Florida is experiencing widespread drought conditions, driven by minimal rainfall and storms during Florida’s typically wet seasons, combined with warmer temperatures during the current dry season.

This prolonged lack of rainwater has dried out soil and lowered water supply, increasing concern about effects on the state’s water supply availability, farmers’ ability to maintain agriculture and an increased wildfire risk throughout the state.

According to Kelly Godsey, a senior service hydrologist with the National Weather Service, “for the first time since the drought monitor started in 2000, this is the first time that all of Florida has been included in at least a D1 moderate drought or worse,” Godsey said. “There are numerous areas across Florida that are in extreme drought.” 

The U.S. Drought Monitor classifies drought intensity on a scale from abnormally dry (D0) to exceptional (D4), with moderate drought beginning at (D1). While the current drought is not yet the most severe the state has experienced, Godsey said it is comparable to drought conditions seen in 2011 and 2012.   

 “We’re certainly on course for drought conditions to continue to worsen,” Godsey said. 

Hydrologists monitor a variety of indicators to determine drought severity, including data sets, river gauges, precipitation levels, groundwater conditions and agricultural impacts. 

“It all starts with precipitation,” Godsey said, noting that officials monitor fire weather conditions by how counties are responding to brush fires, wildfire activity and the implementation of burn bans. “Those are some of the kind of on the ground impact that really let us know that we’re starting to dry out and get into a critical situation.” 

Prolonged drought conditions can have widespread environmental and economic impacts across Florida. Farmers may experience crop failures or lower yields due to limited rainfall, forcing some to purchase additional feed for livestock, which can make farming more expensive. 

The lack of rainfall can also increase wildfire risk, particularly as temperatures rise during the spring months. 

Genevieve Printiss, an educational forester for Bear Creek and public information officer and mitigation specialist for the Florida Forest Service’s District 4, said the dry conditions are already affecting how fires behave across the state. 

“We’re seeing a lot of increased fire danger and some kind of sporadic fire behavior that is pretty unusual for this time of year,” Printiss said. “The brush is a lot drier, and we’re seeing fires go into areas they usually wouldn’t, like wetlands.” 

Drought conditions can also strain Florida’s water systems, especially as Florida’s population continues to grow, increasing the demand for water resources. 

Khia Norman, a senior civil and environmental engineering student, said practicing water conversation and proper infrastructure planning are critical for managing water shortages during a drought of this degree. 

“Communities really focus on conserving their water, so they’ll limit their non- essential water so like taking shorter showers and they’ll improve efficiency by fixing their leaks or using low flow fixtures,” Norman said. “Definitely upgrading their irrigation methods, too.” 

Norman said in the long term, strategies include expanding stormwater storage systems and aquifer recharge efforts to diversify Florida’s water sources. 

“Aquifer recharge is basically refilling underground water supplies so we can store water for later use,” Norman said. 

Experts say residents can also help lessen the impacts of drought by following local water management guidelines. 

“They help identify and keep track of the water supply and when certain restrictions for the use of water need to be put in place,” Godsey said.  

As Florida moves into the warmer spring months, hydrologists and environmental officials say monitoring rainfall patterns will be key to determining whether drought conditions improve or intensify.