Much of the United States continued experiencing above-normal temperatures during the past week, with the warmest conditions over the southern Midwest and central Plains showing departures of 9 degrees Fahrenheit or greater. The persistent heat, combined with limited precipitation in key regions, has accelerated drought expansion across multiple states according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. The Drought Monitor is jointly produced by the National Drought Mitigation Center at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, the United States Department of Agriculture, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
Alabama faced the most significant deterioration, with nearly the entire state experiencing a one-category worsening in drought conditions. Extreme drought now spreads across the southeast portion of the state, while severe drought affects much of Alabama’s remaining areas.
Georgia saw exceptional drought expand eastward as extreme drought in northern areas shifted slightly south. The state’s drought conditions represent some of the most severe currently affecting the Southeast region.
Carolinas face expanding severe conditions
Across the Carolinas, severe drought spread throughout much of eastern South Carolina, with extreme drought expanding in the far southeast. North Carolina experienced extreme drought expansion along its border with South Carolina and in western and northeastern portions of the state.
The Midwest presented a mixed picture, with an active weather pattern bringing significant rainfall to some areas while others remained dry. Locations from western Missouri into southern Iowa, Wisconsin, northern Illinois and northern Michigan recorded 200 to 400 percent of normal precipitation for the week.
However, areas from southeast Missouri to central Illinois and into Ohio and Kentucky received less than 25 percent of normal precipitation. This disparity allowed abnormally dry conditions to expand across southern Indiana and northern Kentucky, while moderate drought expanded across much of eastern and northern Kentucky.
High Plains see continued deterioration
The High Plains region experienced notable expansion of extreme drought across southwest Nebraska and northwest Kansas. Severe drought expanded across southwest Kansas, while the plains of eastern Colorado experienced nearly a full-category degradation with expansion of moderate, severe and extreme drought conditions.
Some improvements occurred in specific areas. Texas saw the most significant positive changes, with much of central, southern and southeastern portions experiencing a full-category improvement in drought conditions. Northeast Kansas and southeast Nebraska also saw improvements in abnormally dry and moderate drought conditions following above-normal precipitation.
The West continued facing challenges related to below-normal snowpack, with earlier-than-normal snowmelt and increased liquid precipitation contributing to hydrological impacts. Southern Idaho into northern Nevada experienced expansion of severe, extreme and exceptional drought conditions.
Looking ahead, precipitation is expected across the southern Plains, Midwest and Northeast over the next five to seven days, with the heaviest amounts likely from eastern Kansas into Missouri and northward into eastern Iowa and northern Illinois.
