Tampa Bay's Worst Drought in a Decade

0:00Tampa Bay stuck in a serious drought, the worst in over a decade, with rainfall short by 10 to 15 inches across the region since early. September, Tampa itself logged just 10 and a half inches, 11 inches below normal, marking the dry start to dry season on record in spots. This dry spell kicked off last fall after a week rainy season, dragging through winter and spring, building up deficits that hit moderate to extreme. Levels now covering west central and southwest Florida. The most extreme drought here since 2012. Impacts are hitting hard, rivers, lakes and ponds sit way below normal, ground waters near record lows, and wetlands in the Wittla Kucchi River Basin have dried up completely. Fire dangers spiking too, with dry fuels, warm temps, and winds fueling brush fires and burn bands in multiple counties during peak season. Even recent showers haven't moved the needle much, as part soils and plants soak it up fast without denting the long-term gap. People say dry weather sticks around for weeks.

1:01Rainy season won't reliably kick in until mid to late May, around May 15th in southwest Florida, and May 25th up north, ramping up by. Early June with daily storms, but until then, this drought could linger or even deepen. That wraps Tampa Bay News today, brought to you with AI.