You don’t need a weatherman to tell you it has been wet around these parts recently. Most of our yards and playgrounds look like swamps, due to days of heavy rain. “Officially”, by the numbers recorded at the Beaches International Airport, about six inches has fallen since July 24th. However, the heavy rain that has recently shown up is now wearing out its welcome.
Rainy weather is all about “patterns”. The pattern we are stuck in now is known as “troughing”, and by its nature is a dynamical rain-maker. In effect, it causes a vertical (rising) motion in the atmosphere, which in turns make clouds and then rain. Add in some Florida humidity, and you have created yourself an efficient rain machine!
This pattern was put into motion about 3 weeks ago, as the big heat dome was building across the Central Plains. Now that heat dome has pushed even further west, putting us in the dead base of the troughing pattern — the most efficient rain making area of a trough!
500mb Analysis Chart
Oddly enough, July and August is our rainy season along the Florida panhandle. Check out the climatology chart from the National Weather Service. In these two months alone, we can see as much as 15 inches of rain on average!
Panama City Rainfall Climatology
Over the last week, we have seen 8 inches of rain, or double what we should see for the entire month of August! Below is the radar estimates of rainfall since August 1st. It’s been a gully-washer!!
Radar Rainfall Estimates
As of Friday, August 10th, there are no flood watches or warnings in place. But, that could change if the heavy rain continues to invade the “Sunshine State”. Oh, and as for this pattern we are in, they typically last 4 to 6 weeks. So, we expect another couple of weeks of off-and-on rainy weather!
