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 moccasins. Belle Glade suffered the most deaths of any city by far, with 611 fatalities confirmed. After the dike at Lake Okeechobee failed, water reached at least above ground in portions of Belle Glade. At the Glades Hotel, water entered the lobby and rose so rapidly that the last two people to reach the second floor nearly drowned in the stairwell. The Glades Hotel was the only building in the city left intact. The first floor of the Belle Glade Hotel was also flooded, forcing the occupants up to the second floor. They were then exposed to the wind and