Go Back
  • For Business
  • |
  • Warnings
  • Data Suite
  • Forensics
  • Advertising
  • Superior Accuracy™
Flood-weary Texas finally drying out, but near 100-degree heat looms Chevron right
Tropical rainstorm soaks Florida, could strengthen in Gulf before targeting Louisiana Chevron right

Columbus, OH

88°F
Location Chevron down
Location News Videos
Use Current Location
Recent

Columbus

Ohio

88°
No results found.
Try searching for a city, zip code or point of interest.
settings
Columbus, OH Weather
Today WinterCast Local {stormName} Tracker Hourly Daily Radar MinuteCast Monthly Air Quality Health & Activities

Around the Globe

Hurricane Tracker

Severe Weather

Radar & Maps

News

News & Features

Astronomy

Business

Climate

Health

Recreation

Sports

Travel

For Business

Warnings

Data Suite

Forensics

Advertising

Superior Accuracy™

Video

Winter Center

AccuWeather Early Hurricane Center Top Stories Trending Today Astronomy Heat Climate Health Recreation In Memoriam Case Studies Blogs & Webinars

News / Weather Forecasts

Rounds of much-needed rain in central, southern US will linger into the weekend

By Bill Deger, AccuWeather senior meteorologist

Published Dec 7, 2022 12:52 PM EDT | Updated Dec 9, 2022 3:01 PM EDT

Copied

Experts believe a fossilized jaw bone that was found in the drought-stricken Mississippi River belongs to an extinct lion species.

A rainy week in a large swath of the south-central United States will turn into a rainy weekend, as another round of drought-relieving rain is forecast to spread from the southern Plains to the Tennessee Valley from Friday night through Saturday night.

The beneficial rain will not come without its pitfalls, as it will aggravate any lingering flooding issues and potentially cause travel issues into the weekend, according to AccuWeather meteorologists. The rain will also precede a threat of severe weather and tornadoes early next week as a more dynamic weather pattern unfolds.

For the most part, however, the rain is good news, as much of the region is currently in the midst of some level of drought, according to the latest version of the U.S. Drought Monitor. This ongoing, minor relief from the prolonged dry conditions and low water levels on rivers was first mentioned by AccuWeather forecasters back in October and may very well persist into the early part of 2023.

"The storms arriving this weekend and next week are the types of storms and pattern that will push water levels to more comfortable readings going forward, and we can expect a similar, beneficial storm track to last through the rest of December and through January," said AccuWeather Lead Long-Range Meteorologist Paul Pastelok.

For some, the rain has been too much of a good thing, and in some cases, it fell too quickly. Dating back to Monday, a large swath of the mid-Mississippi and Tennessee valleys, as well as areas just to the southeast, have measured between 1 and 4 inches of rain. The highest amounts have been from central Tennessee into northern Alabama and Georgia, where totals in excess of 5 inches were reported.

For a time on Wednesday, flood warnings and advisories were in effect for several creeks and rivers in the region that had overrun their banks. A brief break in the rain on Wednesday evening allowed those warnings and advisories to be discontinued.

Additional rounds of rain are expected to continue filling rain gauges in the region through the remainder of the week. The next round soaked a corridor from central Oklahoma to southern Missouri and into the lower Ohio Valley on Thursday night, in an area farther north than where heavy rains have recently fallen.

On Friday, the rain had shifted to some areas that were previously soaked earlier this week -- in northern portions of Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia.

By the beginning of the weekend, yet another round of rain will take shape in the southern Plains, due to an influx of moisture from the Gulf of Mexico and a new storm emerging from the Rockies. The storm system will evolve from an area of late-night rain in the Red River Valley on Friday night to a corridor of heavy showers and thunderstorms stretching across parts of the Mississippi and Tennessee valleys on Saturday and Saturday night.

AccuWeather forecasters say another inch or two of rain can fall on top of what has already been measured in this area to start the weekend, leading to travel delays and localized flooding but also providing some relief to those long-lasting drought issues.

GET THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APP

  •    Have the app? Unlock AccuWeather Alerts™ with Premium+

Motorists along portions of interstates 10, 30, 45 and 55, among others, will endure these rounds of heavy rain into the weekend, which can reduce visibility due to road spray and increase the risk of hydroplaning.

The potential for more rain is also good news for those with commercial interests along the Mississippi River, which has recorded near-record low water levels dating back to earlier this year.

"We have recently seen some positive reaction to the Mississippi River water levels from recent rounds of rain, and we will continue to see the same in the days and weeks moving forward," said AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Alex Sosnowski.

"Some locations along the river are still struggling with ultra-low water levels, but at least the overall trend has been up rather than down since the end of the summer," added Sosnowski.

A significant amount of rain is needed to get barge traffic moving at a reasonable pace, and it needs to fall over the entire Mississippi basin, not just the southern half as it is now. "Rainfall has brought water levels to where ships can transport, but schedules remain modified and ships are carrying less cargo for weight purposes," points out Pastelok.

While the rain is good news for agricultural and commercial interests, those pining for dry weather as the holidays approach may get their wish by the middle and end of next week. AccuWeather forecasters say a cooler, drier air mass should take shape across the central and southern U.S. in the wake of another storm. However, that major storm from Monday to Wednesday of next week is likely to bring widespread severe weather, including tornadoes and perhaps localized flooding.

See Also:

Rare ice age fossils discovered on the drought-stricken Mississippi River
Major storm could bring tornadoes, blizzard conditions next week
‘Life-saving’ weather alerts undergo change following public feedback

Want next-level safety, ad-free? Unlock advanced, hyperlocal severe weather alerts when you subscribe to Premium+ on the AccuWeather app. AccuWeather Alerts™ are prompted by our expert meteorologists who monitor and analyze dangerous weather risks 24/7 to keep you and your family safer.

Report a Typo

Weather News

Weather News

Death toll reaches 129 in Texas as new flash flood threat expands

Jul. 13, 2025
Weather Forecasts

Flood-weary Texas finally drying out, but near 100-degree heat looms

Jul. 14, 2025
Weather News

The Deadliest Floods in Texas History: A State at Risk

Jul. 14, 2025
video

Before-and-after pictures show devastation caused by Texas floods

Jul. 9, 2025
Severe Weather

Severe weather to rumble in the central US through the holiday weekend

Jul. 6, 2025
Weather News

Record sargassum seaweed piles up on Caribbean islands, Gulf

Jul. 2, 2025
Weather News

Alabama teen in ICU after lightning strike hits boat, causing burns an...

Jul. 2, 2025
Show more Show less Chevron down

Topics

AccuWeather Early

Hurricane Center

Top Stories

Trending Today

Astronomy

Heat

Climate

Health

Recreation

In Memoriam

Case Studies

Blogs & Webinars

Top Stories

Weather Forecasts

Flood-weary Texas finally drying out, but near 100-degree heat looms

1 hour ago

Weather News

Thunderstorms bring more flooding, evacuations to central Texas

2 hours ago

Hurricane

Tropical Rainstorm to drench Florida, Gulf Coast

59 minutes ago

Weather News

Grand Canyon fires force closures

2 hours ago

Severe Weather

Wildfire smoke may follow storms, severe weather in eastern US

1 hour ago

More Stories

Featured Stories

Astronomy

Noctilucent clouds shimmer in summer sky

2 hours ago

Recreation

Yellowstone’s landscape shifts again with discovery of new hot pool

4 hours ago

Weather News

Orcas are bringing humans gifts of food – but why?

3 days ago

Weather News

Giant shoes found spark mystery around the soldiers of ancient Rome

2 hours ago

Weather News

It’s not just humans – chimpanzees also like to follow trends

3 hours ago

AccuWeather Weather Forecasts Rounds of much-needed rain in central, southern US will linger into the weekend
Company
Proven Superior Accuracy About AccuWeather Digital Advertising Careers Press Contact Us
Products & Services
For Business For Partners For Advertising AccuWeather APIs AccuWeather Connect RealFeel® and RealFeel Shade™ Personal Weather Stations
Apps & Downloads
iPhone App Android App See all Apps & Downloads
Subscription Services
AccuWeather Premium AccuWeather Professional
More
AccuWeather Ready Business Health Hurricane Leisure and Recreation Severe Weather Space and Astronomy Sports Travel Weather News Winter Center
Company
Proven Superior Accuracy About AccuWeather Digital Advertising Careers Press Contact Us
Products & Services
For Business For Partners For Advertising AccuWeather APIs AccuWeather Connect RealFeel® and RealFeel Shade™ Personal Weather Stations
Apps & Downloads
iPhone App Android App See all Apps & Downloads
Subscription Services
AccuWeather Premium AccuWeather Professional
More
AccuWeather Ready Business Health Hurricane Leisure and Recreation Severe Weather Space and Astronomy Sports Travel Weather News Winter Center
© 2025 AccuWeather, Inc. "AccuWeather" and sun design are registered trademarks of AccuWeather, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Cookie Policy | About Your Privacy Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information

...

...

...