Florida, 2007

Drought in Florida, April 1 to 30, 2007

April 1 to 30, 2007 · NWS MFL · 7 events in 7 counties and zones

A dry spring across South Florida combined with a prolonged period of below normal rainfall going back to early 2006 produced drought conditions across a large part of South Florida.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 7 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

  • Tornadoes
  • Tropical storms and surge
  • Floods
  • Wind
  • Hail
  • Winter weather
  • Heat and drought
  • Cold
  • Fire, smoke and dust
  • Marine and coastal
  • Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
7

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

What happened

The episode as NWS MFL wrote it up.

A dry spring across South Florida combined with a prolonged period of below normal rainfall going back to early 2006 produced drought conditions across a large part of South Florida.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Miami, FL wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Mar 31, 7:44 PM EST, 4 hours 16 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Mar 31, 7:44 PM EST, 4 hours 16 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIAMI FL
844 PM EDT SAT MAR 31 2007

EASTERLY FLOW...GENERALLY 10 TO 15 KNOTS ACROSS ATLC WATERS...TO
PERSIST THROUGH THE NIGHT. POSSIBLY A VERY LIGHT STRAY SHOWER MAY
OCCUR BUT NOT ENOUGH TO PLACE IN THE THE ZFP PACKAGE. APPEARS THAT
NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGES TO THE ZFP/CWF PACKAGES.

.PREVIOUS DISCUSSION...
HIGH PRESSURE WAS LOCATED OVER THE WESTERN ATLANTIC WATERS EARLY
THIS AFTERNOON WHICH WAS ALLOWING FOR THE EASTERLY FLOW TO
CONTINUE OVER THE CWA. THE HIGH WILL SLOWLY MOVE SOUTH TOWARDS THE
BAHAMA ISLANDS THROUGH MONDAY...AS A COLD FRONT OVER THE CENTRAL
PLAINS STATES MOVES SOUTH INTO NORTH FLORIDA BEFORE BECOMING
STATIONARY. THIS WILL KEEP THE CWA IN A EAST TO SOUTHEAST WIND
FLOW...AND KEEP DRIER AIR OVER SOUTH FLORIDA THROUGH THIS TIME.
THERE COULD BE ONE OR TWO LIGHT SHOWERS THAT COULD DEVELOP OVER
THE ATLANTIC WATERS AND GET PUSH ONSHORE ALONG THE EAST COAST
AREAS ESPECIALLY IF A CONVERGENCE LINE SETS UP OFF THE BAHAMA
ISLANDS. SO WILL KEEP A SILENT 10 POPS ALONG THE ATLANTIC AND EAST
COAST AREAS OF THE CWA DURING THIS TIME.

.EXTENDED FORECAST...
THE HIGH WILL SLOWLY WEAKEN DURING THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK...AS
THE STATIONARY FRONT DISSIPATES OVER NORTH FLORIDA. ANOTHER MUCH
STRONGER FRONT WILL THEN MOVE THROUGH SOUTH FLORIDA LATE NEXT WEEK
FROM THE NORTH BRINGING COOLER WEATHER TO THE AREA FOR NEXT WEEKEND.
AHEAD OF THIS STRONG COLD FRONT...THE WINDS WILL BECOME SOUTHERLY
ALLOWING FOR SOME MOISTURE TO RETURN TO THE AREA FROM THE SOUTH.
THERE IS ALSO A POSSIBILITY OF A MID TO UPPER LEVEL 110 KNOT JET
STREAK THAT COULD BE MOVING THROUGH THE AREA DURING THIS TIME. SO
HAVE ADDED A SLIGHT CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS TO THE FORECAST FOR LATE
NEXT WEEK ACROSS ALL OF THE CWA.

&&

.AVIATION...
VFR CONDITIONS WILL PREVAIL NEXT 24 HOURS WITH EASTERLY WINDS
CONTINUING. SOME CIGS OF 4 TO 5 THOUSAND FEET HAVE BEEN OBSERVED SO
PLACED TEMPO BKN040 DURING THE AFTERNOON FOR THE EAST COAST SITES.
WINDS WILL PREVAIL OUT OF THE ESE AOA 12 KT WITH OCCASIONAL GUSTS TO
18-20 KT AND THEN DECREASING TO LESS THAN 12 KT DURING THE EVENING.

&&

.MARINE...
THE WINDS EARLY THIS AFTERNOON HAVE BEEN RUNNING AROUND 15 KNOTS
FROM THE EAST OVER THE ALL OF SOUTH FLORIDA WATERS...EXCEPT FOR
THE OFFSHORE GULF WATERS WHERE THEY BEEN COMING IN AT 15 TO 20
KNOTS. THE WINDS SHOULD SLOWLY DECREASE TO 10 TO 15 KNOTS BY
TONIGHT...EXCEPT OVER THE OFFSHORE GULF WATERS WHERE THEY WILL
REMAIN AT 15 TO 20 KNOTS.

THE WINDS WILL THEN FALL BELOW 15 KNOTS IN THE OFFSHORE GULF
WATERS ON SUNDAY...AND REMAIN BELOW 15 KNOTS THROUGH MIDDLE OF
NEXT WEEK WHILE SWINGING SLOWLY TO THE SOUTHERLY DIRECTION. THE
WINDS OVER REST OF THE ATLANTIC WATERS WILL ALSO REMAIN BELOW 15
KNOTS THROUGH MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK WHILE ALSO SWINGING SLOWLY TO
THE SOUTHERLY DIRECTION.

THE SEAS WILL ALSO REMAIN BELOW 6 FEET THROUGH MIDDLE OF NEXT
WEEK...EXCEPT FOR THE OFFSHORE GULF WATERS WHERE THEY WILL BE 6
FEET TONIGHT. THE NORTHEAST SWELLS THAT IS ALSO AFFECTING PALM
BEACH COUNTY WILL SLOWLY SUBSIDE THROUGH SUNDAY.

SO WILL DROP THE SCEC FOR ALL OF SOUTH FLORIDA WATERS...EXCEPT FOR
THE OFFSHORE GULF WATERS FOR TONIGHT DUE TO THE WIND SPEEDS AND SEAS.

&&

.FIRE WEATHER...
THE TEMPS EARLY THIS AFTERNOON HAVE BEEN IN THE LOWER TO MID 80S
WITH THE DEW POINTS IN THE LOWER TO MID 50S OVER THE WESTERN
INTERIOR AND WEST COAST AREAS. THIS HAS ALLOWED FOR THE RELATIVE
HUMIDITIES TO FALL INTO THE MID TO UPPER 30S. THE TEMPS SHOULD
CONTINUE TO WARM UP INTO THE MID TO POSSIBLY UPPER 80S WITH THE
DEW POINTS REMAINING IN THE LOWER TO MID 50S. THIS WILL ALLOW FOR
THE RELATIVE HUMIDITIES TO CONTINUE TO FALL INTO THE LOWER 30S FOR
THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING. SO WILL CONTINUE THE RED FLAG
WARNING FOR THE WESTERN INTERIOR AND WEST COAST AREAS UNTIL 8 PM
EDT THIS EVENING.

THE TEMPS WILL ONCE AGAIN WARM UP INTO THE MID TO UPPER 80S WITH
THE DEW POINTS FALLING INTO THE UPPER 50S FOR THE WESTERN INTERIOR
AND WEST COAST AREAS FOR SUNDAY. THIS WILL AGAIN ALLOW FOR THE
RELATIVE HUMIDITIES TO FALL DOWN TO NEAR THE 35 PERCENT CRITICAL
VALUES FOR COUPLE OF HOURS. AT THIS TIME WILL NOT ISSUED A FIRE
WEATHER WATCH FOR SUNDAY FOR THIS AREA...BUT WILL CONTINUE TO
MONITOR THE LATEST MODEL GUIDANCE.

REST OF THE CWA SHOULD REMAIN ABOVE THE 35 PERCENT CRITICAL VALUE
FOR SUNDAY.

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
WEST PALM BEACH 67  81  68  84 / 10 10 10 10
FORT LAUDERDALE 70  81  72  83 / 10 10 10 10
MIAMI           68  82  70  84 / 10 10 10 10
NAPLES          61  87  64  87 / -  -  -  -

&&

.MFL WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
FL...RED FLAG WARNING UNTIL 8 PM EDT THIS EVENING FOR FLZ063-FLZ066-
     FLZ069-FLZ070.

AM...NONE.
GM...NONE.
&&

LONG TERM...54/BNB
SHORT TERM/AVIATION...57/DG
Hazardous weather outlook, Mar 31, 5:00 PM EST, 7 hours before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR SOUTH FLORIDA...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIAMI FL
600 PM EDT SAT MAR 31 2007

FLZ063-066>075-011000-
GLADES-HENDRY-PALM BEACH WESTERN-PALM BEACH EASTERN-
WESTERN COLLIER-EASTERN COLLIER-WESTERN BROWARD-
BROWARD METROPOLITAN-WESTERN DADE-DADE METROPOLITAN-
MAINLAND MONROE-
600 PM EDT SAT MAR 31 2007

...STRONG RIP CURRENTS EXPECTED AT THE ATLANTIC BEACHES...

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTH FLORIDA.

.DAY ONE...TONIGHT

RIP CURRENTS: STRONG RIP CURRENTS CAN BE EXPECTED TONIGHT AT
THE BEACHES OF PALM BEACH, BROWARD AND MIAMI-DADE COUNTIES DUE
TO A STEADY ONSHORE WIND OF AROUND 15 MPH, COMBINED WITH A SMALL
NORTHEAST SWELL. SWIMMING IS NOT ADVISED AS THIS IS A DANGEROUS
SITUATION. RIP CURRENTS ARE THE NUMBER ONE WEATHER RELATED KILLER
IN FLORIDA. STAY SAFE BY STAYING OUT OF THE WATER.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY

RIP CURRENTS WILL CONTINUE TO BE A HAZARD AT THE ATLANTIC BEACHES
SUNDAY...DUE TO A CONTINUED STEADY ONSHORE WIND FLOW.

OTHERWISE...NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE NEEDED.

FOR MORE INFORMATION...VISIT THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN
MIAMI WEBSITE AT WWW.WEATHER.GOV/MIAMI.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

7 drought. Local standard time, as filed.

Drought, Coastal Palm Beach

When
April 1, 12:00 AM EST to April 30, 11:59 PM EST
Where
Coastal Palm Beach forecast zone
Reported by
Other Federal Agency
Coordinates
26.648, -80.436 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Well-below normal winter and spring rainfall along with a prolonged period of dry weather going back to early 2006 caused for severe drought conditions to spread southward across South Florida. As of April 24th, all of Glades and Hendry counties, as well as northwestern Palm Beach County was under D3 (extreme) drought status. Most of the remainder of Palm Beach County as well as northern sections of Collier and northwestern sections of Broward counties were under D2 (severe) drought status.

By the end of April, Naples had received only 2.93 inches of rain for the year, 36 percent of normal. Fort Lauderdale, Clewiston and Belle Glade stood around 20 inches below normal precipitation since January 2006, about 65 percent of normal.

The level of Lake Okeechobee lowered further to 9.8 feet by April 27th, about 4.5 feet below average and the lowest level since May 2001. Impacts spread from strictly agricultural interest to the general public as water usage restrictions were placed across South Florida. The Lake Okeechobee region was placed under Phase 3 restrictions (50 percent reduction in usage) while the rest of South Florida was under Phase 2 restrictions (30 percent reduction).

Drought, Inland Palm Beach

When
April 1, 12:00 AM EST to April 30, 11:59 PM EST
Where
Inland Palm Beach forecast zone
Reported by
Other Federal Agency
Coordinates
26.648, -80.436 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Well-below normal winter and spring rainfall along with a prolonged period of dry weather going back to early 2006 caused for severe drought conditions to spread southward across South Florida. As of April 24th, all of Glades and Hendry counties, as well as northwestern Palm Beach County was under D3 (extreme) drought status. Most of the remainder of Palm Beach County as well as northern sections of Collier and northwestern sections of Broward counties were under D2 (severe) drought status.

By the end of April, Naples had received only 2.93 inches of rain for the year, 36 percent of normal. Fort Lauderdale, Clewiston and Belle Glade stood around 20 inches below normal precipitation since January 2006, about 65 percent of normal.

The level of Lake Okeechobee lowered further to 9.8 feet by April 27th, about 4.5 feet below average and the lowest level since May 2001. Impacts spread from strictly agricultural interest to the general public as water usage restrictions were placed across South Florida. The Lake Okeechobee region was placed under Phase 3 restrictions (50 percent reduction in usage) while the rest of South Florida was under Phase 2 restrictions (30 percent reduction).

Drought, Glades

When
April 1, 12:00 AM EST to April 30, 11:59 PM EST
Where
Glades forecast zone
Reported by
Other Federal Agency
Coordinates
26.957, -81.189 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Well-below normal winter and spring rainfall along with a prolonged period of dry weather going back to early 2006 caused for severe drought conditions to spread southward across South Florida. As of April 24th, all of Glades and Hendry counties, as well as northwestern Palm Beach County was under D3 (extreme) drought status. Most of the remainder of Palm Beach County as well as northern sections of Collier and northwestern sections of Broward counties were under D2 (severe) drought status.

By the end of April, Naples had received only 2.93 inches of rain for the year, 36 percent of normal. Fort Lauderdale, Clewiston and Belle Glade stood around 20 inches below normal precipitation since January 2006, about 65 percent of normal.

The level of Lake Okeechobee lowered further to 9.8 feet by April 27th, about 4.5 feet below average and the lowest level since May 2001. Impacts spread from strictly agricultural interest to the general public as water usage restrictions were placed across South Florida. The Lake Okeechobee region was placed under Phase 3 restrictions (50 percent reduction in usage) while the rest of South Florida was under Phase 2 restrictions (30 percent reduction).

Drought, Hendry

When
April 1, 12:00 AM EST to April 30, 11:59 PM EST
Where
Hendry forecast zone
Reported by
Other Federal Agency
Coordinates
26.554, -81.166 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Well-below normal winter and spring rainfall along with a prolonged period of dry weather going back to early 2006 caused for severe drought conditions to spread southward across South Florida. As of April 24th, all of Glades and Hendry counties, as well as northwestern Palm Beach County was under D3 (extreme) drought status. Most of the remainder of Palm Beach County as well as northern sections of Collier and northwestern sections of Broward counties were under D2 (severe) drought status.

By the end of April, Naples had received only 2.93 inches of rain for the year, 36 percent of normal. Fort Lauderdale, Clewiston and Belle Glade stood around 20 inches below normal precipitation since January 2006, about 65 percent of normal.

The level of Lake Okeechobee lowered further to 9.8 feet by April 27th, about 4.5 feet below average and the lowest level since May 2001. Impacts spread from strictly agricultural interest to the general public as water usage restrictions were placed across South Florida. The Lake Okeechobee region was placed under Phase 3 restrictions (50 percent reduction in usage) while the rest of South Florida was under Phase 2 restrictions (30 percent reduction).

Drought, Inland Broward

When
April 3, 7:00 AM EST to April 30, 11:59 PM EST
Where
Inland Broward forecast zone
Reported by
Other Federal Agency
Coordinates
26.152, -80.456 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Well-below normal winter and spring rainfall along with a prolonged period of dry weather going back to early 2006 caused for severe drought conditions to spread southward across South Florida. As of April 24th, all of Glades and Hendry counties, as well as northwestern Palm Beach County was under D3 (extreme) drought status. Most of the remainder of Palm Beach County as well as northern sections of Collier and northwestern sections of Broward counties were under D2 (severe) drought status.

By the end of April, Naples had received only 2.93 inches of rain for the year, 36 percent of normal. Fort Lauderdale, Clewiston and Belle Glade stood around 20 inches below normal precipitation since January 2006, about 65 percent of normal.

The level of Lake Okeechobee lowered further to 9.8 feet by April 27th, about 4.5 feet below average and the lowest level since May 2001. Impacts spread from strictly agricultural interest to the general public as water usage restrictions were placed across South Florida. The Lake Okeechobee region was placed under Phase 3 restrictions (50 percent reduction in usage) while the rest of South Florida was under Phase 2 restrictions (30 percent reduction).

Drought, Inland Collier

When
April 3, 7:00 AM EST to April 30, 11:59 PM EST
Where
Inland Collier forecast zone
Reported by
Other Federal Agency
Coordinates
26.099, -81.381 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Well-below normal winter and spring rainfall along with a prolonged period of dry weather going back to early 2006 caused for severe drought conditions to spread southward across South Florida. As of April 24th, all of Glades and Hendry counties, as well as northwestern Palm Beach County was under D3 (extreme) drought status. Most of the remainder of Palm Beach County as well as northern sections of Collier and northwestern sections of Broward counties were under D2 (severe) drought status.

By the end of April, Naples had received only 2.93 inches of rain for the year, 36 percent of normal. Fort Lauderdale, Clewiston and Belle Glade stood around 20 inches below normal precipitation since January 2006, about 65 percent of normal.

The level of Lake Okeechobee lowered further to 9.8 feet by April 27th, about 4.5 feet below average and the lowest level since May 2001. Impacts spread from strictly agricultural interest to the general public as water usage restrictions were placed across South Florida. The Lake Okeechobee region was placed under Phase 3 restrictions (50 percent reduction in usage) while the rest of South Florida was under Phase 2 restrictions (30 percent reduction).

Drought, Coastal Collier

When
April 3, 7:00 AM EST to April 30, 11:59 PM EST
Where
Coastal Collier forecast zone
Reported by
Other Federal Agency
Coordinates
26.099, -81.381 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Well-below normal winter and spring rainfall along with a prolonged period of dry weather going back to early 2006 caused for severe drought conditions to spread southward across South Florida. As of April 24th, all of Glades and Hendry counties, as well as northwestern Palm Beach County was under D3 (extreme) drought status. Most of the remainder of Palm Beach County as well as northern sections of Collier and northwestern sections of Broward counties were under D2 (severe) drought status.

By the end of April, Naples had received only 2.93 inches of rain for the year, 36 percent of normal. Fort Lauderdale, Clewiston and Belle Glade stood around 20 inches below normal precipitation since January 2006, about 65 percent of normal.

The level of Lake Okeechobee lowered further to 9.8 feet by April 27th, about 4.5 feet below average and the lowest level since May 2001. Impacts spread from strictly agricultural interest to the general public as water usage restrictions were placed across South Florida. The Lake Okeechobee region was placed under Phase 3 restrictions (50 percent reduction in usage) while the rest of South Florida was under Phase 2 restrictions (30 percent reduction).

What these are

Drought
A drought reaching severe (D2) or worse on the US Drought Monitor, or with notable impacts.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Florida in 2007Every state in 2007This day in weather historyWarnings in Florida, April 2007

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 37829, 37830, 37831, 37832, 37826, 37827, 37828.