Southwest Rain: Every Bit Helps

Change is a good thing!  Upper level low pressure, cut off from the main flow of the jet stream, has brought the prospect for precipitation to the southwestern United States.  This cannot come soon enough, as widespread drought grips the region. Rain and snow will ramp up Wednesday afternoon and persist into Thursday.  A few showers will be possible in southern California but the best chance for rain will be in Arizona and New Mexico.  Mountain snow will be more widespread in Utah and Colorado. While only a few hundredths of an inch of rain are possible in southern California, some areas in southern Arizona may pick up one inch!  Heavy snow will be found in the mountains of central Utah, Colorado's Western Slope, and New Mexico's Sangre de Cristos. While not drought-busting by any means, this round of rain and snow is certainly much-needed.  It's been a while since southwestern cities have had rain in the forecast! Give WeatherNation a follow on Twitter and Facebook for the latest forecast information (and some pretty cool weather videos)! -Meteorologist Joe Astolfi