Not drier, it's still really early and it always takes time to saturate the near-surface column. That initial extension of precip was always going to have to fight dry air to start (if it went through the area). Later on, no dry air at all. In fact, the reason we're seeing rain is basically because of the stronger system down south diabatically heating the downstream atmosphere to pump the ridge more (i.e. raising heights and leading to rain).