BROOKHAVEN — Thursday’s forecasted rain could snap a streak of 36 consecutive dry days. Expected rain comes as drought conditions worsen in Lincoln County according to the National Drought Monitor.

According to Drought.Gov, 91 percent of Lincoln County is considered to be in moderate drought. Nine percent of Lincoln County remains in abnormally dry conditions the first stage of drought development. Areas of Pike, Amite and Wilkinson Counties are now in a severe drought stage.

Lincoln County could finally see rainfall this afternoon with 0.47 inches of rain expected by Midnight. Rainfall could continue Friday morning with totals around 0.11 inches. The much needed rain will not be enough to lift drought conditions just yet. According to the United States Forest Service, Lincoln County needs about six inches of rain to get soil moisture back to normal levels.

There are low chances of showers Monday through Wednesday of next week ranging from 20 percent on Monday and Tuesday to 40 percent Wednesday.

The Daily Leader is continuing to monitor the National Hurricane Center’s forecasts for tropical storm development. At this time, an area of low pressure is in the southwest Caribbean Sea and has a 50 percent chance of tropical cyclone formation in the next seven days. A tropical depression could form from this disturbance but it is unknown where the system will move if it does develop and if it would have any impacts on our weather in Southwest Mississippi.