(State College, PA) - The low pressure area that was Subtropical Storm Andrea has offered no relief from the massive drought that has sparked numerous fires across Georgia and Florida. However, a line of thunderstorms pushing south could bring some much-needed rain by Sunday.

The South Regional News story reports precipitation from the weakening Andrea Thursday reached the east coast of Florida; however, the rain provided little relief to the drought-stricken and fire-ravaged region.

The National Interagency Fire Center reported Thursday that 20 large blazes were burning across southern Georgia and Florida. According to the Associated Press, 236 fires of all sizes were burning in Florida Thursday.

The blazes in Florida were burning in 54 of 67 counties and have charred over 87,000 acres. In southeastern Georgia, the massive Sweat Farm Road-Big Turnaround fire has burned more than 116,000 acres. Earlier this week, the largest wildfire in Georgia history spread into Baker County, Florida.

The Severe Weather Center lists the Fire Weather Watches and Smoke Advisories in effect across the Florida Panhandle and the western portion of the Florida Peninsula. Smoke from the Georgia and Florida fires has reduced air quality and lowered visibility to dangerous levels. Health officials have warned the elderly and people with breathing problems to stay indoors.

A line of thunderstorms sinking southward may bring some needed-rain to the Southeast Sunday and Monday. The East Regional News story reports showers and thunderstorms will develop Saturday as the jet stream dives southward, with potential for the development of strong late-day thunderstorms in Virginia.

Showers may not reach central or southern Florida and, in fact, thunderstorms ahead of the front could produce lightning and gusty winds that could increase the fire danger that is already at an extreme level.

While fires rage across the Southeast, the fire danger is increasing in the Southwest. Earlier this week, a fire scorched Griffith Park in Los Angeles. Thursday, a fire erupted on Santa Catalina Island, 20 miles off the coast of Southern California. By this morning, the fire in the rugged hills on the resort island had grown to 4,000 acres.

Fire crews and equipment from as far away as Fresno were transported to the island aboard giant Marine Corps hovercraft from Camp Pendleton. Flames Thursday night threatened the city of Avalon as hundreds of people lined up at the harbor to board ferries back to the mainland.

West Regional Expert Meteorologist Ken Clark has an in-depth analysis of the worsening drought in the Southeast and Southwest that will spark more wildfires in days and months ahead.

As reported in the West Regional News story, building high pressure over the Four Corners will result in increasingly warm weather across the Southwest.

The warmth this weekend will spread into Texas, Oklahoma and the central Plains, ending consecutive days of showers and severe storms that have led to widespread, serious flooding.
Rainfall totals since May 1 from Oklahoma to Iowa have exceeded 500 percent of normal for the first 10 days of May. Dry air and brilliant sunshine this weekend will allow flooded rivers to begin to recede. Associated Press reports water levels in far northwestern Missouri began to drop today after swamping a number of small towns and shutting down numerous businesses.

Gov. Matt Blunt said Thursday state and federal damage assessment teams had been sent to 17 counties, while about 100 Missouri National Guard members had been deployed around the state. Blunt declared a state of emergency Monday.

Report a Typo