Data valid as of Dec. 11, 2018
South: Moderate to heavy precipitation took place this week from western Texas through southern Oklahoma and central and southern Arkansas, into the Southeast. Slight improvements were made in southwestern Texas, where recent heavy rain was enough to lessen the extent of abnormally dry conditions since short-term precipitation deficits improved here. North of where the precipitation fell, abnormally dry conditions and moderate drought were expanded in north-central and northeastern Oklahoma. Elsewhere, given the widespread precipitation that fell, no changes were made to the drought depiction.
Looking ahead: Next week, a strong storm system is forecast to develop over the southern Plains and move eastward across the United States. Moderate to heavy rain, perhaps mixed with some snow, is forecast in north Texas, and this precipitation is expected to move eastward to the southeastern U.S. coast. Windy conditions are likely in the southern Plains on Thursday and Friday as this storm system moves across the region, which may lead to increased evaporative demand in the region. Generally warmer than normal conditions are also forecast in much of the continental U.S., though short periods of cooler than normal weather may occur from Texas eastward to the Atlantic Coast.
Read more at droughtmonitor.unl.edu.
