Posted at 3:45 PM ET, 03/25/2009

PM Update: Scattered Light Showers Tonight

By Ian Livingston

More significant and much-needed rain tomorrow

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Morning sun has been replaced with mostly cloudy skies, which will stay with us through tomorrow. Highs are reaching the low 50s most places this afternoon as some light showers slowly advance toward the area from the west.

Radar: Latest regional radar loop shows movement of precipitation over past two hours. Powered by HAMweather. Refresh page to update. Click here to see radar bigger. Or see radar bigger on our Weather Wall.

This Evening and Overnight: Some occasional and generally light showers are possible from around 6 p.m. onward, perhaps enough to wet the parched ground a bit. A light south wind and clouds will keep lows from falling much below 40.

Tomorrow (Thursday): The chance of some scattered light showers continues through the morning -- as highs again head for the low 50s in most places -- with more substantial rains likely during the afternoon into evening. Rain should be coming to an end by late evening, leaving us dry again overnight.

See Dan Stillman's full forecast through the weekend.

Climate Change and Drought? Unlike portions of the Plains, things are quite dry around here so far this year. A new study, by Peter Baines of Melbourne University in Australia, finds that rainfall over the past 15 years has been steadily decreasing in several large regions including the continental U.S. Baines finds that global warming is 37 percent responsible for this increased dryness.