November is usually one of the driest months of the year for Tampa but this year, November will go down as one of the wettest on record.

What You Need To Know

  • November is usually Tampa's driest month

  • Tampa usually receives 1.55" of rain in November

  • The wettest November on record saw 6.12" in 1963

  • 2020 is on track to be 5th-wettest November on record

Heavy rain is no stranger to Tampa Bay, especially during the rainy season where it is expected almost daily. However, the rainy season shuts off like a switch and this typically happens in October when cold fronts start to make frequent appearances.

By November, dry air from up north spills south and it usually results in a long string of dry sunny days for Tampa Bay. As a result, November tends to be the driest month for Tampa with an average of 1.55" of rain all month long. 

This year has been far from average for Tampa Bay where several inches of rain had fallen already. As of November 19, Tampa had received nearly five inches of rain. 

This is nothing compared to other parts of the state. Southeast Florida has been exceptionally wet this month with some areas receiving nearly a foot of rain!

West Palm Beach has been wet for most of the year and they are averaging a rain surplus of nearly two feet for the year.

 
 

Most of the rain to fall across Tampa Bay and over southeast Florida this month was attributed to Hurricane Eta. Most of the rain we have seen from Eta fell over a span of one day. The rainfall totals associated with Eta were quite impressive around Tampa Bay.

Tampa officially received 4.62" of rain from Tropical Storm Eta, placing our monthly rainfall well above-average. Not only did Eta produce copious amounts of rain, it produced three times the monthly rain that Tampa sees in an average November.

At this point, we are on track to break the top-five for wettest Novembers on record dating back to 1890. 

Top-Five Wettest Novembers On Record:

  • 6.12" set in 1963
  • 5.97" set in 1988
  • 5.38" set in 1954
  • 5.26" set in 2014
  • 4.99" set in 2020 (so far)

All it takes this time of year is a tropical system to quickly place Tampa to the top of the charts for the wettest November on record. Much of the month has been quite dry but as we mentioned, Tropical Storm Eta delivered three times the rain Tampa usually sees during the entire month of November.