Despite recent rain, drought lingers for much of the region

ROANOKE, Va. – Think of it this way. If you drink nothing but beer and soda and eat nothing but pizza for two months in a row and workout for three days, are you suddenly in great shape? Not really. 

That's how we can think of the drought situation. The rain we've seen recently has put us in the right direction, but it's not cured us of the drought just yet. Some areas, like Wytheville, Martinsville, Danville and Covington are technically out of the drought but are still 'abnormally dry.

It's important to note that this week's drought monitor does NOT take into account the rain we saw Tuesday. 

After three soaking rains in the past week, we're getting there. 

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Another chance of rain shows up Sunday, with drizzle and showers more hit-or-miss during the day Saturday. Some showers may linger into Sunday afternoon, which we'll have to watch for the Martinsville race.

By the time all is said and done, most of the region winds up with an additional 0.50-1.00" of rain. Some lower totals will be possible in Lynchburg and Southside. Some higher totals will be possible near Highway 221.

Another cold front could give us more rain next Wednesday and/or on Halloween. While we may not be completely out of the woods yet, there are some encouraging signs in the forecast.