What changed

The U.S. Drought Monitor’s Sept. 22 Florida data showed broad dry conditions statewide: 87.74% of Florida was in D0-D4 and 50.83% was in D1-D4 drought. The map was released Sept. 24, and the data were valid Sept. 22 at 8 a.m. EDT. Source: https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/CurrentMap/StateDroughtMonitor.aspx?FL

The statewide percentage area in drought decreased from the prior week. The Drought Monitor table listed D1-D4 at 50.83% on Sept. 22, down from 54.52% on Sept. 15. D2-D4 was 12.79%, down from 13.71% the prior week. Those statewide figures do not prove that every locality improved. Source: https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/CurrentMap/StateDroughtMonitor.aspx?FL

The statewide decrease was larger compared with three months earlier. The same table listed Florida D1-D4 drought at 79.67% on June 23, 2026, and D2-D4 at 58.89%. The Sept. 22 figures were 50.83% and 12.79%, respectively. Source: https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/CurrentMap/StateDroughtMonitor.aspx?FL

Drought.gov’s Florida page reported the same Sept. 22 Drought Monitor data as 36.9% D0, 38.0% D1, 10.8% D2, 2.0% D3, 0.0% D4, and 50.8% total area in D1-D4 drought. Source: https://www.drought.gov/states/florida

Why landscaping operators should treat the map as a signal, not a local rule

The Drought Monitor says its map focuses on broad-scale conditions and that local conditions may vary. The supplied sources do not identify which Florida counties or metro areas were in D1, D2, or D3 drought, and they do not document current county, city, or water-management-district watering restrictions tied to the Sept. 22 map. Source: https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/CurrentMap/StateDroughtMonitor.aspx?FL

The operational risk for landscaping firms is setting watering expectations from a statewide drought map alone. The Drought Monitor’s Florida historical impact table links D0 conditions with increased landscape irrigation needs and voluntary water conservation requests; D1 with possible burn bans, browning trees and bushes, and decreased water supply; and D2 with dormant lawns and landscapes, elevated fire danger and implemented burn bans, and low river and lake levels. These are historical examples, not a current county-level restriction list. Source: https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/CurrentMap/StateDroughtMonitor.aspx?FL

Drought.gov says Florida’s five water management districts monitor drought using surface water flows, groundwater levels, regional water supply, and precipitation. It also says water shortage orders may be issued when supplies are insufficient or temporary reductions are needed to protect water resources from serious harm. Source: https://www.drought.gov/states/florida

For job scheduling and customer communications, the supported message is narrow: statewide drought coverage has eased from earlier in the summer, but most of Florida remained at least abnormally dry as of Sept. 22. Before setting irrigation expectations for a jobsite, verify the applicable city, county, or water management district record; the supplied sources do not provide those local rules.

What remains unknown

The supplied readable text does not identify the Florida counties or metro areas in D1, D2, or D3 drought. It also does not provide market-level trend data for individual Florida landscaping markets.

No supplied source states contractor-specific limits for new plantings, sod installation, irrigation testing or repair, reclaimed water, or commercial properties.

No supplied source documents active Florida county burn bans or outdoor-work fire advisories. The Drought Monitor page provides historical examples of possible impacts by drought category, not a current burn-ban list.

The supplied pages do not provide an official Florida-specific forecast showing whether drought conditions are expected to persist or ease in the next few weeks.

Evidence

Sources

  1. Primary authority
    droughtmonitor.unl.edu: Florida | U.S. Drought Monitor
  2. Primary authority
    droughtmonitor.unl.edu: https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/Data/pdf/current/current_FL_cat.pdf
  3. Primary authority
    drought.gov: Florida
  4. Primary authority
    drought.gov: National Drought Status
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