Over the past week, southern Texas experienced devastating storms that caused life-endangering floods and at least six deaths. The area received record-breaking rainfall of 5 to 15 inches, according to radar estimates.
Significant drought improvements followed, with two-category improvements in the southernmost part of the state. However, an area of central Texas also saw degradation.
Monitor de Sequía de los Estados Unidos
Mapa publicado: abril 3, 2025
How dry or wet are your local conditions? Share reports to CMOR: https://go.unl.edu/cmor_drought
Visibility-obscuring dust storms in Kansas this week caused eight traffic-related deaths, as well as numerous injuries and road closures. Texas also saw numerous dust storms over the past few weeks, with gusts up to 82 mph recorded in the city of Lubbock.
Drought conditions have been worsening in the Southern Plains. Oklahoma has been experiencing wildfires, with four people killed and at least 200 injured this week. Some wildfires are also burning in adjacent areas of southern Kansas and the northern Texas Panhandle. (1/2)
How dry or wet are your local conditions? Share reports to CMOR: https://go.unl.edu/cmor_drought
This week’s CMOR photo is from Bedford County, Tennessee.
“Ponds are dried up. Having to do city water at barn and creeks are low.”
Submit your photos: https://go.unl.edu/cmor_drought
Drought intensified across parts of the central and western U.S. in February.
Read more in the February drought climate summary: https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/6dbd676b5a824a14a56b6bfa78380421
This week’s CMOR photo is from Jefferson County, Oklahoma.
“It’s dry, I have been farming for over 45 years and I have never had a summer drought, to winter drought just like this one ever. We did 75% of all our farming really in a 2 week time in October 2024. Hasn’t really rained since then.”
Submit your photos: https://go.unl.edu/cmor_drought
A new group hosted by the NDMC is working together to tackle big questions about livestock ponds in the Great Plains region.
Read more: https://drought.unl.edu/Publications/News.aspx?id=432
Improvements occurred in much of the South, Southeast & Northeast, with a few spots of degradations in Texas, Louisiana, Florida & North Carolina. Mixed conditions occurred in parts of the West. The convergence of Nebraska, Iowa, Missouri & Kansas saw improvement. Drought improved in parts of Illinois & Indiana, while Illinois also had some degradation. Parts of Alaska & Hawaii also had some degradation.
More change maps: https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/Maps/ChangeMaps.aspx
US Drought Monitor 2-20-25
For the 50 states and Puerto Rico, the US Drought Monitor shows 33.41% in moderate drought or worse, compared to 36.46% last week.
Monitor de Sequía de los Estados Unidos
Mapa publicado: febrero 13, 2025
Degradations occurred in parts of the Pacific Northwest, Four Corners, High Plains, Midwest, South and Southeast. Improvements occurred in parts of Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Oklahoma, Mississippi, Alabama, North Carolina, the Virginias, Pennsylvania and Hawaii.
See more change maps: https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/Maps/ChangeMaps.aspx
US Drought Monitor 2-13-25
For the 50 states and Puerto Rico, the US Drought Monitor shows 36.46% in moderate drought or worse, compared to 35.45% last week.
During a cold, dry January for the U.S., Texas had a dozen drought impacts documenting water shortages and dry landscapes. Arizona and Utah each had five impacts related to water issues.
Read more in the January drought impacts summary: https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/efabe9fe363c41f2a7cd100e9646a9d9
In January, drought degradations occurred in southern California, western New Mexico and Arizona, plus parts of Nevada and southern Utah.
Read more in the January drought climate summary: https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/4d8d9f1a2065468b9e32feb7f03f4d1e
Drought has been ramping up in the Southwest. Some of the region’s watersheds are seeing lower-than-average Snow Water Equivalent values, particularly in Arizona and New Mexico. This week, exceptional drought emerged in southern Nevada and northwestern Arizona. Desert bighorn sheep in southern Nevada are currently in dire condition with inadequate forage.
The 2024 drought climate and impacts summaries are now available. https://drought.unl.edu/Publications/DroughtSummaries.aspx
How dry or wet are conditions in your area? Share reports to CMOR: https://go.unl.edu/cmor_drought
