Recent rainfall doesn't dampen ongoing water restrictions across the greater Tampa Bay region
By Steve Newborn
December 12, 2025 at 5:00 AM EST
A phase one water shortage is still in effect in areas served by the Southwest Florida Water Management District.
A lot of us saw record-breaking rain last weekend, but our region is still under a drought. And water restrictions are still in effect.
Some areas got up to 5 inches of rain during last weekend's soaker. But that didn't put much of a dent in our long-term drought. Once-a-week watering restrictions are still in place in Tampa, Venice, Dunedin, and in the counties of Sarasota, Pasco, Hernando and Citrus.
Tamara McBride is with the Southwest Florida Water Management District. She says the entire region has seen a rainfall deficit of 13 inches below average in the one year since Hurricane Milton saturated the area last October.
"For the first time in a decade, we haven't had a single tropical storm event hit the U.S.," she said. "So while those storms can be treacherous at times, they do provide a lot of rainfall and help boost our rainfall totals, so that has added to the deficit."
This is a map of rainfall in the region over the past week. (743x625, AR: 1.1888)
District data shows a wellfield called Eldridge-Wilde in northern Pinellas County saw more than 5 inches of rain over the weekend.
But without continued rainfall, our waterways are likely to continue to recede, she said.
"Our lakes are below normal, the Hillsborough River and the Alafia River, the two big rivers in the area, are also in the below normal percentile range," McBride said.
Residents are being asked to check their irrigation systems to make sure they're working properly. Swiftmud officials say outdoor water use accounts for more than half of all the water that homes use.
McBride said we should be mindful of how much water we are all taking from the underground aquifer.
"Don't leave a hose running in the yard. Make sure your timers are right on your automated sprinkler system. If you have a rain sensor that adjusts the sprinkling according to if you've gotten a rainfall, make sure the rain sensor is working," she said. "And in the longer term, using plants that are Florida-friendly, that don't require as much water."
This chart shows how much of a rainfall deficit the area had through November:
2025 Rainfall (in inches) *
Nov. 30NovemberYear to dateJanuary – NovemberActual **Historic Avg.***Normal Range***Actual**Historic Avg.***Normal Range***North0.221.990.74 – 2.8237.9150.9046.52 – 55.13Central0.271.880.50 - 2.5738.5449.9444.59 – 54.48South0.141.800.63 – 2.4937.1250.3645.35 – 55.11
A map of drought conditions in Florida for the past year. (905x780, AR: 1.1602564102564104)
Some areas got up to 5 inches of rain during last weekend's soaker. But that didn't put much of a dent in our long-term drought. Once-a-week watering restrictions are still in place in Tampa, Venice, Dunedin, and in the counties of Sarasota, Pasco, Hernando and Citrus.
Tamara McBride is with the Southwest Florida Water Management District. She says the entire region has seen a rainfall deficit of 13 inches below average in the one year since Hurricane Milton saturated the area last October.
"For the first time in a decade, we haven't had a single tropical storm event hit the U.S.," she said. "So while those storms can be treacherous at times, they do provide a lot of rainfall and help boost our rainfall totals, so that has added to the deficit."
This is a map of rainfall in the region over the past week. (743x625, AR: 1.1888)
District data shows a wellfield called Eldridge-Wilde in northern Pinellas County saw more than 5 inches of rain over the weekend.
But without continued rainfall, our waterways are likely to continue to recede, she said.
"Our lakes are below normal, the Hillsborough River and the Alafia River, the two big rivers in the area, are also in the below normal percentile range," McBride said.
Residents are being asked to check their irrigation systems to make sure they're working properly. Swiftmud officials say outdoor water use accounts for more than half of all the water that homes use.
McBride said we should be mindful of how much water we are all taking from the underground aquifer.
"Don't leave a hose running in the yard. Make sure your timers are right on your automated sprinkler system. If you have a rain sensor that adjusts the sprinkling according to if you've gotten a rainfall, make sure the rain sensor is working," she said. "And in the longer term, using plants that are Florida-friendly, that don't require as much water."
This chart shows how much of a rainfall deficit the area had through November:
2025 Rainfall (in inches) *
Nov. 30NovemberYear to dateJanuary – NovemberActual **Historic Avg.***Normal Range***Actual**Historic Avg.***Normal Range***North0.221.990.74 – 2.8237.9150.9046.52 – 55.13Central0.271.880.50 - 2.5738.5449.9444.59 – 54.48South0.141.800.63 – 2.4937.1250.3645.35 – 55.11
A map of drought conditions in Florida for the past year. (905x780, AR: 1.1602564102564104)