The latest Drought Monitor, released yesterday, shows that the heavy rain from Tropical Storm Isaias removed all drought from Puerto Rico and Virginia, leaving just a few lingering areas of abnormally dry conditions. There were no real changes to the dry conditions in Florida and South Carolina, but Alabama and Georgia saw slight increases due to continued hot weather and spotty rain. Rainfall amounts across a lot of the Southeast will sum to about an inch this week, which will not be enough to keep up with evapotranspiration, especially in hotter areas. Alabama and NW Georgia are expected to see less than that, which is likely to expand drought there. Week 2 shows some increased chances of rain across the region, but temperatures are also expected to remain above normal. The tropics remain quiet, with one weak system moving across the Atlantic now that has a low probability of developing.
