As residents in Northeast Florida give thanks that Tropical Storm Beryl did relatively little damage over the weekend and did not develop into a hurricane, they're also grateful that it brought rain to an area plagued by drought.
The Gainesville Sun writes that "with much of Alachua and surrounding counties in severe drought, the rain has brought some much-needed help. 'This will be beneficial, though it will not completely break the drought,' said Al Sandrik, meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Jacksonville."
From Daytona, theNews-Journal adds that "rainfall totals for Saturday and Sunday inched up over the 5-inch mark in Palm Coast, said Bob Pickering, an emergency management technician with Flagler County. 'We need the rain,' said Charlie Craig, emergency management director for Volusia County."
More is on the way, the News-Journalreports: "Forecasters for the Weather Service said the rain will continue for much of today and Wednesday as Beryl slogs through Georgia heading back toward the Atlantic, and its remnant moisture continues to help stir up additional rain. Rain chances today and Wednesday range from 60 to 70 percent, the Weather Service said."
Though the rain is much-needed, the Weather Service also has flood watches and flood warnings posted for areas stretching from the Northeast coast of Florida up into Georgia.
Friday, by the way, is the official start of the U.S. hurricane season. It's expected to be a "near-normal" season.
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