The second half of May 2018 has been an exceptionally wet stretch for the Tampa Bay area and the state of Florida.
A fetch of deep tropical moisture set up across the Sunshine State during the second week of May, leading to numerous tropical downpours.
Additional moisture late in the month thanks to Subtropical Storm Alberto keep humidity levels and rain chances elevated.
Several communities in the News Channel 8 viewing area have seen records broken or, in some cases, shattered.
Lakeland has observed more than 17 inches of rain this month, making it the wettest May on record for the city and the second wettest month ever recorded.
Here is just a sample of some of the rainfall records broken for various towns and cities in the Tampa Bay area. Rainfall amounts reflect totals measured through May 30, 2018.
Lakeland (Polk County) 17.86″
- Wettest May on record
- 2nd Wettest Month on Record
Archbold Biological Station (Highlands County) 13.83″
- Wettest May on Record
Venice (Sarasota County) 12.95″
- Wettest May on Record
Plant City (Hillsborough County) 13.98″
- 2nd Wettest May on Record
Arcadia (DeSoto County) 12.31″
- 2nd Wettest May on Record
St. Petersburg (Pinellas County) 9.44″
- 2nd Wettest May on Record
Brooksville (Hernando County) 12.25″
- 3rd Wettest May on Record
Inverness (Citrus County) 9.24″
- 4th Wettest May on Record
Wauchula (Hillsborough County) 8.04″
- 6th Wettest May on Record
Tampa (Hillsborough County) 7.65″
- 6th Wettest May on Record
Winter Haven (Polk County) 6.95″
- 7th Wettest May on Record
Tarpon Springs (Pinellas County) 6.78″
- 9th Wettest May on Record
Sarasota-Bradenton 6.92″
- 10th Wettest May on Record
