Depending upon where you live in the U.S., relief from the drought could be on the way.

The hard-hit southwest is expected to see significant recovery as a result of its annual monsoon season, which typically gets under way in mid-July. The U.S. Climate Prediction Center is forecasting a strong monsoon season, which would be welcome. The rains could extend into fire-ravaged Colorado.

Portions of the southeast also are expected to get healthy rains.

Earlier this year, Nebraska officials had mulled over the prospects of the southwest U.S. monsoon season spinning storms our way. Whether that will happen remains to be seen. National forecast maps are not indicating any notable monsoon benefit this far into the interior of the country.

On a larger scale, an El Niño weather system appears to be developing in the Pacific Ocean. Should it develop and perform true to character, the weather could turn wetter than normal across the southern U.