Wet forecast for monster trucks/Daytona 500

Wet few days, then another hard freeze next weekend

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A very crazy weather pattern has gripped Florida over the past few weeks with wild temperature swings and the constant transition from rain to sun. Time to pour salt on the wound -- it's about to get even wilder!

Monster truck mania has gripped Jacksonville, but so has the rainy weather for the next few days. If you are headed to the truck show, this is what you need to know: 

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Saturday will be mostly dry with only a slight chance of showers through the early afternoon. High temperatures should punch through the low 80s under mostly sunny skies. However, don't let the sun fool you. You need to prepare for rain!

An upper-level disturbance is forecast to move across our region after 6pm Saturday. Models are having a hard time resolving the timing at which it will move through. At this time, we are calling for a 60% chance of rain/storms to push through as the Monster Jam is in progress. The rains may be brief but could be enough to wreck the show and send Grave Digger into the hanger. 

However, this will be a one-two punch for the events happening across the state. The same disturbance/front that will bring rain to Jacksonville will slip off to our south just in time for the Daytona 500 on Sunday. If the forecast is correct, it'll be the second year in a row that rain has disrupted the Daytona race.

Mostly cloudy to overcast skies will rule the forecast for Daytona on Sunday with a 50 percent chance of showers for both the early morning hours and again in the late afternoon. Umbrellas will almost certainly be needed at some point during the day on Sunday. As for us here in Jacksonville, things should remain mostly dry under mostly sunny skies with temperatures in the mid 70s.

Now for the big weather makers:

Monday is shaping up to be extremely wet for some of us---especially our viewers in southeast Georgia where rainfall accumulations are being projected between two to four inches though Monday.

As for Jacksonville, rainfall rates will be less -- averaging 1/2 inch to 1 inch of accumulations on Monday. The models are beginning to back off the deluge a little bit but at this point, we are fairly certain Monday will be wet for many of us with temperatures in the mid 70s. 

Things remain relatively dry and warm for us through Friday but then the bottom falls out once again.

Heading into next weekend, it is becoming more and more likely of a significant, plant killing, pipe bursting freeze to the likes of what we observed last week; if not a little colder. It's too far away to give specifics at this time but this part of the forecast definitely warrants your attention.

If models are accurate, we'll have high temperatures for an extended period of time only in the low 50s with overnight lows into the low 20s for many of us and sub-freezing temperatures at the coast.