Drought relief many days away for Florida
If your lawn is turning brown and your watering bill is climbing in Florida, don't look for the weather to help much in the coming days and weeks.
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There are no signs of big rainstorms or thunderstorms heading for Florida on a regular basis, which means that abnormally dry to drought conditions will continue and expand in some areas with the potential for wildfires, AccuWeather meteorologists caution.
Much of Florida experiences dry conditions from late autumn to the first part of spring when the end of winter storms over the main part of the continental United States provides minimal rainfall. Most of the state's annual rainfall comes from thunderstorms from late spring to early autumn.
Vehicles move South on U.S. 1 highway as smoke from a brush fire enteres the sky near Homestead, Fla., on Friday March 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Jaqueline Larma)
"Conditions have been drier than average over much of the Florida Peninsula since the start of the year, thanks to a persistent flow of cold air into the Northeast and dry air into coastal areas of the Southeast," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Chad Merrill said. "This prevented moisture from the Atlantic and the Gulf from flowing across the state on a regular basis."
For example, Orlando typically receives just under 9 inches of rain from Jan. 1 to April 18. This year, only about 4 inches of rain has fallen at Orlando International Airport.
As the dry season progressed, rainfall became even leaner when compared to the lower historical averages.
Orlando has received only a few tenths of an inch of rain so far in April. Meanwhile, Daytona Beach, Florida, has received only 0.02 of an inch — or 1% of the April average.
A typical late-winter and early-spring pattern is great for outdoor enthusiasts and tourism. Many Florida permanent residents cherish the warming trend with limited rainfall. From a cultural aspect, the snowbirds tend to pack up and head home, leaving fun to be had with less traffic for the natives.
However, this spring has been much drier than the historical average. When combined with the sandy soil in many areas, this has increased watering demands and made the natural landscape a tinderbox for wildfires. There is less demand for lawn-cutting operations and new equipment sales, as well as creating higher costs for agriculture.
Thus far, there have been few major fires, but with the dry pattern continuing as the sun strengthens daily, that could change quickly.
This photo shows smoke from fires in Miami-Dade County filling the sky on Card Sound Road heading to the Florida Keys on Tuesday, March 18, 2025. (Monroe County Board of County Commissioners via AP)
People are urged to be extremely careful with any outdoor equipment that can spark, closely monitor outdoor grills when in use and avoid parking on non-paved areas, where the hot exhaust systems from vehicles could start a fire.
There are no signs of drenching rains or frequent thunderstorms heading for the peninsula and much of the state in general anytime soon.
The pattern well into next week will be dominated by an area of high pressure that will hang out just off the southern East Coast of the United States into next week.
While a weak front may drop in to trigger spotty thunderstorms for a day, prolonged, widespread rainfall will be lacking for much of the rest of the month.
While rainfall has been adequate in the Florida Panhandle, many areas of the Florida Peninsula are considered abnormally dry, with some experiencing severe drought.
"Typically, during May, especially the second half of the month, conditions tend to turn around over the Florida Peninsula and shower and thunderstorm activity increases due to higher humidity levels and Atlantic and Gulf breezes," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Brett Anderson said.
As hurricane season begins on June 1, opportunities for drenching rainfall typically further increase over Florida.
"We have information that strongly suggests in a pattern similar to what is expected heading into the summer, that early-season tropical development often occurs during May or June in eastern Gulf and southwestern Atlantic waters," AccuWeather Lead Hurricane Expert Alex DaSilva said.
Waters are especially warm over the Gulf, compared to the historical average.
If one or more tropical systems form in those waters, part of Florida could be directly affected by drenching rain or adverse conditions.
"Late-season cool fronts are more likely to reach the northern part of the state than the southern part of the peninsula during May and June, but the tail end of the fronts in the Gulf and southwestern Atlantic often are a source for early-season tropical activity," AccuWeather Lead Long-Range Meteorologist Paul Pastelok added.
Rain is also needed in central and eastern areas of the Carolinas, Virginia and Georgia.
If rains fail to come in the next few weeks, that could become a more significant problem moving forward this summer.
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