damage from high winds and reports of hail, as large as 1.25”, were made from around Key Biscayne and Miami Beach. On May 10, multiple reports of waterspouts were made off the coast of Key West and Key Largo. A waterspout moved on shore and an EF-0 tornado was reported in Escambia County, near Johnsons Beach, on the 12th. Heavy rain, high winds and hail were reported in the Jacksonville area on the 14th and 15th and along portions of the east coast on the 15th and 16th. A widespread hail event took place on the 17th, with reports of hail from Merritt Island, Deland, St Augustine, Middleburg, and near Palatka; which were accompanied by reports of high winds and storm damage. Another round of severe weather went through the southeast coast on the 18th, with penny to quarter sized hail reported. Downed trees and high winds were also reported in Doral and Hialeah, where a wind gust of 60 mph was estimated. Unrelated to these storms, a young man was injured by a lightning strike near Lakeland, FL, on the 18th. More waterspouts were reported around the Keys on the 19th, while inland locations around St. Lucie and Okeechobee saw hail. A possible tornado was reported near St. Petersburg, FL, on the 19th, as part of a roof was torn off a building and tossed onto a car adjacent to a motel. Heavy rain and flooding were reported in Doral, West Miami, FIU Campus, and Sweetwater on the 22nd. The official gauge at the Miami International Airport recorded 4.40” of rainfall in one hour during the event. These rains were a precursor to Tropical Storm Beryl. On the same day, a severe thunderstorm west of Tallahassee produced multiple reports of hail from Bristol, Hosford, and even Torreya State Park. On the 24th, high winds were reported along the southeast coast from Fort Lauderdale to Key Largo. Storm damage and hail were reported with the high winds (recorded at over 40 mph). After Beryl exited the state (see below for more information on Beryl), more waterspouts were sighted around portions of the lower Keys on the 30th, and thunderstorms produced hail and storm damage across parts of the Panhandle on the 30th and 31st.

Wildfires - On May 5, Moss Bluff Fire had spread from 20 to 205 acres. Reports on May 6th indicated that the Bladwin Bay Wildfire had spread to 100 acres and the County Line Fire flared back up and had burned a total of 35,000 acres. Heavy smoke from wildfire between Gainesville and Lacrosse closed parts of a local road on May 25th, and the wildfire spread from 300 acres to 1500 acres. On the 26th a small six-acre wildfire near Summerfield burned several non-residential structures. At the end of the month, there were an estimated 60 wildfires that were still active on 10,000 acres across the state.

Tropical Storm Beryl - Tropical Storm Beryl made landfall near Jacksonville Beach, FL, in the early morning hours of May 28. Prior to landfall, the tropical storm was responsible for strong rip currents off the east coast of the state. Eight individuals had to be rescued on the 26th after some adults tried to save some children on boogie boards that had been pulled out to sea. One of the individuals was transported to a local hospital. As the storm made its way closer to the Florida shoreline, multiple reports of near-tropical storm wind gusts (55 – 70 mph) were made along the coast on the 27th. The Mathews Bridge in Jacksonville was closed due to the high winds. Beryl quickly weakened to a tropical depression after landfall, but due to a weakening ridge to the north of the storm, the storm slowed down and dropped heavy rainfall over parts of northeast and north-central Florida. Rainfall ranged from 2.00” to 7.00”, though radar estimates show a rainfall maximum (over 10.00”) over parts of Lafayette and Suwannee counties. Flooding occurred in numerous locations where the heaviest rain fell from Beryl. Even as the storm lifted to the north, the outer bands of Beryl continued to dump heavy rain and high winds and spawned a few tornadoes. Dangerous surf conditions were still present over Memorial Day weekend, as lifeguards along Florida’s east coast rescued swimmers from the water, and one Orlando teenager lost his life.

Agricultural and other climate-related impacts. At the beginning of the month, soil conditions were dry and some of the wheat fields in the state showed disease. There was a light volume of watermelons and blueberries being harvested. Most of the pastures statewide were in poor to fair conditions. Due to the unseasonably warm weather, some of the wheat fields did not develop grain heads. Irrigated crops were fairing well, and livestock had to be giving hay and supplements. The drought conditions continued to worsen. By mid-month, poor topsoil and sub-soil conditions were being reported. Some moderate rainfall helped portions of the state, but some areas still had limited grass growth. In Orange County, some wells, lakes and stock ponds were depleted due to the drought. At the end of the month, there were slight improvements in some areas. Orange production was nearly complete, as the harvesting of other vegetables came online.

Drought conditions worsened during the month of May, until the end of the month when Tropical Storm Beryl impacted the state. Prior to Beryl’s landfall, the area between Jacksonville and Perry was still listed as in exceptional drought. Portions of the Panhandle went from moderate to severe, while parts of central Florida were newly designated as being in extreme drought. There were areas of improvement during the month, prior to Beryl. Heavy rains in south and southeastern Florida eased drought conditions, with at least 1 to 2 categories of improvement in the drought. After Beryl’s landfall near Jacksonville at the end of the month, improvements were seen in the northeast and north central parts of the state, where the exceptional drought designation was dropped to extreme. The area received anywhere from 2.00” to 6.00” from the storm. Some portions of Lafayette and Suwannee counties saw over 10.00” of rain from Beryl. While there was improvement in the drought situation in some parts of the state, other areas of the state continued to deal with moderate to extreme drought conditions.

Figure 3: Drought conditions in Florida as of May 29, 2012 (courtesy of U.S. Drought Monitor).

Appendix 1: Additional May departures from normal data for Florida locations.

appendix

Appendix 2: Select daily maximum and minimum temperature records (° F) tied or broken during May (compiled from NOAA, NWS).

appendix

Page 37 of 37

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