The Players tournament faces rainy outlook
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Hey friends, it’s Katie Garner with your forecast as The Players tournament kicks off in Jacksonville. We made it through the practice rounds, but now you want to know if storms are expected to mess with the opening day action. Here’s what I see on The Weather Authority’s Exact Track 4D radar: rain is likely to move in later this afternoon, mostly after 1 p.m. The heaviest showers and a few thunderstorms are expected between 1 p.m. and 6 p.m., so if you’re heading to the tournament or just planning to be outside, keep an eye on the skies. That said, the timeline could shift depending on how the system develops, but right now it looks like those storms shouldn’t wash out the entire day. Just get ready for a soggy afternoon, especially at Sawgrass. By early evening, most of the rain should clear out. Stay weather-aware and check back as we track any updates!
Wind and fire danger from dry air
Let’s talk wind and fire. Right now, temperatures are mild across Jacksonville, St. Augustine, and beyond, with early readings from the upper 60s to around 70 degrees. Winds are already getting gusty—especially through southeast Georgia—and today’s storm front will bring gusts up to 35 to 38 mph along the coast by tonight. The problem? We’ve been really dry lately, and those strong winds can make fire danger worse. Exact Track 4D is showing the most dangerous combination: dry air plus high wind. Fire weather alerts remain a real concern until the rain begins and helps, but even then, it won’t erase our drought. For now, be careful with anything that could spark a fire, and keep your eyes on the forecast for quick changes as winds pick up.
Drought lingers, more rain needed
Even though we’ve got rain coming in, it’s not enough to break the drought. Over the past 30 days, many spots have only picked up 1 to 2 inches of rain. Our drought monitor — you can see it bright red on the map — shows much of the region is still well below normal rainfall. We’re looking forward to another rain chance on Sunday, but I wouldn’t expect it to solve our rainfall deficit. The three-day forecast brings a warm stretch in the 80s, a drop to the 70s, then back to 80 by the weekend. Looking past that, plan for cooler air Tuesday into Wednesday.
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