Name: Drought in Florida, March 17 to 31, 2009
Start: 2009-03-17T07:00
End: 2009-03-31T23:59
Location: Florida

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 5 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: 5

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.

Dry conditions during the month of March, in addition to very dry conditions since the beginning of the dry season, led to the development of severe drought conditions across Southwest 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 17, 6:41 AM EST, 19 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Mar 17, 6:41 AM EST, 19 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIAMI FL
741 AM EDT TUE MAR 17 2009

.AVIATION...MOSTLY VFR CONDITIONS WILL PREVAIL DURING THE
FORECAST PERIOD. THERE COULD BE SOME LINGERING FOG IN THE VICINITY
OF TERMINALS KTMB AND KAPF...WITH VERY BRIEF PERIODS OF MVFR
CONDITIONS POSSIBLE BUT MOST LIKELY ONLY THROUGH 13Z.
OTHERWISE...COLD FRONT STILL EXPECTED TO ENTER S. FL LATER THIS
AFTERNOON...WITH VCSH ALL TERMINALS BUT MORE FAVORABLE LATE
AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING.

30/KOB

&&

.PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 406 AM EDT TUE MAR 17 2009/

..SOME WELCOME RAINFALL FOR SOUTH FLORIDA TODAY INTO WEDNESDAY...

DISCUSSION...
THE SHERIFFS OFFICE REPORTED THAT SOME DENSE FOG WAS DEVELOPING
OVER THE INTERIOR AREAS OF COLLIER COUNTY EARLY THIS MORNING. SO
WILL BE ISSUING A DENSE FOG ADVISORY FOR COLLIER COUNTY.

A PRE FRONTAL TROUGH WAS LOCATED OVER SOUTH CENTRAL FLORIDA EARLY
THIS MORNING...WITH THE WEAK COLD FRONT OVER NORTH CENTRAL
FLORIDA. THE PRE-FRONTAL TROUGH WILL DISSIPATE TODAY WHILE MOVING
SOUTH INTO SOUTH FLORIDA. THIS WILL ALLOW FOR SOME SHOWERS TO
DEVELOP ALONG BOTH THE EAST AND WEST COAST SEA BREEZES TODAY...AND
PUSH INLAND AS THE SEA BREEZES PUSH INLAND. THE HIGHEST POPS TODAY
WILL BE OVER THE INTERIOR AREAS AROUND 30 PERCENT...WHILE THE
METRO AREAS ALONG BOTH COASTS WILL BE IN THE 20 PERCENT RANGE.

THE WEAK COLD FRONT WILL ALSO MOVE SOUTH TODAY AND INTO SOUTH
FLORIDA TONIGHT...BEFORE WASHING OUT OVER SOUTH FLORIDA ON
WEDNESDAY. THIS WILL ALLOW WINDS TO BECOME NORTHEASTERLY TONIGHT
INTO WEDNESDAY KEEPING THE LOW LEVEL MOISTURE IN PLACE OVER THE
AREA. SO HAVE KEPT THE CHANCE OF SHOWERS GOING FOR THE EAST COAST
METRO AREAS TONIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY NIGHT. FOR REST OF THE
CWA...THE POPS WILL BE IN THE SLIGHT CHANCE TONIGHT...BEFORE GOING
TO CHANCE CAT ON WEDNESDAY...AND THEN BACK TO SLIGHT CHANCE LATE
WEDNESDAY NIGHT. FOR THE PRECIP AMOUNTS FROM THE SHOWERS WILL BE
DISCUSS IN THE HYDRO SECTION OF THE AFD.

THE FRONT WILL HAVE DISSIPATED ON THURSDAY...BUT THE LOW LEVEL
MOISTURE WILL STILL BE AROUND OVER THE CWA. THE EAST AND WEST
COAST SEA BREEZES WILL ALSO SET UP ON THURSDAY AGAIN AND PUSH
INLAND. SO HAVE CHANCE OF SHOWERS ALONG THE EAST COAST METRO
AREAS THURSDAY MORNING...BEFORE GOING TO SLIGHT CHANCE IN THE
AFTERNOON...WHILE THE INTERIOR AND WEST COAST METRO AREAS WILL SEE
A SLIGHT CHANCE OF SHOWERS IN THE MORNING BEFORE GOING TO CHANCE
IN THE AFTERNOON.

A SECONDARY FRONT OVER THE NORTHERN PLAIN STATES WILL ALSO MOVE
SOUTHEAST AND THROUGH SOUTH FLORIDA FRIDAY NIGHT. SO THE LOW LEVEL
MOISTURE WILL REMAIN IN PLACE OVER SOUTH FLORIDA ON FRIDAY AHEAD
OF THE SECOND FRONT. THEREFORE...WILL LEAVE THE SLIGHT CHANCE OF
SHOWERS IN PLACE FOR ALL OF SOUTH FLORIDA ON FRIDAY.

EXTENDED FORECAST...
ONCE THE SECONDARY FRONT MOVES THROUGH THE AREA...STRONG HIGH
PRESSURE WILL BUILD INTO THE MID ATLANTIC STATES THIS WEEKEND.
THIS WILL ALLOW FOR BREEZY TO WINDY NORTHEAST WINDS TO SET UP OVER
THE CWA THIS WEEKEND. THIS WILL ALSO ALLOW FOR A FEW SHOWERS TO
DEVELOP OVER THE GULF STREAM AND WORK INTO THE EASTERN AREAS OF
THE CWA THIS WEEKEND. SO HAVE PUT A SLIGHT CHANCE OF SHOWERS OVER
THE EASTERN AREAS OF SOUTH FLORIDA FOR THIS WEEKEND...WHILE
KEEPING THE WESTERN AREAS DRY.

THE HIGH WILL SLOWLY WEAKEN EARLY NEXT WEEK WHILE REMAINING
NEARLY STATIONARY OVER THE MID ATLANTIC STATES. THIS WILL ALLOW
FOR THE NORTHEAST WINDS TO RELAX SLOWLY EARLY NEXT WEEK OVER THE
AREA. SO HAVE KEPT A SLIGHT CHANCE OF SHOWERS IN THE FORECAST FOR
THE EAST COAST METRO AREAS FOR EARLY NEXT WEEK...WHILE THE WEST
COAST METRO AREAS WILL REMAIN DRY.

MARINE...
THE WINDS OVER THE ATLANTIC WATERS WILL BE SWINGING FROM THE
SOUTHWEST AROUND 5 KNOTS THIS MORNING TO A NORTHEAST DIRECTION BY
THIS EVENING AT 10 TO 15 KNOTS. THE NORTHEAST WINDS WILL CONTINUE
TONIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY AT 10 TO 15 KNOTS...BEFORE GOING EASTERLY
WEDNESDAY NIGHT INTO THURSDAY AT 5 TO 10 KNOTS.

OVER ON THE GULF SIDE...THE WINDS WILL BE SOUTHERLY AT 5 KNOTS THIS
MORNING...BEFORE SWINGING TO A NORTHERLY DIRECTION AT 10 TO 15
KNOTS BY THIS EVENING. THE WINDS WILL THEN BECOME NORTHEASTERLY
TONIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY AT 10 TO 15 KNOTS...BEFORE SWINGING TO
EASTERLY ON THURSDAY AT 5 TO 10 KNOTS.

THERE WILL ALSO BE A SMALL NORTHEAST SWELL THAT WILL AFFECT THE
ATLANTIC WATERS ON WEDNESDAY INTO THURSDAY FROM A LOW PRESSURE
OVER THE MID ATLANTIC WATERS TODAY. THIS WILL ALLOW FOR THE SEAS
IN THE ATLANTIC WATERS TO BUILD TO 5 FEET ON WEDNESDAY INTO
THURSDAY...BUT REMAIN BELOW THE SCEC CONDITIONS. THE GULF SIDE
SEAS WILL ALSO REMAIN BELOW THE SCEC CONDITIONS DURING THE TIME.

FIRE WEATHER...
THE RELATIVE HUMIDITIES WILL REMAIN ABOVE THE 35 PERCENT VALUE
TODAY AND AGAIN ON WEDNESDAY...AS THE LOW LEVEL MOISTURE WILL
REMAIN IN PLACE. THE NORTHWEST INTERIOR AREAS COULD FALL INTO THE
UPPER 30S THIS AFTERNOON FOR ONE TO TWO HOURS. SO AT THIS TIME
WILL NOT ISSUE ANY WARNINGS FOR THE NORTHWEST INTERIOR AREAS...BUT
WILL MONITOR THIS AREA DURING THE AFTERNOON HOURS.

ON THE SIDE NOTE...ALL OF SOUTH FLORIDA IS NOW AT LEAST 700 ON THE
KBDI INDEX WHICH IS IN THE EXTREME FIRE DANGER...EXCEPT FOR
MAINLAND MONROE COUNTY WHICH IS IN THE 650 TO 700 RANGE WHICH IS
IN THE SEVERE FIRE DANGER.

HYDROLOGY...
THE RAINFALL AMOUNTS DURING THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS OVER SOUTH
FLORIDA WILL NOT BE MUCH...AS MID TO UPPER LEVEL SUPPORT FOR DEEP
CONVECTION ALONG THE FRONT WILL BE WELL NORTHEAST OF SOUTH
FLORIDA. SO WE ARE ONLY EXPECTING ABOUT HALF AN INCH OVER THE EAST
COAST METRO AREAS...TO AROUND QUARTER OF AN INCH OVER THE WEST
COAST METRO AREAS. SO AT THIS TIME...THIS WILL NOT BE A DROUGHT
BUSTER FOR SOUTH FLORIDA BUT IT COULD HELP TO REDUCE THE FIRE
DANGER A LITTLE BIT.

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
WEST PALM BEACH  82  67  80  66 / 20 30 40 40
FORT LAUDERDALE  81  68  80  67 / 20 30 40 40
MIAMI            83  68  81  66 / 20 30 40 40
NAPLES           82  64  80  62 / 20 20 30 30

&&

.MFL WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
FL...DENSE FOG ADVISORY UNTIL 9 AM EDT THIS MORNING FOR FLZ069-FLZ070.

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

Hazardous weather outlook, Mar 17, 4:15 AM EST, 2 hours 45 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR SOUTH FLORIDA
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIAMI FL
515 AM EDT TUE MAR 17 2009

FLZ063-066>075-168-172>174-180015-
GLADES-HENDRY-INLAND PALM BEACH-METRO PALM BEACH-COASTAL COLLIER-
INLAND COLLIER-INLAND BROWARD-METRO BROWARD-INLAND MIAMI DADE-
METRO MIAMI DADE-MAINLAND MONROE-COASTAL PALM BEACH-
COASTAL BROWARD-COASTAL MIAMI DADE-FAR SOUTH MIAMI DADE-
515 AM EDT TUE MAR 17 2009

...DENSE FOG POSSIBLE EARLY THIS MORNING INTERIOR AREAS...

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTH FLORIDA.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

VISIBILITY: PATCHY FOG COULD DEVELOP ACROSS ALL OF SOUTH FLORIDA
EARLY THIS MORNING, WITH AREAS OF FOG AND POSSIBLY SOME DENSE FOG OVER
THE INTERIOR. MOTORISTS DRIVING ACROSS ALL OF INTERIOR SOUTH
FLORIDA SHOULD BE ALERT FOR POSSIBLE RAPID CHANGES IN VISIBILITY.
SOME OF THE DENSE FOG MAY WORK ITS WAY TOWARDS THE MORE POPULATED
AREAS ALONG THE ATLANTIC AND GULF COASTS EARLY THIS MORNING, BUT THESE
CHANCES ARE SLIGHTLY LOWER. NEVERTHELESS, MOTORISTS IN THESE AREAS
SHOULD EXERCISE CAUTION WHILE DRIVING EARLY THIS MORNING.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY

NORTHEAST WINDS WILL INCREASE ON WEDNESDAY, FOLLOWING THE PASSAGE
OF A WEAK COLD FRONT. THIS WILL LEAD TO AN ENHANCED THREAT FOR
RIP CURRENTS ALONG THE ATLANTIC COAST. A STRONGER COLD FRONTAL
PASSAGE LATE FRIDAY WILL LEAD TO HAZARDOUS CONDITIONS ON THE LOCAL
WATERS THIS WEEKEND, WITH A THREAT OF RIP CURRENTS CONTINUING
ALONG THE ATLANTIC COAST BEACHES.

.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

5 drought. Local standard time, as filed.

Drought, Coastal Collier County

When: March 17, 7:00 AM EST to March 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where: Coastal Collier County forecast zone
Reported by: Other Federal Agency
Coordinates: 26.099, -81.381 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Dry conditions persisted across most of South Florida during March. Most areas received less than 2 inches of rain, with some interior and western areas receiving less than 1 inch for the entire month. Some east coast areas received higher amounts from a stalled front during the middle of the month, with isolated areas seeing as much as 6 to 8 inches of rain.

Most of South Florida was placed under severe drought (D2) conditions.