Page 11 - Abacoa Community News - March '21

Abacoa, Page 11
Northern Notes

The Dry Season events such as tornadoes, flooding, strong
winds and hail, but does not totally
By Katie Roundtree, eliminate them. During the La Niña of
Finance Director, Northern 2016/2017, three tornadoes were observed
Palm Beach County in southeast Florida during January and
Improvement District March. Also, as noted previously, a few
One uncontrollable strong cold snaps and freezes typically
factor affecting Northern occur during La Niña winters even though
services more than any the average temperatures over an extended
other is the weather. Warmer period may be warmer than normal.
temperatures in the summer As the winter months continue, we
months create the potential can anticipate some of the environmental
for increased amounts of realities which occur based on NOAA’s
rain, flooding and chances forecast. The biggest and most visible
of hurricanes. Cooler affect is the lowering of water levels across
temperatures in the winter months typically mean dryer the county. Water levels in the waterways
air, less rain and canals and lakes with lower water levels. within Northern’s jurisdiction, including
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration neighborhood lakes, fluctuate based on
(NOAA) forecasts a drier than normal pattern in south rainfall in the area. When it is raining
Florida with slightly warmer than average temperatures consistently, water levels are maintained
for the period from November 2020 through April 2021, at or near maximum, but when it is not
which encompasses most of the area’s dry season. raining, water dissipates, and levels fall.
The National Weather Service has forecast that La During the rainy season we move water
Niña conditions will likely persist throughout the dry out of the waterways in accordance with
season. La Niña is the cold-water phase of the ENSO (El SFWMD criteria. Water is allowed to rise
Niño Southern Oscillation) cycle and is characterized by to a certain level and then it is released
a cooling of waters in the central and eastern equatorial to maintain that level and prevent area
Pacific waters. This cooling of the equatorial Pacific to flooding. In the dry season all rain events
below normal values affects large scale weather systems are monitored in case lakes and canals
across all of North America. The main impact of La Niña reach maximum levels, but it is less likely
in Florida is typically a very dry and less stormy winter and to happen because of the limited rainfall.
early spring. La Niña winters are typically characterized When lake levels drop, Northern receives
by a jet stream which is displaced farther north over North calls asking staff to pump water back
America, leading to most winter and spring low pressure into lakes; unfortunately, we cannot do
storm tracks staying north of Florida. The jet stream being this. The simple reason is that Northern was not created According to NOAA, we can look forward to more cool,
farther north can also limit the number of cold air outbreaks to pump water into areas, but to drain the lands within clear days than rainy ones in the coming months. While
into Florida, although a few strong outbreaks of Arctic its jurisdiction to make it habitable for development. Our we enjoy the cooler temperatures, please remember we are
origin can still occur with freezing temperatures primarily enabling legislation in 1959 even went so far to declare still in the dry season, and that means low water levels all
over interior sections of the peninsula. This could lead to water as a “common enemy.” Thankfully, public opinion across the county. We have to be patient and let nature take
water management issues as well as an increased risk of of water has changed over time and we have in turn found its course.
wildfires in the spring. ways to conserve it. There are times though when water is Source: National Weather Service Forecast Office
A warmer and drier than normal winter and dry season scarce, and until the rains begin again, will remain scarce NPDES tip: Do not burn any trash in your yards, and
decreases the likelihood and frequency of severe weather causing lakes and canals to be low. don’t dump any debris into lakes and canals.

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