Southern Plains to be drenched by drought-busting, late-week storm

By Brandon Buckingham, AccuWeather Meteorologist

Updated Dec. 25, 2019 2:47 PM

Aside from trace amounts of rain or snow, many cities across the southern Plains have been virtually precipitation-free through the month of December, however, one storm system is expected to change that prior to the new year.

Amarillo and Lubbock, Texas, Oklahoma City and even Garden City, Kansas, have not registered more than a trace amount of precipitation so far in December. Because of this extended dry stretch of weather, drought conditions are beginning to expand across the region according to the United States Drought Monitor.

A storm system that will bring rain and snow across California and the Southwest through Friday will bring an end to the dry streak of weather seen across the Plains and mid-Mississippi Valley late this week.

The threat for widespread rain will increase across the panhandles of Texas and Oklahoma on Friday as a storm system is set to track into the southern Plains. As the sun sets, the threat for wet weather will expand eastward.

Wichita, Kansas, Oklahoma City and even Abilene, Texas, may have a welcome return of wet weather Friday night.

Rain and possibly even a few rumbles of thunder will continue to track eastward into the mid-Mississippi Valley Saturday.

Travelers on interstates 35, 40 and 70 in Kansas, Oklahoma and Missouri, should plan on possible delays due to wet roadways.

RELATED:

Forecasters keeping a close eye on brewing post-Christmas snowstorm Post-Christmas travelers could run into rain, snow for the drive home late this weekFrigid Southwest storm to drench region with flooding rain and heavy snow through Friday

On the colder, northwestern flank of the storm, there is a potential for a heavy accumulation of snow across the Plains and Midwest Friday through this weekend.

Along with the threat for rain and snow across the Plains, plunging temperatures are expected as well. Many locales that enjoyed temperatures in the 60s and 70s F on Christmas can expect temperatures in the 30s, 40s and 50s this weekend.

In the wake of this storm system across the Plains, cool and mainly dry conditions look likely across the central and southern Plains into the new year.

Download the free AccuWeather app to check the forecast in your area. Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios.