Florida Needs 36 to 47 Inches of Rain Over the Next 5 Months to End Historic Drought With Orlando, Daytona, Jacksonville and North Port Facing the Largest Deficits
ORLANDO, FLORIDA — Florida’s historic drought has reached a level where the state needs 3 to 4 feet of rain during the upcoming wet season just to eliminate the deficit. City-by-city data shows rainfall needs ranging from 36 inches in Pensacola and Tallahassee up to 47 inches in North Port — all required over the next 5 months to bring the state back to normal conditions.
How Much Rain Each City Needs Over the Next 5 Months
| City | Rain Needed |
|---|---|
| North Port | 47 inches |
| Daytona Beach | 46 inches |
| Orlando | 46 inches |
| Fort Pierce | 44 inches |
| Jacksonville | 44 inches |
| Gainesville | 44 inches |
| Tampa | 44 inches |
| West Palm Beach | 43 inches |
| Miami | 43 inches |
| Key West | 38 inches |
| Tallahassee | 36 inches |
| Pensacola | 36 inches |
Central and East Florida Carrying the Deepest Deficit
The deepest drought conditions are concentrated across central and eastern Florida, with North Port at 47 inches, Orlando and Daytona at 46 inches leading the state. The Panhandle — Pensacola and Tallahassee — faces the smallest deficit at 36 inches, still an extraordinary amount to recover in a single wet season.
El Nino Could Help This Fall and Winter
While achieving full drought recovery during the 5-month wet season alone is possible but not guaranteed, El Nino fall and winter conditions are historically wet for Florida. Any rainfall deficits remaining after summer could potentially be addressed by an active El Nino-driven fall and winter pattern picking up where the wet season leaves off.
Stay with CabarrusWeekly.com for continued coverage of Florida’s historic drought and the long road to recovery.
