West Getting Soaked This Week

In the Midwest, a system moved through late last week with widespread rainfall and some heavy amounts in spots. The region will see multiple systems and disturbances moving through this week. A light mix will move across the north on Monday. Some light rain may develop for Wednesday. And a system will move through Thursday night and Friday with widespread precipitation. Most of this precipitation should fall as rain, though temperatures overnight into Friday morning may be cold enough for some heavy freezing rain potential. Another system is forecast to move through this weekend, though models disagree with the coverage and amounts.

In the Northern Plains, the region will be in the target area for multiple disturbances and fronts this week. However, very little precipitation is forecast with just some patchy streaks of showers.

In the Central and Southern Plains, it was dry over the weekend and it will continue to be mostly dry this week. Extremely warm temperatures for most days will cause soil moisture to fall significantly and drought is likely to spread through more of the region.

In the Delta, a few showers went through on Sunday, but most areas stayed dry. Spotty showers will be possible throughout the week, but are not forecast to amount to much. Melting snow in the Midwest will help to give a small boost to the Mississippi River, but water levels continue to be low.

In the Southeast, a few showers went through on Sunday, but most areas stayed dry. Dryness has been causing some areas to see expanding drought. A few spotty showers may be possible this week, but most areas will stay dry until a front moves through on Sunday. It is not guaranteed to bring showers through, however, and the drier period continues to build momentum for increasing drought.

In the Western U.S., the storm track was over the Pacific Northwest over the weekend, which saw continuous showers moving through. Some heavy rain fell in northern California. A trough moving into the region this week will bring more widespread precipitation through the region, including some heavy rain and snow through California on Wednesday and Thursday. The storm track will return to the north this weekend. Heavy precipitation across the south is needed to thwart off building drought in some areas, and will help with the drought that continues in others.

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