Heavy rain should return to Dallas-Fort Worth this week

After a month of hot, dry weather, rain appears to be on its way back to North Texas.

This time, forecasters don’t believe that the predictions of rain will fizzle out. Instead, the question is, How much rain will fall?

“Somewhere in the state is going to see a lot of rain,” said National Weather Service meteorologist Eric Martello. “Whether that's here or south of here remains to be seen.”

The forecast is calling for 1-3 inches across North Texas, but Martello said that “the models are all over the place.”

There’s a slight chance of rain late Wednesday, but an upper-level storm system should arrive Thursday night in Dallas-Fort Worth, followed by a second round Friday.

The chance for thunderstorms is 70 percent Thursday night, 80 percent Friday and 70 percent Saturday.

The rain is much needed, even though 39.10 inches have fallen this year at Dallas/Fort Worth Airport, 10.02 inches above normal.

Only 2.14 inches have fallen since Sept. 1, however, 2.83 inches below normal.

The latest U.S. Drought Monitor shows much of North Texas in severe drought, and areas to the east and southeast are in extreme drought.

“It's going to be rainy but thanks to the drought conditons we should be able to handle it,” Martello said. “As long as it’s gradual and comes over several days, we should be OK.”

This story was originally published October 20, 2015 at 1:07 PM with the headline "Heavy rain should return to Dallas-Fort Worth this week."