Drought and fire cause major concern<\/p>\n
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. \u2013 Hey there, this is Katie Garner from News4JAX\u2019s Weather Authority with your latest update on what\u2019s happening across South Georgia and North Florida.<\/p>\n
We need to talk about the drought and what it\u2019s doing to us right now. According to our Exact Track 4D radar and the latest Drought Monitor, we are still 15 to 25 inches in a deficit, depending on where you are.<\/p>\n
Some showers rolled through parts of St. Augustine down to Palm Coast, but most of it already dissipated. Up in Macclenny and beyond, it wasn\u2019t enough to really help with fire relief\u2014though every drop does count. Still, we\u2019re just chipping away at a much bigger drought problem.<\/p>\n
If you\u2019ve noticed thick smoke, that\u2019s from the active fire burning right now, especially visible on our recent maps. I want to extend some real admiration for everyone out there working hard to keep these fires at bay\u2014conditions are tough.<\/p>\n
Winds make fire spread likely<\/p>\n
Here\u2019s another piece of the puzzle: strong winds are making things even messier. Wind gusts are currently running in the 20 to 30 mph range by the latest Exact Track 4D data.<\/p>\n
Gusty winds are a big deal with active fires because they can easily change the direction of the smoke. Worse, wind can toss embers around and spark new fires. And unfortunately, wind gusts aren\u2019t expected to drop much over the next few days.<\/p>\n
Rain possible\u2014here\u2019s the forecast<\/p>\n
Let\u2019s talk temperatures and rain chances. Right now, we\u2019re seeing readings in the 60s and 70s. Highs are expected to climb into the 70s, then 80s, and even hit the 90s in spots.<\/p>\n
What could really help us out is some rain, and I\u2019m happy to say I\u2019ve upped the rain chances for Saturday to 50 percent. There\u2019s a 40 percent shot at more rain Sunday too. If we get some real measurable rain, that will be great news for everyone dealing with drought and fire worries\u2014but as always, we\u2019ll believe it when we see it.<\/p>\n
For some of you, rain totals have been hit or miss\u2014some spots got a trace, others just under an inch. We\u2019ll keep tracking it every step of the way with our Weather Authority team.<\/p>\n