Did weekend rain help improve drought conditions in Florida?
Florida got some rain over the weekend, but not enough to make much of a difference in the driest counties.
As of Monday morning, there are 55 wildfires in the state, down from 61 Friday, according to the Florida Forest Service.
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But the average statewide drought index shot up Sunday, showing conditions around the state haven't improved much as the dry season continues to impact the state, especially Southwest and South Florida.
The Keetch-Byram Drought Index average for Florida continues to climb, jumping to a statewide average of 355 Sunday, March 30, up from 339 March 27. The drought index uses a scale from 0, which is very wet, to 800, which is very dry.
As of Sunday, March 30, there were 15 Florida counties with an average Keetch-Byram Drought Index over 500, which means drought or increased fire danger.
Broward: 665
Charlotte: 526
Collier: 583
Glades: 580
Hardee: 535
Hendry: 597
Highlands: 509
Lake: 526
Lee: 551
Manatee: 504
Miami-Dade: 618
Monroe: 541
Palm Beach: 618
Sarasota: 501
Sumter: 515
Another 15 of Florida's 67 counties have index numbers in the 400s. If conditions don't improve soon, these counties might see drought index numbers hitting 500 this week:
DeSoto: 493
Hernando: 496
Martin: 483
Orange: 480
Pasco: 480
Volusia: 495
➤ Florida faces tornadoes, hail, strong winds as intense storms move through some locations
Pensacola, Panhandle: A severe thunderstorm watch was issued for parts of Florida, including Pensacola, until 1 p.m. CDT Monday, March 31. A couple of tornadoes are possible, along with isolated hail up to ping-pong ball size. Scattered gusts up to 70 mph are likely, according to the National Weather Service Mobile.
Tallahassee: A couple of tornadoes are possible today, along with damaging wind gusts and isolated large hail. Timing is late morning through evening, according to the National Weather Service Tallahassee.
Jacksonville, North Florida: There's a potential for strong to severe storms March 31. Threats include isolated tornadoes, thunderstorm wind gusts ranging from 40 to 70 mph, hail and locally heavy rainfall, according to the National Weather Service Jacksonville. Timing is for the afternoon and evening.
East central Florida: Expect partly sunny and warm conditions during most of the day. Conditions are favorable for storms to develop between 3 and 9 p.m. Storms could bring gusty winds near 50 mph, small hail and heavy rain, according to the National Weather Service Melbourne.
South Florida: After "significant rainfall" Sunday, residents can expect drier conditions March 31 but there will be some isolated to scattered showers/storms later in the afternoon and evening, according to the National Weather Service Miami.
Southwest Florida: Isolated late afternoon and evening thunderstorms are expected today across the northern Nature Coast. A couple of storms may be strong with damaging winds, locally heavy rain and small hail, according to the National Weather Service Tampa Bay.
We will continue to update our weather coverage as conditions warrant. Download your local site's app to ensure you're always connected to the news. And look for our special subscription offers here.
Contributing: Tayeba Hussein, Naples Daily News
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Florida fires: 55 brush fires burning and drought continues
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