Some welcome rain has fallen on western Kentucky, which is still experiencing moderate to severe drought conditions.
National Weather Service forecaster Kelley Hooper told The Paducah Sun that the rain gauge at Lake Barkley Dam recorded 1.2 inches of rainfall in Sunday's thunderstorms. No damage was reported in the region, although a tornado watch was posted for Sunday afternoon.
The weather service said western Kentucky is nearly 19 inches behind in rainfall for the year. At Paducah, records show only 27 inches of precipitation since January.
The U.S. Seasonal Drought Outlook issued by the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration shows western Kentucky as one of only a few regions where drought conditions are likely to improve through February.
