Cold, dry weather this week may give way to warmer weather and storms later in the month, says a climatologist from Nebraska.

It’s certainly great to see how far soil-moisture profiles have come across the Great Plains over the past year. Looking at the U.S. Drought Monitor, you don’t see a sea of brown and red colors that the government uses to signify severe major drought problems.

Climate Prediction Center outlooks indicate a continuation of the trend of above-normal moisture from the southwest U.S. through the central Plains, says Nebraska state climatologist Al Dutcher.