As the week progresses, Western precipitation will generally diminish, although a final surge of moisture will spread inland early this week across northern California and southwestern Oregon.  Meanwhile, a more active pattern will develop across the eastern half of the U.S., with a trio of storm systems producing precipitation.  The first storm will graze the middle and northern Atlantic States with early-week rain.  The next two systems will traverse the central and eastern U.S., collectively resulting in at least 1.5 inches of rain (and locally severe thunderstorms) over the next 5 days in much of the Southeast and lower Midwest. 

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