JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Classic wet weather pattern for January along the Gulf Coast. Literally stretching from Los Angeles, east along I-10 to Jacksonville will be a swath of light to moderate rains and showers. And there will be a fine line between the heavier rains (mainly north of Jacksonville) and just some scattered showers and some sunshine south of Jacksonville.
Bottom line, keep your umbrella with you throughout the day on Friday.
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This large swath of rain will develop along the separation of warmer and moist air (over the Gulf of Mexico) and cold, winter air north of the Gulf Coast.
In a more dynamic winter, this kind of pattern would potentially develop a major ice/sleet/snow region in the Deep South and Mid-Atlantic States. Not this year, at least not yet. This winter has been one of the quietest winters I can recall in maybe a decade, or more. Only one winter storm back in mid-December has been notable, this dumped up to 40″ of snow in Northern Pennsylvania and Upstate New York. Since then? Meh.
Back to Jacksonville, here comes those aforementioned rains, with the vast majority along and north of the Florida-Georgia line.
Showers rolling into Georgia after 2 a.m. and by 6 a.m. into Duval County. Later in the afternoon, we will see the showers become lighter and then spread into Clay and St. Johns counties, southward.
Friday temperatures will be very mild, starting around 60° around sunrise and then into the low 70s south of Jacksonville. Back in Georgia, not only do they get the vast majority of the rains, but their temperatures will hold steady in the 50s and low 60s as winds slowly shift into a northeasterly direction in the afternoon.
Those northeasterly winds will then surge southwards into Florida during the sunrise hours on Saturday. The impact will be for chillier conditions developing throughout the day on Saturday, it is very likely we will see the warmest parts of the day in the morning hours Saturday. By the evening hours, northeasterly winds coming onshore will knocked down temperatures back into the 50s. Those winds will be gusty too! Adding to the chilly conditions.
By Sunday, a few showers in the morning will be associated with a warm front that will make things awesome Monday afternoon. Showers will fade and partly cloudy skies will allow Sunday highs into the upper 60s, maybe near 70° in Putnam County.
Monday, the best day of the next 7 days. Partly sunny and warm with highs nearing 80°, even at the beach. Sweet!