Soaking Rain Returns to South Next Week

By Meghan Evans, Meteorologist

January 4,2013; 8:51PM,EST

A dynamic storm rolling out of the Southwest could ignite another round of drenching rain and storms across the South next week.
Portions of Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Arkansas and Mississippi will get a soaking rain during the Tuesday to Wednesday timeframe.

The northern edge of rain will douse areas that are still enduring extreme drought conditions. While the rain will not be drought-busting, it will be beneficial in the short term.

The threat of strong to severe thunderstorms is not out of the question on Wednesday.
While colder air is gripping areas all the way down to the Gulf Coast now, enough mild and humid air can return to support a few strong storms.
"Strong storms could develop across coastal areas of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and the Florida Panhandle," AccuWeather Expert Senior Meteorologist Dan Kottlowski said. "There will be a quicker return of moisture there."
The most widespread concern with any storms that strengthen will be damaging wind gusts.
Meanwhile, colder air on the northwestern edge of the storm may allow snow to fall across portions of New Mexico, northern Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas.