More Heavy Rain Coming for Southern US

In the Midwest, scattered showers moved through with a system earlier this week but had little to no impact on the drought situation in the region. Drought largely expanded, especially in the Upper Midwest. Another system will bring scattered showers and some areas of heavy rain to southern areas Thursday and Friday. Another system will move through early next week with widespread precipitation, mostly in the form of rain. The coming rainfall should help to improve drought across Missouri but may not be enough for other areas in drought to see reduction.

In the Northern Plains, isolated showers moved through earlier this week with a couple of systems moving through Canada. However, drought largely expanded this week due to recent dryness. Dry conditions continue through the weekend. A front will move through early next week and could produce widespread showers, including snow, as a burst of very cold air moves in.

In the Central and Southern Plains, a system moved into the region Wednesday night and is spreading showers and thunderstorms across the region that continue into Friday. Another system will move through Sunday and Monday with more scattered showers. Some areas of heavy rain have fallen and will continue to be possible, especially across Texas and eastern Oklahoma. That may induce some flooding. But the heavy rain will also fight back the drought that has been expanding in recent weeks, particularly across Texas.

In the Delta, it was dry this week, though a few isolated showers developed over northern areas. A system will move through with scattered showers Thursday and Friday and another system will bring through some needed showers early next week. Drought is still a big concern for the region and the rainfall will help, especially in Arkansas.

In the Southeast, it was rather dry this week and drought continued to expand in everywhere but Tennessee and South Carolina. A system will move through with scattered showers through Saturday. Some heavier rain will be possible across the northern half of the region. Another front will move through in the middle of next week with scattered showers as well. Overall, the rainfall will not be enough to reduce drought, and the region may have trouble seeing significant precipitation going into the winter.

In the Western U.S., a system continued with showers in the east early this week while another system moved into the Southwest with periods of precipitation the rest of the week. Yet another system is moving down the California coast and will get into the Southwest this weekend. The recent precipitation here has reduced drought, significantly across California. Across the north, it has been drier, but a system will move through Sunday and Monday with widespread precipitation at least for the higher elevations. Those in the valley may not see much and would continue the drought stress.

John Baranick can be reached at john.baranick@dtn.com