Update 3/24/18

One significant event!  Was that enough to break the nasty weather pattern we've been in across the high plains?  Unfortunately, no.  As I've mentioned since the fall, there would be fewer opportunities for significant precipitation for the fall, winter and going into spring.  Miss the majority of the opportunities and the outlook was going to be dismal.  Is there still a chance for a "turn-around"?  Yes, but the chance is small - not impossible - just a small chance so I guess there is always hope.

The storm that impacted much of the central U.S. late last Sunday and into Monday was very significant for much of the area, but then on the western edge it was more of the same with little to nothing. Here is a map of precipitation during the past 7 days ending this morning, the 24th of March:



Looking at the satellite image from this morning, there was a vigorous storm over the eastern Pacific.  But it may not be phased with the jet stream farther south across the Pacific that was streaming into the central Rockies.  There was still that sub-tropical jet that has been showing up (lower part of the image).  That could still prove interesting later this spring (probably more hope than anything).

The same old pattern we've been in since the fall will likely continue to dominate through the end of the week.  The Pacific storm will likely progress in pieces associated with the trough aloft through mid-week and may help to produce at least a little bit of precipitation across the high plains.  Farther east, it looks like more significant rains.  Here is the map from the Weather Prediction Center through the end of the week:



I originally thought there could be a system around Easter weekend and still do see a small chance in about a week.  But, again, given the pattern it may be another system too far north and fast to benefit much of the high plains.  Having stated that though, the longer we go into spring the more readily available the boundary layer moisture will be.  That "could" help chances - I'm just not that optimistic, yet.

Ive shown the following stats at several presentations lately:


       October 1, 2017 through March 17, 2018


Before last weekends weather system, the amount of precipitation since October 1, 2017 through March 17 was extremely low.  For Dodge City, that total of 0.53" was only 10 percent of normal for that entire 167 day period and was the 2nd driest on record for the same date! 

Other years for the same period ...



I've posted before about those dry periods being followed up with good moisture for at least Dodge City (and likely similar for other locations) but not until later in the spring.



The problem I see with those years is that March and April were continued dry. 

I'll try and update by the end of the week.