Latest Drought Update: Localized Changes to Drought | WeatherBug

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Changes to the drought monitor this week varied across the nation amid pockets of heavy rainfall and high temperatures.

Average temperatures in the Northeast combined with spotty rainfall left much of New England short on rainfall totals this past week. Moderate (D1) and severe (D2) drought continued expanding in the region, particularly around the New York City metro area where rainfall was light and temperatures were just above normal. Further south, heavy rains were more widespread across the Carolinas and Southeast, leaving to improvements in abnormal dryness (D0) and moderate drought (D1).

In the southern Plains and Lower Mississippi Valley, heavy rainfall led to drought improvements in the Texas Panhandle, northern Oklahoma, Arkansas, Tennessee and Mississippi. Some areas that missed out on the heavier rain, particularly in southern Oklahoma and eastern Texas, continued to dry out under above-normal temperatures, leading to extreme drought (D3) expanding in the area.

Weather had wide swings in the Midwest this past week. Heavy rainfall in central Missouri and parts of southern Missouri, southern Illinois, southern Indiana and Kentucky led to flash flooding, particularly in Kentucky where devastating flash flood impacts were found. Minor rainfall occurred for northern Minnesota, but outside of this, much of the Midwest remained dry this past week. As a result, drought conditions worsened in parts of the Upper Midwest, including southern and western Iowa, northern Wisconsin, Michigan and central Minnesota.

Moderate to heavy rain fell over parts of Colorado and Kansas this past week, removing pockets of drought in the area. However, much of the remaining Plains missed out on rainfall, leading to worsening drought in parts of Nebraska and South Dakota.

Heavy rain fell across the parched grounds of the Southwest, including parts of Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, Nevada and southeastern California. Minor reductions to drought occurred amid the active monsoonal pattern, while drought worsened in the Pacific Northwest amid a powerful heat wave.

Looking ahead, heavy rainfall is expected to continue in the Southwest amid the summer monsoon. A frontal system moving across the Eastern U.S. is expected to bring a narrow path of heavy rainfall from Texas to New England amid above-normal temperatures next week.

Source: U.S. Drought Monitor

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