What a difference six months makes.
Last fall many residents were worried about floods as torrential hurricane-related rainfall caused some rivers to surge into torrents few people alive today could recall.
Now residents are concerned about wildfires as local officials are imposing outdoor burn bans because the rain faucet is down to a drip .if that. in many places though there are predictions of some relief by next week.
According to the National Weather Service in Ruskin’s preliminary March data, it was the second driest March on record in Winter Haven, the fourth driest in Bartow and the fifth driest at Archbold Biological Station.
Meanwhile, it was the sixth warmest March on record in Lakeland (tied with a previous ranking from 1935), and the 9th hottest in Winter Haven and at Archbold. Other stations in the area are at double-digit rankings.
It will be interesting to see how the rest of spring goes between now and the start of hurricane season.