ORLANDO, Fla. – After much-needed rain last week, we’re starting to see some improvement in drought conditions across Central Florida.
The latest update from the U.S. Drought Monitor shows noticeable improvements in some places in Central Florida.
That improvement follows a stretch of beneficial rainfall that helped chip away at some of the driest conditions across the region.
Most areas picked up at least 1 to 2 inches of rain, with coastal areas receiving 5-8 inches of rain.
The majority of Florida saw small changes, it’s doesn’t come as a surprise that Brevard saw the more noticeable improvement.
Compared to last week, Brevard eliminated its extreme drought category with the county now under a moderate to severe drought.
While that kind of rain doesn’t erase a drought, it does go a long way in improving soil moisture and slowing down the drought intensity.
At this point, models show that we need an additional 11-13 inches of rainfall in the next month to fully reverse drought conditions.
WILDFIRE SEASON
We’re also still in the heart of Florida’s dry season, which means wildfire remain a big concern as drought conditions are still the worst in 25 years.
Florida fire risk typically increases April and May as temperatures heat up while humidity stays low.
The more reliable, widespread relief usually doesn’t arrive until Florida’s rainy season begins, which typically ramps up in late May.