Relief from a severe drought in central Illinois may see some relief if longterm outlooks are correct.

Ed Shimon at the National Weather Service in Lincoln indicates that the drought is significant enough that water restrictions are in play in neighboring communities.

While the current landscape is parched, there is a shift appearing in the long-range forecasts. Shimon says that the latest data from the Climate Prediction Center indicates the entire month of March is trending toward a much-needed increase in moisture.

The timing of this predicted rain is vital for the upcoming growing season. Shimon notes that because the ground isn't deeply frozen, the spring storms have a unique opportunity to actually penetrate the earth and begin healing the soil.

However, Shimon cautions that a few rainy days won't be a "silver bullet" for a deficit this large. As the area heads into a significantly warmer and sunnier March, he emphasizes that the road to recovery will be a long-term process.

As we close out February, a warmer than normal month combined with minimal snowfall has allowed the ground to thaw out and be ready for the spring rains when they arrive.