If you were one of the many area drivers who were forced to grab their car owner manuals to look up how to turn on your windshield wipers, don’t worry … you weren’t alone.

After months of persistent dry weather, with few showers, it appears the weather pattern may be changing for the better and the wetter.

The line of storms that doused the Vicksburg area Monday, unlike showers over the previous weeks, is not alone. According to the National Weather Service, additional showers are expected Tuesday and Tuesday evening.

According to National Weather Service meteorologist Thomas Winesett, the rain this week might not knock out the severe drought in Mississippi, but it will help.

“It might not be enough to completely bust the drought, but it will give us a lot of progress heading in that direction,” Winesett said. “Rain chances are on the increase from the previous weeks, when it has been so dry.”

Since January, the area is 6.41 inches above normal, thanks to excessive rains in the spring and early part of the summer, but since September, we are 9.5 inches below normal.

In the last report released by the U.S. Drought Monitor, more than 72 percent of Mississippi was classified to be under extreme drought conditions, a far cry from the only 2 percent of the state last year that was only under moderate drought conditions.

Persistent dry conditions, which has caused the drought figures, has also been accompanied by lower humidity levels leading to dangerous fire concerns throughout the state.

Vicksburg, Warren County and all of Mississippi remain under a no burn ban.

The rains on Monday and Tuesday could help that as well.

“If we do get a wide-spread multiple-inch rain event over the next couple of days it is definitely possible those bans could be lifted,” Winesett said. “But, that does find on county officials if they are lifted.”

Burn bans are determined on the county and state level, not the National Weather Service.

In addition to the much-need rain, the storms might also lead to it feeling a bit more like Christmas.

“After this cold front moves through, say Wednesday, late this week and over the weekend will be more seasonable weather,” Winesett said.