BROOKHAVEN — National Weather Service in Jackson reports 0.54 inches of rain has fallen in Lincoln County since Friday. More rain is in the forecast for this week with a 70 percent chance of rain tonight and 80 percent chance of rain Tuesday morning.

Rainfall is much welcomed in Lincoln County. Dusty cow pastures need rain to germinate planted seeds, fish ponds need water to keep the fish alive and food plots should have enough moisture to start to grow. More rainfall should come today and into Wednesday before dry and cloudy conditions return.

Mississippi Highway Patrol reminds drivers the rain could cause roads to be slick today. Brookhaven Troop M issued a statement on social media to caution travelers today.

“It hasn’t rained in a while so roads may be extra slick due to grease and oils that collect over time,” MHP wrote. “The buildup could reduce friction on the roadway and make it more difficult to control your vehicle. Remember you must change your driving behavior to account for inclement weather.”

Conditions remain dry

Despite the needed rainfall, conditions remain dry in Southwest Mississippi. Drought conditions are forecast to persist this month by the National Weather Service and are still classified as exceptional drought. Conditions should improve over the winter but the drought will remain.

All of the rainfall is still not enough to bring Lincoln County out of a burn ban either. Lincoln County Emergency Management Agency Director Chris Reid said they put out a few small fires over the weekend and had several reports of people burning.

Lincoln County is under a burn ban until further notice. Please do not attempt to burn anything. One spark is all it takes to start a fire. One fire started last week in the Nola community likely due to a spark from the railroad. Reid reported the fire in Nola burned 277 acres before it was contained last week.