South Florida is known for its beaches, palm trees and yes, its afternoon thunderstorms. Lately, however, those afternoon thunderstorms haven’t been developing as they typically do.

In Miami and Fort Lauderdale, Florida, rain deficits were drastic during the month of June, enhancing what has already been an unusually dry start to 2015 in south Florida.

In Fort Lauderdale, a total of just 1.09″ of rain was measured over the month of June, barely 10 percent of the city’s monthly average of 10.40″. Down the road in Miami, 3.60″ of rain was measured, roughly a third of the city’s 9.94″ June average. Overall for the year, Miami is over 10″ below average and Fort Lauderdale is over a foot below.

Unfortunately for dry Florida, the 30-day Climate Prediction Center outlook puts Florida in the heart of the center’s anticipated below average precipitation zone, potentially leading to a worsening of existing drought conditions. Much of Dade and Broward Counties, including Miami and Fort Lauderdale, are now in a “severe” drought, as determined the the United States Drought Monitor.

A large dome of high pressure parked over the Southeast for much of June, deflecting most moisture around the low (which also contributed to scorching temperatures across the Southeast for much of the month as well), leaving Florida, for the most part, high and dry. An anticipated below-average hurricane season, in all likelihood due to El Nino, likely will keep downpours from tropical systems at a minimum this summer and early fall.

But while parts of the Southeast are dry, further north, a wet June made headlines across the Northeast. Baltimore, Maryland recorded its wettest June on record with 13.09″ of rainfall, almost a full 10 inches about average, and much of the Northeast and Midwest saw well above average rainfall amounts during the month.

Stay with WeatherNation for all the latest on Florida’s drought and rain chances over the next few days.

Source: WeatherNation Needing Rain In The Sunshine State: Dry June In South Florida | Meteorologist Chris Bianchi