Rain Returns to the South This Week, Helping to Ease Wildfire Threat

Several rounds of rain and storms are taking aim at the southern U.S. this week. While the influx of moisture will be a nuisance for outdoor activities, the rain will also provide short-term relief from the growing drought conditions and pervasive wildfire danger. Here is a look at what you can expect in the days ahead in this part of the country.

Relief from Deepening Drought and Wildfires Headed to the South

Much-needed moisture is headed for the south-central and southeastern U.S. beginning on Tuesday. The wet weather pattern will persist through the week and into the weekend, helping to ease some of the drought and wildfire threats across the region.

The rain will fire up along a front that is going to move from west to east toward the Interstate 10 and 20 corridors by the middle of the week. Forecasters are predicting that the frontal boundary will stall when it reaches this part of the southern U.S., resulting in drenching rainfall for much of the region.

The heaviest rain bands are expected to train over the southern Plains and the mid-Mississippi and Tennessee valleys on Tuesday. The line of precipitation will engulf the central portions of the Gulf Coast and up the southern Atlantic Seaboard on Wednesday. Several inches of rain are possible in these zones, raising the risk of flash flooding as the week progresses.

The rain will come in several waves over multiple days. Widespread rainfall totals of 1 to 4 inches are predicted through the weekend across a swath of land from central and northern Texas over into northern Alabama and western Tennessee. Lighter rainfall totals of half an inch to 1 inch are likely in areas farther to the east, stretching from northern Florida and up through the Carolinas.

Although most areas of the southern U.S. are forecast to receive at least a bit of moisture, there could be a few communities that miss out entirely. Conversely, some areas could pick locally higher totals.

Moisture has been hard to come by across the southern Plains, the Gulf Coast, the lower Mississippi Valley, Florida, and the Southeast since the beginning of the year. According to the most recent report from the U.S. Drought Monitor, some parts of these regions are now under the designation of extreme to exceptional drought conditions. These are the worst drought categories used by the reporting agency.

Several locations in the southeastern corner of the country have seen less than 10% of their historical average rainfall totals for the month of April. This is bad timing, as this is the time of the year when water demands typically increase. Longer days and more intense sunshine, when compared to the winter months, naturally boost evaporation rates, quickly drying out vegetation in the process.