Whether you like it or not, the rainy season is here. This means thunderstorms will just about be a daily occurrence.
Floridians are used to these storms though and some say they deal with it in three simple steps:
- Raincoat
- Umbrella
- Wait 20 minutes
The spring months are usually sunny and dry, so hopefully some of you got out and embraced the warm sunny days. If not, don’t worry, there will be more of them. After all, we do live in the Sunshine State.
But let’s face reality. The rainy season is here, and it typically runs from June through September. Nearly two-thirds of our annual rainfall occur during these four months.
There is no set start date for the rainy season. Some years, it begins in May and other years it begins as late as early July. It really depends on the overall pattern.
The rainy season begins when cold fronts no longer make it to our area and thunderstorms develop each day along the sea breeze.
Typically, these storms start along Florida’s East Coast and progress toward the Gulf during the afternoon. Other times, it is reversed and thunderstorms develop on the Gulf side before pushing toward Florida’s East Coast.
The orientation of thunderstorms largely depends on the general wind flow.
Storms form along convergence zones and this can be a sea breeze boundary or outflow boundaries caused by other storms.
Convergence zones are when opposite wind flows meet at a certain point and force the air upward, creating more storms. It can look impressive on satellite, especially when storms develop explosively.
Rainfall skyrockets during the month of June. On average, Tampa Bay receives 6.68 inches of rain in June alone. August is typically our wettest month, with nearly eight inches of rain, on average.
So if you're anxiously waiting to get out and enjoy the outdoors, don't hold back. Some say a rainy day at the beach is better than a sunny day at the office.
Just remember, our storms are known for the lightning and it's never a good idea to be outside when lightning is present.
