Tampa Bay's 2023 rainfall was far below average
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We brought you news last year of the Tampa Bay area's drought conditions. New data shows just how dry of a year we had.
Driving the news: By the end of 2023, our average annual rainfall was far below the previous 30-year average — by as much as 50% in Pinellas County and some parts of Pasco, Sarasota and Manatee counties, according to NOAA data.
By the numbers: Between 1991 and 2000, the average amount of rainfall was about 49 inches in Tampa and 47 inches in St. Pete. Last year's totals were down by more than 10 inches: about 37 inches in Tampa and about 34 inches across the bay.
- The bulk of our rain falls from June through September, and we had a dry summer, National Weather Service meteorologist Ross Giarratana told Axios.
- One data point that shows this: The 1991-2000 average for Tampa's rainfall in July is 7.75 inches. Last year, it totaled a measly 2.84 inches.
Meanwhile, Florida's east coast, especially our friends in Miami and Fort Lauderdale, saw above-average rainfall.
What gives? There were more days than usual of westerly winds, which pushed sea-breeze-driven thunderstorms to the east, Giarratana said. That's why there weren't as many summer afternoon storms here that we're used to.
The latest: A swath of the Tampa Bay region is still under drought conditions, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.
Yes, but: "Somewhat of a silver lining here is we have seen drought improvements here in recent weeks" due to a strong El Niño, Giarratana said.
- "There's no way to say for sure if our rainfall deficit is going to be erased," he added, "but so far we've had above average precipitation for the winter months, and with El Niño still in place, it could very much continue."