9/21/2023

A combination of more seasonable temperatures and a cold front that stalled along the Gulf coast in Texas, led to an enhanced amount of precipitation in Texas last week, which resulted in widespread one-class improvements concentrated in West-Central Texas. Although rain totals in Texas were quite high, the rest of the region experienced below normal precipitation totals. Due to this, widespread one class degradations were experienced in Oklahoma, Louisiana, Arkansas, and Mississippi. This has led to an overall expansion of drought in the southern climate region, from 77% of the region experiencing some level of drought on September 12th, to 84% on September 19th.

Looking into the future, as outlined by the Climate Prediction Center's Day 8-14 U.S. Hazards Outlook, Central Mississippi is outlined in a “Rapid onset Drought Risk”, as dry conditions below normal precipitation is forecasted for the region for the next 2 weeks.