Tropical Storm Cristobal nearly eradicated the drought along the Gulf Coast and left Florida almost drought-free for the first time in over a year.
Cristobal soaked areas from southeast Louisiana to north Florida and south Georgia when it trudged ashore last weekend with storm surge flooding and strong wind gusts, and it nearly erased the drought along the northern Gulf Coast in a week's time.
(MORE: Cristobal Full Recap)
The northern Gulf Coast drought shrunk to a four-county area around Mobile Bay, Alabama, according to the Drought Monitor analysis from the U.S. Drought Mitigation Center released Thursday.
The previous week's analysis indicated moderate and severe drought, the lowest two levels on a four level scale of drought, extended from southeast Louisiana to the Florida Panhandle.
The change in drought area from before Tropical Storm Cristobal - June 2 - to after Cristobal - June 9, 2020. Areas in yellow aren't officially in drought, but are rather "abnormally dry".Parts of north Florida picked up over 10 inches of rain from Cristobal. In Jacksonville, that was too much of a good thing. Flash flooding stranded cars in the city on Sunday.
Gulfport, Mississippi, picked up almost 7 inches of rain last Sunday, and almost 11 inches of rain from June 3-10, wiping level 2 severe drought out of Harrison County, Mississippi.
Despite lingering long-term drought from a dry spring, Mobile has already picked up just over 8.5 inches of rain in June.
And while drought had eased from New Orleans in recent weeks, the Big Easy was swamped by both Cristobal's rain and another succession of downpours after Cristobal had long since moved away on June 10.
Estimated rainfall from June 4-10, 2010 in the Southeast. The heaviest rain is denoted by yellow, orange, red and pink contours. One location in north Florida picked up over 13 inches of rain from Tropical Storm Cristobal.Spring's Drought Eroded
Cristobal marked the end of an impressive turnaround from spring.
In mid-April, drought covered much of Florida, and extended along the Gulf Coast into southern Alabama, southern Mississippi and southern Louisiana.
Florida has rather pronounced wet and dry seasons. Early spring is on the tail end of the state's dry season, and this spring was no exception. January through May was also the state's hottest first five months of any year dating to 1895, according to NOAA, helping to further dry out the Sunshine State.
Drought Monitor analyses from April 21 through June 9, 2020, showing the drought erosion in the Sunshine State and northern Gulf Coast.Given the drought's rapid retreat, it only makes sense that more dry weather is ahead.
Areas from the Florida Panhandle to Louisiana are expected to remain mostly dry into Father's Day weekend, but on the peninsula, the rainy season is well underway.
The Weather Company’s primary journalistic mission is to report on breaking weather news, the environment and the importance of science to our lives. This story does not necessarily represent the position of our parent company, IBM.
The Weather Company’s primary journalistic mission is to report on breaking weather news, the environment and the importance of science to our lives. This story does not necessarily represent the position of our parent company, IBM.
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