GOOD NEWS: Recent rain brings much needed relief to Panhandle

AMARILLO, Texas (KFDA) - Over the last couple of weeks there’s been an obvious shift in the weather pattern, resulting in a lot of rain in the area.

The wet pattern has generally been well received as some thirsty ground has been refreshed.

It’s like a switch was thrown, after a very lengthy period with little rain. Now recently, it has been wave after wave of spring rains.

The benefits of the moisture are now very evident, with water standing in locations formerly cracked and parched.

Lake levels are on the rise and streams that were just trickling a couple of weeks ago are now flowing and alive.

It can be a slow process but we are also chipping away at drought levels and are certainly seeing some recent improvements. Area farmers are very thankful.

“So right now is planting time here in the Panhandle and we’re planting cotton and corn and this rain has been very beneficial, it saves us on irrigation, cost and expenses for this crop and also just the Lord’s provision with our grass and our livestock and everything that goes with that,” said Morgan Crabtree, Area Producer.

Something we just don’t see very often in our neck of the woods, legitimate chances for rain in six of the next seen days.

That’s not all, with the rapid onset of El Nino, the warming of the Pacific Ocean near the equator, the next couple of weeks and even the long range outlooks are promising for moisture.

“So this rain is putting beneficial moisture into our soil for a sub-soil moisture for later on in the season. We usually can’t pump enough in this area when we get no rain so this is going to help tremendously,” said Crabtree.

With recent improvements and a promising future shaping up, there are even more positive developments coming together, like the return of summer fireworks to Lake Meredith.

Let’s not forget the fierce competition among your First Alert Weather Team.

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