Rain continues drenching the South, providing needed moisture for drought-stricken Louisiana, Texas
After a wet weekend, things will really get soggy this week as over a month's worth of rainfall is forecast to fall across from Texas to Georgia by Wednesday.
Soaking rains continue to drench the Gulf Coast this week
As much as 2-3 inches of rain will fall across parts of the Gulf Coast of Texas and stretching east into Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi as an area of low pressure swirls just off the coast into the Gulf of Mexico.
HOUSTON -- It's a soggy start to the week for the South. Heavy rain will continue dousing the South from Texas to North Florida through mid-week, providing needed moisture to the critically dry region.
After a wet weekend, things will really get soggy this week as over a month's worth of rainfall is forecast to fall across the Gulf Coast and Deep South by Wednesday.
According to the FOX Forecast Center, the soaking setup comes from a one-two wet punch, as a dip in the jet stream over the Southern Plains works with a strong subtropical jet over Mexico, forming an area of low pressure in the Gulf of Mexico. The low has tapped into the tropical moisture in the Gulf, producing heavy, soaking rain from Texas to Georgia.
"We haven't had much in the way of tropical systems on the Gulf Coast this hurricane season," FOX Weather Meteorologist Jane Minar said. "And while we don't wish for them, they do bring beneficial rain to help in drought conditions like this after the summer was so hot and dry."
Wet week ahead
Showers were active at the end of the weekend, with rainfall from Texas into South Carolina. The moisture was mostly contained to the Gulf Coast by late Sunday and is forecast to remain there into the workweek.
By Monday, the rain will pick up in Houston as the low-pressure system begins to spin, kicking up more showers along the Gulf Coast. Nearly 3 inches of rain has been recorded in Brownsville in the past three days with several more inches to fall.
Along Interstate 10, rainfall totals could top out at 3 inches through Wednesday night. New Orleans is forecast to see between 3 and 5 inches of rain, with isolated areas getting up to 6 inches.
Heavy rain leads to flash flood threat across the Gulf Coast
While rain is desperately needed for the Gulf Coast, the heavy and resistant rainfall also brings the threat of flooding.
WHAT DOES PERCENT CHANCE OF RAIN MEAN ON FOX WEATHER APP?
Into the work week, the flooding threat remains possible in the Houston area but will shift east into New Orleans on Monday. By Tuesday, Panama City and Mobile could also see some potential flash flooding – a risk that holds into Wednesday.
Rain to aid ongoing drought, wildfires
Even with the substantial rainfall in the forecast, it won't come close to ending drought conditions for Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama and the Florida Panhandle.
Firefighters have been battling drought-driven wildfires all across the South and Southeast.
Latest drought conditions in the Gulf states. (FOX Weather)
Houston is forecast to receive up to 2 inches of rain, and it needs it. The city is at a deficit of 7.7 inches of rain this year.
FLASH DROUGHT INCREASING ACROSS SOUTHEAST DRIVES WILDFIRE GROWTH
Much of southern Louisiana is in even worse shape with exceptional drought across the Bayou State. New Orleans could see up to 3 inches of rain through Wednesday, putting a drop in the bucket to a nearly 28.5-inch rain deficit.
While it won't end the drought, the rain could help douse the Michoud marsh fire creating deadly smoky conditions in New Orleans, which has caused crashes on area highways in recent weeks.
According to the latest U.S. Drought Monitor report, exceptional drought has also expanded in Mississippi.
More rain is forecast for Jackson on Tuesday and Wednesday.