Drought relief unlikely despite holiday rain threat

The Chicago area appears to have a decent shot at getting some much needed rain today, but other than disrupting holiday festivities, the rain should have little effect in improving the area’s severe drought status. Today’s rain threat appears to be the only one this week, as high pressure builds into the Midwest following this afternoon’s cold frontal passage. With plenty of sunshine and low humidity midweek, followed by more 90s by next weekend, the area’s drought conditions are likely to hold steady at best, but probably worsen.
In contrast, substantial rainfall is expected to fall across Mexico’s Yucatan peninsula today as a tropical depression moves across that region. Hurricane forecasters are concerned that the system will strengthen into Tropical Storm Cindy as it crosses the Yucatan and moves into the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico on Tuesday.