| Ideal Candidate Radar |
January thru August 7 year average 2011/17 rainfall for Jackson County and the surrounding area has returned to near normal. The strong summer monsoons of 2013/14 and ample rain in 2016 continues to aid the drought recovery. Rainfall was near average or slightly below for most areas; rainfall has slowed in the recent months But the area under the radar rain shadow, Ponce De Leon, Bonifay, Euchee Valley and Graceville continues to show a huge deficit. The rain gage readings ranged from a high of 57" at Argyle and a low of 35" at the Bonifay forestry station. The abundant rainfall at Fort Walton Beach, Eglin AFB, and Niceville Valpariso was the impact of the positive mode of AquariusRadar as explained on the Radar Rainshadow page. The high black bear population North of the Eglin and Valpariso area is partially accounted for by the abundant supplies of figs, berries, grapes, gopher apples, and similar fruits brought on by the heavy rain in that area. The total just North of the Eglin AFB headquarters area is estimated at 62"+ for the 8 month period. Because summer monsoon storms are highly variable in track direction, the storms of summer partially blur the rain shadow line. However, the radar rain shadow remains readily identifiable on the map, as illustrated by the remarkable 23" differential between Argyle and Bonifay reporting stations. The regional drought conditions are destined to return and are the result of the reoccurring domes of high pressure which frequently dominate the region. A quick glance at the globe shows Jackson County in the area near 30º, the "horse latitudes", and the same latitude as most major desert regions. Historically, the Southeast US maintained a strong agriculture base with abundant rainfall because Gulf moisture collided with the unstable air of Temperate cyclones that were forced in a Southern arc by strong Polar high pressure systems. Global warming has weakened the Polar highs and strengthened "horse latitude" highs, forcing cyclones on a distant Northern track. Ambitious politicians who fight every attempt to restrain global warming have doomed Southern agriculture to a hardscrabble and unprofitable future. Data sources can be seen here.CoCoRAHS, NW Florida Water Conservation District, and at Florida Department of Forestry. |
January through August average rainfall 2011/2017