After record drought has gripped the Southeast, fueling fast-moving wildfires in Georgia and Florida, forecasters say some relief may be in sight from rain set to fall later in the week, while more changes to the weather are coming nationwide to close out April.
The wildfires burning tens of thousands of acres in the South have destroyed homes, prompted evacuations and closed major roads. Dry conditions and wind have made conditions prime for fire spread; over the weekend, one of the major fires burning in Georgia doubled in size, authorities said.
There are multiple rounds of rain and thunderstorms in the forecast for this week, AccuWeather reported. Though the rainfall will help fire efforts in the short term, it's not enough to reverse the record drought ongoing in the region, the outlet reported.
"A more widespread soaking rain is expected from Texas to Georgia and northern Florida by late week, offering the best chance for meaningful relief and a temporary drop in wildfire risk," said Brandon Buckingham, AccuWeather meteorologist.
The moisture coming to the Southeast is one of several patterns of changing weather expected to sweep the nation over the coming week, including a cool spell in the East and calmer weather in the central United States, after a week of storms and tornadoes.
