Rain again a tease

Rain is expected Thursday, but unfortunately it won't be enough to extinguish wildfires or have an effect on the extremely dry conditions in the First Coast. Less than a tenth of an inch of rain is expected and most of that should be out by the coasts, said Melissa Hurlbut, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Jacksonville. The chance of precipitation is only 25 percent.
The problem with the rain in Jacksonville is that it's been slight rain every so often and it dries right back up in the summer heat. To end the wildfire season the First Coast needs a downpour, a few inches of rain over a sustained period of time.
Fire conditions will not be ideal Thursday with strong winds around 15 to 20 mph which can spread the fires, Hurlbut said. At the beaches, expect even stronger winds, up to 25 mph, which also brings back the risk of strong waves and erosion at the beaches.