Weather
Memphis Weather: Weekend Rain Could Ease Drought
Memphis, TN – Showers and thunderstorms will increase across the Mid South Friday and through the weekend, potentially bringing some relief after worsening drought conditions.
By Jenna Hartley · 2026-10-01T21:05:50.214Z
Memphis, TN – Showers and thunderstorms will increase across the Mid South Friday and through the weekend, potentially bringing some relief after worsening drought conditions.
According to the National Weather Service in Memphis, a cold front moving into the region Friday will increase rain and thunderstorm chances across the forecast area. The NWS said recent conditions have been abnormally dry.
The latest U.S. Drought Monitor, valid Sept. 29 and released Oct. 1, shows portions of northeast Arkansas and West Tennessee in extreme drought. Outside those areas, much of the region covered by the Memphis weather office is experiencing severe or moderate drought.
The NWS said rainfall Friday and through the weekend should help alleviate drought conditions slightly across the Mid South. However, the agency did not indicate that the expected rainfall would end the ongoing drought.
The drought graphic shows the most significant conditions concentrated in portions of northeast Arkansas and West Tennessee, with additional pockets of extreme drought elsewhere in the Memphis forecast area.
Moderate and severe drought cover a broader portion of the region, which includes parts of western Tennessee, eastern Arkansas, northern Mississippi and southeast Missouri.
Specific rainfall amounts and storm timing are not provided in the NWS update, so the extent of drought improvement remains uncertain and will depend in part on how much rain ultimately falls and where.
Residents across the Mid South should expect shower and thunderstorm chances to increase beginning Friday and continue through the weekend. Updated forecasts will provide more detail on rainfall amounts and timing as the cold front moves through the region.