Dry weather to return to inundated southern US at midweek

Following a string of warm, humid and stormy days in the southern United States, dry weather will settle over the area beginning during the middle of the week.

A widespread 1 to 4 inches of rain fell last week from Texas to Kentucky, with localized amounts of 8 inches or more.

“A slow-moving series of storms will deliver daily rounds of torrential downpours to areas from eastern Texas to Florida and the Carolinas through at least Tuesday,” AccuWeather Meteorologist Kyle Elliott said.

There can be new incidents of localized flash flooding, as well as numerous disruptions to outdoor plans and slower travel.

On Sunday, the Jefferson County Sheriff reported street flooding near Beaumont, Texas, after thunderstorms repeatedly dumped torrential downpours on the area.

Heavy storms that moved through Tennessee on Sunday night resulted in road closures due to flash flooding in Portland, Tennessee, according to local law enforcement.

While more wet weather is expected, dry weather is on the horizon.

“Although storms will continue to pound the Southeast, drier and less humid conditions will greet residents from Houston, Texas, to Little Rock, Arkansas; Jackson, Mississippi; and Baton Rouge, Lafayette, and New Orleans, Louisiana, on Wednesday,” Elliott said.

After a stagnant weather pattern allowed wet, unsettled conditions to linger over the region, change will come in the form of a strong cold front dropping through the area on Wednesday.

This boundary will push the moisture southward, allowing refreshingly drier air to filter in from the north.

The dry and more comfortable conditions will hold through at least the end of the week.

However, “the Florida Peninsula could see substantial rain and thunderstorms through Friday, putting a significant dent in the drought,” Elliott said.

Many communities along the White and southern Mississippi rivers will welcome the extended dry period, as they are facing the threat of heightened water levels. Several gauges in eastern Arkansas were at minor flood stage as of Sunday.

The highest rain totals from the past week spread from Jackson, Mississippi, to southern Louisiana and eastern Texas. On Sunday, the Mississippi River was at moderate flood stage at several points in the area.

“The upcoming extended period of dry conditions will finally give the Mississippi River and its tributaries a chance to gradually recede,” Elliott said.

As the high pressure responsible for ushering in the drier air shifts eastward, the door will open for a more typical summer pattern to resume next week, according to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Kristina Pydynowski.

"Humidity levels will increase and allow widely-separated showers and thunderstorms to resume on a daily basis," she said.

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