Heavy rains that kicked off summer coupled with fallout from a tropical storm have allayed drought conditions that persisted in Polk County for several years, according to both the U.S. Weather Service and the Southwest Florida Water Management District.

Tom Doughtery of the NWS says that June brought Polk County more than
15 inches of rain, followed by some
7 inches in July, bringing Central Florida back into its normal rain patterns. The more than 15.5 inches that fell in June nearly doubles the average of 8.02 inches and broke the 1968 record of 14.86 inches. The amount that fell in July was under the monthly average and less than an inch has been recorded this month.