Recent rains unlikely to relieve Florida’s drought conditions

MELBOURNE, Fla. — Central Florida is in the midst of a record-setting drought.  This is the driest beginning to the year since the area has seen weather watchers started keeping records more than a century ago.

Meteorologist Matthew Bragaw with the National Weather Service Office in Melbourne say this week’s rain will have little impact on the drought.

“The rainfall deficit for the Orlando International Airport is still more than 8 inches below average,” said Bragaw.  He added, “Normally, we are running about 13.5 inches, and we’ve received just over 5.”

According to data from the U.S. Drought Monitor, a handful of counties in the center of the state are just below the most dangers drought rating.

Bragaw says of all three airports around Orlando, none of them recorded more than 2 inches of total rainfall.

Relief could soon be on the way.  Central Florida’s rainy season typically begins toward the end of May.

The 2017 Atlantic Hurricane season officially begins on June 1.