With the lack of rainfall continuing across our area, drought conditions have worsened. Parts of the Tennessee Valley are now experiencing extreme drought as month-to-date and year-to-date rainfall totals fall behind.

Regions of extreme drought are working into parts of Jackson, Madison, Marshall, Morgan and DeKalb counties, as well as parts of Franklin, Colbert and Lauderdale counties. The rest of the area continues to experience severe drought conditions.

These worsening drought conditions are brought on by a continued lack of rainfall. The year-to-date rainfall in Huntsville is falling behind average by more than six inches, while Muscle Shoals is falling behind by more than eight inches.

Just in the month of October, most of North Alabama and Southern Middle Tennessee is falling behind by almost two and a half inches of rain. The area needs days of slow-soaking rains to help with the deficit. Unfortunately, there’s only some light, quick-hitting rain in the forecast for Monday with the passage of a cold front.