Geography and ecology of the Everglades is nourished primarily from the atmosphere. Before the first attempt at draining the Everglades in 1882, the entire watershed extended from Orlando to Florida Bay comprising the Kissimmee–Lake Okeechobee–Everglades (KLOE) watershed. Kissimmee River outlets flow into Lake Okeechobee, which sits above sea level. Only two seasons exist in the Everglades: wet (May to November) and dry (December to April). Average annual rainfall in the Everglades is approximately , though fluctuations of precipitation are normal. Droughts, floods, and tropical storms are normal occurrences in the area. When Lake Okeechobee exceeds its water storage capacity during the wet season, it pours slowly
Effects of the 1928 Okeechobee hurricane in Florida wires. Along the Gulf Coast of Florida, telephone lines were reported downed as far north as between Brooksville and Dade City. Offshore, the fishing smack "Wallace A. McDonnell" was beach near Piney Point, though all of the crew survived. In Orlando, impact to properties was described as slight. The storm left one death in Orange City. Light damage to citrus was reported in Lake and Orange counties. with only about 10% of the crop lost in the former. Winds up to impacted the Jacksonville area, resulting in minor damage at Jacksonville Beach. In the immediate aftermath of the storm, available