North Florida experiences 19 inches below normal rainfall over 12 months

Alachua County closed the boat ramp to Watermelon Pond in early February because of low water levels amid a regional drought.

Courtesy of Alachua County

Key Points

North Florida recorded only 1.37 inches of rain in March, 69% below the normal 4.46 inches for that month.
The 12-month rainfall deficit in the Suwannee River Water Management District reached nearly 20 inches as of March 31, up from 15.37 inches in February.
Alachua County issued burn bans in November 2025 and a State of Emergency was declared in February due to severe drought and wildfire risks.

Drought conditions in North Florida continue as recent precipitation hasn’t come close to closing the region’s rainfall deficit.

According to the Suwannee River Water Management District’s (SRWMD) monthly hydrological conditions report released on Wednesday, the average rainfall in March totaled 1.37 inches, which is nearly 69% lower than the month’s normal 4.46-inch average, as reported from 1932-2025.

Over the past 12 months, ending March 31, the district’s rainfall deficit is now at 19.98 inches, which, according to the SRWMD release, is an increase from the 15.37-inch deficit reported at the end of February.

Alachua County started issuing burn ban notices in November 2025 and Gov. Ron DeSantis issued a State of Emergency in February (Executive Order 26-33), which recognizes the growing wildfire threat resulting from critically dry conditions across Florida.

Mainstreet’s Seth Johnson reported in March that the Floridan aquifer had dipped below the 20^th percentile for the first time since 2011.

Over the past two months, both the SRWMD and the St. Johns Water Management District, which both cover Alachua County and North Central Florida, have issued modified Phase III Severe Water Shortage alerts, which is declared due to severe drought and limit residential, business and private water usage.

The SRWMD release for March indicated that most river gages in the district ranged from “extremely low (less than 10^th percentile) to normal (25^th to 75^th percentile) for the month and ended March with a Districtwide average around the 17^th percentile.”

The forecast may take a turn for the better, according to the SRWMD report, as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) three-month seasonal outlook from April through June predicts above-normal precipitation.