Drying Out & Warming Up This Week:

Good Morning from Meteorologist Chris Whited...

* Most of us are dealing with patchy fog and drizzle across there area this morning but there are still a few isolated showers across the Big Country as well. Overall the rain event that been with us the last five days is slowly coming to an end. The low pressure center that has been sitting over Texas keeping the rain chances in place is slowly moving off to the northeast today. I can't rule out a few more isolated showers today as some moisture is still wrapping around the low down into the Big Country today. Clouds are going to hang tough today, although there might be a few breaks in the western counties as dry air starts to help thin them out over that way. Tonight look for mostly cloudy conditions with low clouds and a few areas of fog developing overnight. Expect highs today to be back into the 70s and lows tonight again into the lower and middle 60s.

* The Week Ahead: Expect partly cloudy conditions this week with temperatures in upper 70s today and slowly warming back into the lower and middle 80s throughout the week with nice cool nights with lows into the lower to middle 60s. Some data is trying to keep a slight shower chance in for Tuesday but I don't buy it so I am leaving it out of the forecast package. Expect another slight rain chance by Saturday and Sunday for the Big Country but for now it is just a small chance as a low drops down toward us from the Pacific Northwest.

* Drought Update: Even though weekend activities had to dodge the rain at times, this was such a beneficial rainfall for the Big Country. Looking back on the climate data, Abilene was -2.86" below normal on rainfall back on Thursday. According to the official Sunday climate summary that was issued between 2:00 annd 3:00 AM this morning we are sitting at only -0.44" below normal. Shackelford County has remained the bullseye of the worse of the drought here in late summer and that area got quite a good rain the last five days just like everyone else. It will be interesting to see how this will affect our status on the U.S. Drought Monitor update that we'll receive from the government on Thursday.

* Tropics: For the latest information please visit the KRBC/NBC Hurricane Season 2009 Tracker on the weather section of our website by clicking here. You can also visit the National Hurricane Center website by clicking on the link here.

* Join us on television this morning for the latest on your forecast as well as news from around Abilene & the Big Country on KRBC's Abilene Today starting at 6:00 AM and on Abilene Midday later this morning at 11:30 AM.

* Twitter: You can follow us on twitter anytime for quick severe weather updates and other random weather information by visiting the KRBC Weather Twitter. You can also check out news updates from KRBC via twitter also by visiting the Big Country Homepage Twitter.

Have a great Monday...