The rainfall has been beneficial for Jacksonville, but it is uncertain whether it will be enough to escape the drought. Most of the area remains in an extreme drought, with several spots receiving over an inch of rain over the past two days, particularly in Columbia, Duval, St. Johns and Putnam counties. The Climate Prediction Center has placed our area in a higher probability of seeing below normal rainfall, in part due to an area of high pressure moving over our area. The most recent drought monitor indicates that nearly 2 feet of rain is needed for survival. The exceptional drought classification has been expanded to include more of our area due to the dry weather.