Rainfall Update

September and October are typically the driest months of the year, but an atypical weather pattern has been responsible for the wet weather. In September, cut-off lows and tropical disturbances caused the wet pattern. During the first half of October, an anomalously strong subtropical jet stream provided enhanced uplift and extra moisture to a series of storm systems that impacted the eastern half of the country. Below are some rainfall totals for the last 31 days for select stations in Oktibbeha County.

MS-OK-1 (0.8 mi SW of Starkville): 17.47"
MS-OK-5 (1.7 mi NE of Starkville): 18.97"
MS-OK-6 (5.3 mi S of Starkville): 20.99"
MS-OK-11 (1.4 mi north of Starkville): 15.89"
MS-OK-19 (2.2 mi E of Starkville): 18.81"

The good news is that we should see a few more dry days thanks to an unseasonably strong trough that has influenced the Southeast. The cold front associated with the trough delivered a Canadian air mass that has resulted in chilly mornings and cool afternoons this weekend. By Wednesday, a new trough will eject into the Southern Plains, and moisture should begin increasing across the region. Our next chance of rain should come on Thursday, but this system will be more progressive in nature given the recent flip to a negative SOI and an upward trending NAO. This type of setup would normally limit the period of moisture return and reduce the threat for significant precipitation. However, the remnants of Hurricane Rick could play a big role in increasing the amount of moisture associated with the storm system, so this will be something I'll be paying close attention to over the next few days.