
The latest update from the NWS Climate Prediction Center continues to show a little more improvement in drought conditions across the area. There are no longer any portions of our 14 county viewing area listed in “Extreme” or “Exceptional” drought conditions. There remains a portion of southern Tennessee and north Alabama in our viewing area roughly between US Highway 43 and Interstate 65 still in “Severe” drought conditions, but even that is gradually shrinking based on the latest update.



Most of the viewing area has pretty much had between 3 and 5 inches of rain over the past 30 days. While that isn’t bad, that is only between 60 to 80% of normal; so, we have been a touch drier than we usually are at the beginning of the year on an average basis. When you combine that with the long-running 1 to 2 FEET rainfall deficits across southern TN into the I-65 corridor of north AL and eastward, it is easy to see why and how drought conditions are still around, even if short-term precipitation the last few weeks has your ground a bit soft or even a touch on the muddy side.



The good news is that we continue to see signs that we will see continued improvement, even if it is a bit gradual. The 7-day rainfall forecast from the NWS Weather Prediction Center shows much of the area expecting to get a half inch to inch of rain over the next seven days. We also see signs of possibly above average precipitation to end the month and begin the first part of February when we look at the extended outlooks from the NWS Climate Prediction Center.