We have set records in various places. We need a lot of rain to get us into a normal range of readings. It's been so dry that county commissioners reinstated the outdoor burn ban last week. From April 1-24, there were 17 brush fires and 11 smoke investigation calls within Hernando County. The index measures dryness of a region, with 800 being a desert.
Today begins a new month but the same old weather patterns.
Forecasters are calling for only a 20 percent chance of rain today and a 50 percent chance Wednesday and Thursday. The bulk of the rain will stay on the east and southern part of the state, Morales said. There is some good news, however. The cloudy days, below-average temperatures and breezy conditions this week will keep topsoil from drying out faster than usual. Normally, the first week of May, temperatures are in the mid to upper 80s with lots of sun and not a trace of rain, he said.