As the dome of frigid air moves off to the northeast, a warm front is pushing in from the southwest. Ahead of that front, Gulf of Mexico moisture is streaming northward, producing a broad band of rain from East Texas to the Upper Mississippi Valley.
Here in Missouri, the rain developed overnight and will persist for most of the day; north of us, across much of Iowa, freezing rain is coating the roads, buildings and landscapes with ice. By tomorrow, as the front tracks northeastward, warmer air and sunshine will bring a mild respite from the recent Arctic conditions.
While frozen soil might limit the benefits of this December rain, it will certainly recharge the streams which have been sluggish for most of the year. It will take steady spring and summer rains to put a significant dent in our prolonged regional drought.
