Multiple Clippers Continue Through US Into Next Week

In the Midwest, a clipper moved through earlier this week and brought widespread but overall light showers. Some enhancement was noted near the Great Lakes. That will be the norm for the next week as several more clipper systems will continue through the region through the middle of next week. Some areas saw drought improvement from a system that moved through late last week, but drought is still a major concern for the second half of winter.

In the Northern Plains, spotty showers moved through this week, but most areas have stayed dry. Multiple clipper systems will produce some streaks and batches of snow across the region into the middle of next week, but very little precipitation is actually forecast. An overall low snowpack is concerning if it doesn’t meaningfully change during the second half of winter.

In the Central and Southern Plains, a few spotty showers moved through, but most areas stayed dry this week. Clippers moving through could bring some more spotty showers and streaks of snow this weekend into next week, but are not forecast to produce much precipitation. A slug of rain and snow that fell late last week improved drought from Kansas northeast into eastern Nebraska, but drought is still a concern for a widespread area of the region.  

In the Delta, some showers moved through this week, but not enough to move the needle in terms of soil moisture or drought. Drought continues to be a major concern for the second half of winter, though the long-range forecast does suggest improvements. Very little is forecast for the next week, however.

In the Southeast, heavy rain from late last week improved drought in the northwest, but missed the southeast where drought worsened. Another system brought some showers through this week, but were not heavy enough to have much of an impact. Clipper systems moving through this weekend and next week are not forecast to bring heavy precipitation, but may include some snow that could cause some impacts.

In the Western U.S., it was dry this week as the storm track has moved well out of the region. That continues for next week as well. Drought is still a limited concern in the region, however, after a fairly wet fall into the winter season. We may see precipitation increasing later next week.

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