Active Weather Pattern for Northern US Next Week

In the Midwest, a front moved through this week, but brought only isolated showers. That allowed some of the wetter areas to dry out, but drought continues to expand across northern areas that have seen little rainfall in recent weeks. The storm track will get much more active across these northern areas with a system moving in over the weekend. Impulses and additional systems should favor northern areas next week with rounds of rain and thunderstorms. We may have to watch out for some areas of flooding if fronts stall and rain repeatedly hits some areas over and over again.

In the Northern Plains, a front moved through early this week with some showers, but many areas stayed dry and drought continues to be a growing problem. However, a system will move in on Friday with another over the weekend that should bring through somewhat widespread showers and thunderstorms. Additional activity may occur daily next week that should bring through some relief. That is likely to reduce drought, but there is a long way to go for much of the region.

In the Central and Southern Plains, a couple of fronts produced scattered showers this week, with one last one phasing out showers across the south on Thursday. Though the rainfall is welcomed, it didn’t hit very many areas with much heavy rain, and drought has been continuing to grow across Oklahoma and Texas in the heat and dryness of the month of August. The hotter and drier pattern will return to the south this weekend while northern areas will see several fronts move through and stall. They should produce areas of showers and thunderstorms through next week that may be beneficial for easing drought that has been a stubborn feature in parts of Nebraska, Colorado, and Kansas throughout the summer.

In the Delta, a stalled front brought a couple of rounds of heavier rain this week. More showers continue across the south on Thursday and maybe Friday before the pattern likely turns hotter and drier this weekend and continues through next week. Though a few showers may be possible near the Gulf, much of the region should return to a drier look, which would exacerbate the growing drought despite this week’s rainfall.

In the Southeast U.S., isolated to scattered showers moved through this week with a stalled front and another pushing through. The rainfall has been enough to keep drought conditions improving in many areas, though some long-term deficits remain. Showers continue into the weekend, but will be concentrated near the coasts. Drier conditions and building heat elsewhere will likely cause soil moisture to fall this weekend and through next week.

In the Western U.S., monsoon showers were weak and concentrated in the Four Corners area. Very few areas saw anything substantial this week. Outside of sections of Arizona and New Mexico, drought conditions were either maintained or grew. Monsoon showers should continue into next week, favoring the Four Corners areas again. However, there will be a couple of systems moving through the Pacific Northwest. They may not produce a lot of widespread heavy rain, but they could help to limit the drought growth. Tropical storms in the eastern Pacific may also spread some of their moisture into the Southwest at times through next week. Though they won’t provide heavy rain, they may allow showers to expand into California and the Great Basin with a little more frequency.

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