Alabama’s drought drags on, but there’s some good news

Drought conditions have persisted across Alabama over the past week, but there is a refreshing glimmer of hope for the regions hit hardest by the dry spell.

According to the latest update from the U.S. Drought Monitor, released Thursday, Alabama has seen a significant reduction in the areas impacted by Level 3 drought conditions throughout the southern and southeastern parts of the state.

Relief in the Forecast

The outlook is improving, with consistent chances of rain appearing in the forecast every day through next week, which could help further alleviate dry conditions statewide. As a reminder, the Drought Monitor utilizes levels 0 through 4 to categorize drought status, while also identifying areas that are considered abnormally dry.

The data utilized for these weekly reports is cut off each Tuesday, with the official findings published every Thursday by the Drought Monitor.

Precipitation Outlook

The National Weather Service has released its precipitation forecast for May 20-27, and the outlook remains promising for much of the state:

• Extreme North Alabama: Could see in excess of 4 inches of rain through next week.
• South Alabama: Expected to receive between a quarter-inch and 1.5 inches of rain.

This wetter pattern looks to extend into the start of June. NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center suggests that from May 28 through June 3, most of Alabama faces a 40-50 percent probability of above-average rainfall, with northern regions seeing slightly lower odds between 33 and 40 percent.

205focus.com will continue to track these developments. The next U.S. Drought Monitor report is scheduled for release on May 28.