drought

A water shortage warning for most of Lee and Collier counties was lifted Thursday by the South Florida Water Management District.

About two-thirds of the U.S. is in some stage of drought in late spring 2026, yet at the same time the country has been seeing more intense downpours. It might seem contradictory, but both are symptoms of rising global temperatures. The reason has to do with the water cycle.

Members of the state Cabinet warned Tuesday they won’t hold back on taking legal action against those responsible for blazes that get out of control and affect residential areas as the peak of an already highly active year for wildfires has yet to arrive.

Why is a region of the U.S. more often known for thunderstorms and humidity in spring seeing so many wildfires? Here’s what’s happening to drive these conditions.

Florida is experiencing one of its worst droughts in decades, causing widespread wildfires and evacuation orders in large swaths of the state.

Drought conditions in Florida have helped spur 1,500 wildfires in the first three months of the year, Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson said.

According to the latest drought monitor the entire state is dealing with drought conditions that range from abnormally dry to exceptional - the worst type of drought.

Highs will flirt with 90 degrees in some areas of Florida as a high-pressure system brings warm, humid air streaming from the south.

Exceptional drought is erased from the Panhandle after days of rain, but the rains that fell across South Florida didn't do much, and a moderate drought now inches closer to parts of Metro South Florida

Decades of NASA satellite data reveal how quickly the planet’s underground stores of fresh water have been depleted and how their use is contributing to rising sea levels.

Florida's recent rains have significantly reduced the drought, with about 87% now experiencing drought, down from 93%. The calendar also marks the official start of the rainy season for South Florida.

Colombia’s government is rolling out new incentives to reduce electricity consumption in the South American nation, which has been hit by a drought that has diminished the capacity of local hydroelectric plants.