Tampa Bay, FL – A record-setting rainfall in Punta Gorda on Tuesday has provided a brief break from otherwise dry conditions across the western Florida peninsula, where drought continues to persist.
According to the National Weather Service in Tampa Bay, 0.82 inches of rain fell in Punta Gorda on December 2, surpassing the previous record of 0.52 inches set in 1996. While the rainfall was localized, forecasters say additional precipitation this weekend could bring minor drought relief to broader portions of the region.
The U.S. Drought Monitor currently lists most of west-central Florida under Abnormally Dry to Moderate Drought (D0–D1) conditions, with the most severe dryness reported across parts of the Panhandle and northwestern Florida.
The five-day forecast calls for generally dry and mild weather through Thursday and Friday, with highs reaching the upper 70s to low 80s across Tampa, Lakeland, and Fort Myers. By Saturday, rain chances increase—up to 70% in Chiefland and 30–50% for much of the Tampa Bay area—as a weak front moves across the Gulf Coast. Scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms are possible through Sunday, when rain chances remain near 50–60% before tapering off.
Even with rain in the outlook, forecasters caution that widespread drought relief is unlikely in the short term. “While any rainfall helps, much of the region remains well below normal precipitation for late fall,” meteorologists noted in the latest climate update.
Residents are encouraged to conserve water where possible and monitor updated forecasts as weekend rainfall patterns develop.
