Over 26 inches needed for relief
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – I’m News4JAX meteorologist Katie Garner. I know a lot of folks are hoping for a drenching rain to pull us out of these dry conditions, but here’s the real talk: for our drought to truly subside in Jacksonville, we need more than 26 inches of rain over the next three months.
That’s a massive amount. I want you to imagine just how much rain that is. And it’s not something we’re expected to get from just one or two storms—or even from several rainy days. This is a long-term deficit we’re facing, and right now, we’re still coming up way short.
Lately, we’ve started our mornings with some fog, but as the sun breaks through, we’re seeing those classic blue skies—that might look inviting, but doesn’t help much when it comes to getting us out of a drought.
Fire danger remains high right now
Even though we’ve seen a bit of moisture, it’s just not enough to lower our fire risk. The fire weather danger is still very real across our area. I’ve had a lot of questions: “It rained, can we burn now?” The answer is no—you absolutely cannot burn right now.
Our wind is blowing steadily out of the northwest at about 13 miles per hour, and we’re seeing gusts in the teens and sometimes even higher. That wind, paired with our dry stretches, can turn a small spark into a big problem very quickly.
We’re keeping a close watch for any visibility issues in the early mornings too, just to make sure you can get around safely.
Jacksonville’s 7-day weather outlook
Let’s talk temperatures: right now, we’re sitting mostly between 82 and 84 degrees across the Jacksonville area, from Jacksonville itself down toward Palm Coast and over to Gainesville. Mayport is coming in just a bit cooler at 79 degrees.
Our Exact Track 4D radar is crystal clear, and it’s likely to stay that way through the weekend as high pressure dominates our weather. That means sunny skies and warm afternoons. If you’re heading outdoors or to the beach, please remember the sunscreen!
By Sunday, highs are expected to reach around 90 degrees. As our area of high pressure slides away, we could see a slight uptick in rain chances—somewhere between 10 and 20 percent—starting Sunday and carrying into midweek. It’s not much, but I’ll take any sign of hope for some help from Mother Nature.
Here’s your quick look at the 7-day forecast:
- Thursday: 86 degrees, mostly sunny
- Friday: 85 degrees, mostly sunny
- Saturday: 89 degrees, clear
- Sunday: 90 degrees, mostly sunny, slim rain chance
- Monday–Tuesday: Upper 80s, light rain chance
- Wednesday: 86 degrees, slightly higher chance of rain
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