Heavy Rain Across the South Into the Weekend, More Widespread Rain Next Week

In the Midwest, multiple systems and fronts have moved through this week with areas of showers and thunderstorms, with the heaviest rain on Monday. The latest update to the drought monitor indicates that almost no drought is currently in the region. The pattern has quieted down, but isolated showers will still move through the region through Sunday. Another system will move through on Monday with widespread, but relatively lighter showers. Another system in the middle of next week could bring through some more widespread heavy rain.

In the Northern Plains, isolated showers have moved through this week after showers left the Dakotas on Monday. Periods of isolated showers will continue through next week, but most areas will stay drier. Drought across the south and west had some improvement on this week’s update to the drought monitor, but still remain.

In the Central and Southern Plains, showers over the past weekend helped to reduce drought across parts of eastern Nebraska and Kansas while additional storms in Oklahoma and Texas ease a few lucky areas as well. Otherwise, drought grew in the west and has become a very stubborn and persistent feature. Some showers are moving through on Thursday, but are light. A larger system will move through Texas on Friday with widespread precipitation. That includes up against the Rockies in Colorado, which will help to ease drought in those areas, but much of the region will remain drier into early next week. However, a system moving through in the middle of next week may provide widespread showers and thunderstorms. The degree to which is a bit uncertain. But if they hit drought areas, we could see some improvement in parts of Nebraska, Kansas and Oklahoma.

In the Delta, periods of heavy rain and thunderstorms have been moving through all week long. Some significant reduction in drought can be expected on next week’s update to the drought monitor, as much of this week’s precipitation fell after the cutoff period. Still, this is good news for the vast majority of the region. After a front moves through early Saturday, there will be a drier period, but showers and thunderstorms will be possible again by the middle of next week.

In the Southeast U.S., areas of heavy rain and thunderstorms have been moving through this week, but came after the cutoff time to the drought monitor, which showed another increase in drought conditions across the region. Reduction should be expected on next week’s update. More showers and thunderstorms will roll through the region through Saturday, further easing drought conditions. However, rainfall deficits are extremely large and much more precipitation will be needed to significantly reduce the drought. After a few dry days next week, a front is likely to push through with more showers and thunderstorms toward the end of next week, with more being possible next weekend.

In the Western U.S., there were some decent showers that moved through the middle of the region, and spotty showers dotted the region the rest of the week as well. A system will move across the far south on Thursday with some limited areas of showers. Another looks like it probably will next week as well. While showers will be limited, the region will take everything it can get with how much drought is around. The overall prospect for reducing drought is low, and drought increases are looking more likely.

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