South Florida’s wet season is tardy this year, leaving double-digit rain deficits, a drought-stricken river of grass and increasing angst over wildfires.
But an atmosphere constipated by high pressure is finally on the move, promising showers this weekend that water management district meteorologists believe may mark a shift to the reliable afternoon rains and miasmic humidity that define summer.
While the National Weather Service in Miami has a hard start date of May 15 for the onset of rainy season – a reminder that dangerous thunderstorms loom – the timeline can be fickle. The NWS office in Melbourne declares the beginning of rainy season in hindsight, after reviewing weather patterns, but does have median start dates of May 23 for Stuart, May 25 for Fort Pierce and May 26 for Vero Beach.
In honor of World Otter Day, here are 7 facts you may not know about these charismatic mammals and where you can find them in the National Park System.