Rain and Storms Moving to Central and Southern Plains

Posted: April 26, 2023 9:30 am

The rain may be ruining outdoor plans and sports activities for millions of Americans in the central and southern Plains this week but the silver lining is that it is providing much-needed drought relief.

Not only is the rain helping to reduce the danger of wildfires but it is also lending farmers a hand as they head into their busy season.

Inches of Rain in the Forecast for Much of Plains

This week’s rain events are tracking farther to the south than usual, bringing the moisture as far as the Gulf Coast.

The same weather maker is dumping up to 2 feet of snow across the Colorado High Country on Wednesday, helping to build snowpack in this part of the country.

The storm system is set to bring up to 2 inches of rain in an area stretching from southeastern Colorado and into Oklahoma and portions of Kansas and Texas. Localized rainfall amounts of 3 – 5 inches are possible this week in the hardest-hit areas.

This is the part of the nation that has been under drought conditions since last summer. According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, much of Kansas and northern Oklahoma are under the designation of an exceptional drought.

Some areas of southwest Kansas have only seen about 20% of its usual amount of rain since late last summer. Similar situations have unfolded across parts of northern Oklahoma and Nebraska.

Several Benefits of Rain

The rain is a welcome sight for farmers and ranchers in the nation’s heartland. While the moisture may be too little too late for wheat farmers, the rain could be a big benefit for this year’s cotton crop.

This crop is typically planted this time of the year, giving the cotton a head start as it grows through the summer. Likewise, ranchers will be happy to see their pastures receive this significant amount of moisture.

In addition to providing a benefit for agricultural interests, the rain will also likely be enough to lower the risk of wildfires. A large part of the central U.S. has been under the threat of wildfires this winter because of the unseasonably low amount of rain and snow.

Storms over the last few months have set up over the northern Plains, bringing record amounts of snow to this part of the country while leaving the southern and central Plains begging for moisture.

Hazards of Too Much Rain

Unfortunately, the snowpack built up over the last several weeks in the northern U.S. has created the risk of major flooding events across the upper Mississippi River basin.

Forecasters are continuing to keep an eye on this developing situation in the coming weeks as the snow melts quickly and overwhelms the Mississippi River and its tributaries.

Moving to the south, it will be the heavy rain this week that may trigger flash flooding events. Cities such as Little Rock and Shreveport have seen rainfall amounts well above normal in April.

This week’s weather maker could fill the area waterways and lead to flash flooding in some small streams and throughout urban areas. The states most at risk of this flooding over the next few days include Arkansas, Louisiana, Georgia, and the Carolinas.

The southern edge of the storm system will come with the risk of severe weather. Potential hazards of these storms include damaging hail, strong winds, and lightning strikes. Isolated tornadoes may also be in the store for the region with the most dangerous impacts forecast for central and eastern portions of Texas.

The end of the work week could see another storm system moving into the central and southern Plains. This system is forecast to bring more widespread rain to the region, inching farther north.

While the rain will be more widespread in nature, it will likely be lighter in intensity than what the area saw during the middle of the week.

Two Deaths Blamed on Weekend Storms

Now that the dust has settled from last weekend’s severe storms, local officials are sharing the grim news of two children killed as a result of the weather. Both of the fatalities happened in Pennsylvania.

A 12-year-old was killed in New Providence when a tree was brought to the ground on Saturday. New Providence is located about 55 miles west of Philadelphia. The young boy died as a result of a traumatic head injury.

The same storm system also is being blamed for the death of a 2-year-old boy in Lower Southampton Township, located about 15 miles north of Philadelphia. Like the other tragedy, a falling tree branch led to the fatal head injury.

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