Special to Lake Okeechobee News
True wet season rains are forecast for this week according to the South Florida Water Management District environmental conditions report, issued Sept. 14.
Very heavy rains are likely on Thursday, and Friday. The greatest concentration of rains is likely over the west, and much above average weekly rainfall is expected to result.
The abundant deep tropical moisture, sufficient daytime instability, and lift provided by the frontal boundary will support very heavy rainfall this week
The greatest rainfall amounts could possibly occur south of Lake Okeechobee where steering currents are lighter, and local maximums in excess of 4 inches are a certain possibility.
Heavy rains are likely up until Saturday. Afterwards, there is considerable divergence within the model solutions regarding the atmospheric conditions over southern Florida on Sunday and Monday.
For the period of Sept. 5-11, Lake Okeechobee received 46,910 acre feet of water in direct rainfall and inflows of 9,730 acre feet. The lake lost 25,720 acre feet to evapotranspiration.
