The Players tournament faces rainy outlook<\/p>\n
JACKSONVILLE, Fla.<\/strong> \u2013 Hey friends, it\u2019s 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\u2019s what I see on The Weather Authority\u2019s 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\u2019re 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\u2019t 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! <\/p>\n Wind and fire danger from dry air<\/p>\n Let\u2019s 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\u2014especially through southeast Georgia\u2014and today\u2019s storm front will bring gusts up to 35 to 38 mph along the coast by tonight. The problem? We\u2019ve 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\u2019t 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. <\/p>\n Drought lingers, more rain needed<\/p>\n Even though we\u2019ve got rain coming in, it\u2019s 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 \u2014 you can see it bright red on the map \u2014 shows much of the region is still well below normal rainfall. We\u2019re looking forward to another rain chance on Sunday, but I wouldn\u2019t 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. <\/p>\n Want to share your weather photos?<\/p>\n