Summer 2017 was Warmer Than Normal with Near to Above Normal Precipitation Across East Central Florida

Public Information Statement 
National Weather Service Melbourne FL
817 PM EDT Fri Sep 1 2017

...Summer 2017 was Warmer Than Normal with Near to Above Normal 
Precipitation Across East Central Florida...

This summer saw an active start to the wet season in June, with 
daily shower and thunderstorm coverage throughout much of the season 
that was sufficient to produce near to above normal rainfall across 
the area. Precipitation totals for August did end up below normal 
for areas south of Lake and Volusia counties. However, rainfall in 
June and July was more than enough to lead to seasonal amounts that 
were near to above normal overall for east central Florida. 

Warmer than normal conditions persisted through the summer months. 
However this was typically dominated by warmer than normal overnight 
lows, as convection and the cloud cover it generated kept average 
maximum temperatures closer to normal for much of the area.  

Temperatures...

High temperatures generally ranged from the upper 80s to low 90s 
along the coast most days this season, and in the low to mid 90s 
across the interior. However, wetter periods, especially in June, 
helped produce lower maximum temperature values, in the low to mid 
80s across the region. Overnight lows often reached the low to mid 
70s, but periods of onshore flow would often lead to minimum 
temperatures in the upper 70s to around 80 degrees, mainly along the 
coast. Throughout the season, numerous warm minimum temperature 
records were tied or broken at coastal climate sites south of the 
Cape, from a total of 17 at Melbourne to 11 at Vero Beach.  

The overall warmer than normal temperatures at night that were 
especially dominating along the coast this season, were the larger 
factors that led to average temperature values that were generally 
above normal for the summer. Average maximum temperature values for 
the season ranged from 1.2 degrees below normal at Orlando to 1.1 
degrees above normal at Vero Beach, but average minimum temperatures 
ranged from near normal at Orlando to 4.0 degrees higher than the 
average at Melbourne. In fact, Melbourne had their warmest average 
minimum temperature for the summer on record, with a value of 76.5 
degrees, beating out the previous record of 76.1 set during the 
summer of 2010. Daytona Beach, Melbourne, and Vero Beach all had 
average temperature values this summer that ranked within their 
respective top 5 warmest, with Melbourne the most notable, having 
the second warmest summer on record!


Average temperature values for Summer 2017 at the four primary
climate sites across east central Florida are as follows (rankings
provided if in the top 10):

-Daytona Beach had an average temperature for the season of 82.3 
degrees Fahrenheit, which was 1.3 degrees above normal. This ties 
2007 and 1970 as the 5th warmest average temperature for summer on 
record for this site, with records going back to 1923. 

-Orlando had an average temperature for the season of 81.7 degrees 
Fahrenheit, which was 0.6 degrees below normal. 

-Melbourne had an average temperature for the season of 83.7 degrees 
Fahrenheit, which was 2.4 degrees above normal. This ranks as the 
2nd warmest average temperature for summer at this site. The warmest 
Summer on record at Melbourne is 84.0 degrees set in 1998, with 
records going back to 1937. 

-Vero Beach had an average temperature for the season of 82.6 
degrees Fahrenheit, which was 1.4 degrees above normal. This ranks 
as the 4th warmest average temperature for summer at this site, with 
records going back to 1942. 


Rainfall...

Precipitation started out much above normal, especially during the 
first half of June, after an unsettled weather pattern combined with 
the start of the wet season to produce a significant increase in 
shower and thunderstorm activity across the area. Rainfall amounts 
of 4 to 8 inches fell across much of the area during this time, with 
Martin County seeing totals around 10 to 13 inches. 

While convective coverage was not as extreme through the reminder of 
the season, there were limited extended periods of drier weather 
that occurred, with scattered sea breeze generated showers and 
thunderstorms developing across the area most days. Rainfall amounts 
were also boosted by widespread heavy rainfall from the remnants of 
Tropical Depression Four in mid July and Tropical Cyclone Emily that 
crossed the area late in the month. 

Rainfall was not quite as plentiful for areas in August for areas 
south of Lake and Volusia counties, with totals typically between 2 
to 4 inches below normal for many locations. However, precipitation 
earlier in the season still led to amounts across the area that were 
near to above normal for the summer. 


Summer 2017 rainfall totals for the four primary climate sites 
across east central Florida are as follows (ranking provided if in 
the top 10):

-Daytona Beach received 21.44 inches of rain for the season, which 
was 3.38 inches above normal. 

-Orlando received 22.03 inches of rain for the season, which was 
0.05 inches above normal.  

-Melbourne received 19.35 inches of rain for the season, which was 
1.00 inch below normal. 

-Vero Beach received 18.38 inches of rain for the season, which was 
0.95 inches below normal. 


Cooperative Observer Station Rainfall Rankings: 

-Clermont received 32.20 inches of rain for the season, which ranks 
as the 6th wettest Summer on record. Records for this site go back 
to 1923.  


Below is a list of observed precipitation totals and rainfall 
statistics for select sites across east central Florida for Summer 
2017: 

Station        Summer 2017      Normal      Departure    Percent of 
                Rainfall       Rainfall    From Normal     Normal

Daytona Beach    21.44"         18.06"       +3.38"         119% 
(DAB)
Orlando          22.03"         21.98"       +0.05"         100%
(MCO)
Melbourne        19.35"         20.35"       -1.00"          95%
(MLB)
Vero Beach       18.38"         19.33"       -0.95"          95%
(VRB)
Clermont         32.20"         23.08"       +9.12"         140%
(CLRF1)
Leesburg         30.45"         22.17"       +8.28"         137%
(LEE)
DeLand           30.16"         24.30"       +5.86"         124%
(DELF1)
Sanford          22.61"         23.33"       -0.72"          97%
(SFNF1)
Titusville       26.01"         21.38"       +4.63"         122% 
(TITF1)
Fort Pierce      15.64"         19.25"       -3.61"          81%
(FPCF1)
Stuart           21.99"         22.41"       -0.42"          98%
(STRF1)

For more local climate information, please visit our web page at
http://weather.gov/mlb and click on the "Climate" icon toward the
bottom of the page.

$$

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