Sharp Cold Front Moving Through This Weekend, Slow-Moving System Next Week

In the Midwest, multiple systems and disturbances moved through the region this week, bringing scattered showers and thunderstorms every day. Some of those thunderstorms produced severe weather, and northern areas have seen a lot of rainfall, causing some flooding. A weaker system is moving through on Thursday, but a sharp cold front will sweep across the region on Friday and Saturday, with another round of widespread precipitation and possible severe weather. Though southern areas have had much less precipitation out of this pattern, most of the region has seen significant improvements in soil moisture and reduced drought. A slow-moving system will bring more showers to the region around the middle of next week, though wetter areas across the north may be fortunate to miss out.

In the Northern Plains, multiple disturbances brought through isolated showers throughout the week, but resulted in mostly light amounts. A stronger cold front is moving through on Thursday into Friday with more widespread showers. Again, precipitation is unlikely to be heavy. Drought areas across the west and south could use more precipitation. That may come from a slow-moving system in the middle of next week.

In the Central and Southern Plains, a zone of showers and thunderstorms continued from central Texas into eastern Kansas this week, while a few showers went through Nebraska as well. Some drought reduction is noted in Oklahoma and Texas, but drought is a growing concern across the north and west. A sharp cold front will move through on Friday into early Saturday. Scattered showers and thunderstorms will develop along it, and severe weather looks likely, but again only for the southeastern sections of the region. Some showers, including snow, may develop over Colorado, but amounts appear to be light. A slow-moving storm system will move into the region early-to-mid next week and could bring through periods of more widespread showers and thunderstorms, which is sorely needed. Rainfall for the deepest drought areas across Nebraska, western Kansas, and the Oklahoma and Texas Panhandles are not guaranteed, however.

In the Delta, it was dry this week as the main precipitation path was to the west and north. A front is moving in with a few showers for Thursday. And a front will sweep through on Saturday with widespread showers and thunderstorms as well. Though precipitation amounts may be moderate to even heavy in a few locations, drought conditions are very well entrenched and rainfall deficits are large. A slow-moving storm system will move through next week though and is forecast to bring through widespread areas of rain and thunderstorms. Heavy rain will be possible and could help to increase soil moisture and reduce drought.

In the Southeast U.S., it was dry this week and drought continues to worsen across the region. Major rainfall deficits have built up across the region over the last several months and soil moisture is very limited. A front will move through on Sunday, but it will bring waning showers, not enough to reduce drought in any significant way. A slow-moving system may start to bring showers into the region by late next week, and the forecast is calling for some heavy amounts right now. Should that materialize as the current forecast suggests, there could be some noteworthy improvement.

In the Western U.S., scattered showers moved through the region throughout the week as multiple systems and disturbances have moved through. Not all areas were hit, but some of the deepest drought in the Four Corners area did see significant precipitation. The Pacific Northwest also saw some good precipitation on a few of the days as well. Despite that, drought is still well-entrenched across much of the region. A system will continue showers across the north and east into Friday. Another system will slowly work through the region early-to-mid next week. Models vary on the precipitation coverage and amounts, but any precipitation would certainly be welcome.

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