Widespread heavy precipitation of 1 to 3 inches at the beginning of March brought drought relief to parts of the Ohio and Middle to Lower Mississippi Valley, according to the latest U.S. Drought Monitor released this week. The U.S. 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.
The improvement extended east to the Central Appalachians and the Northeast, where 1 to 2 inches of rainfall led to a 1-category improvement across parts of southeastern New York, northern Jersey, Pennsylvania and West Virginia. However, long-term drought continues for much of the Northeast, with 28-day average streamflows remaining below the 10th percentile from the Northern Mid-Atlantic into New England.
Midwest sees major improvement
Major drought improvement occurred across the Midwest as low pressure systems and associated fronts tracked through the central U.S. during early March. Areas receiving 1.5 inches or more of precipitation from March 3 to 9 generally saw a 1-category improvement, including central to southern Indiana, Illinois and Ohio along with east-central and southern Missouri. The recent precipitation was particularly beneficial in recharging soil moisture given the time of year.
However, severe to extreme drought continues farther north across Illinois, Indiana and Ohio, with a sharp cutoff to heavier precipitation near the Interstate 70 corridor.
Southeast and South face persistent drought
Despite much-needed rainfall for portions of the Southeast and Southern Great Plains, severe to extreme drought persists for many areas. Extreme drought expanded in northeastern Georgia as 90 to 120-day precipitation deficits continue to increase and low streamflows persist in the upper headwaters of the Chattahoochee River.
More than two-thirds of Florida is now designated with extreme drought, consistent with a La Niña winter pattern. A wildfire at Florida's Big Cypress National Preserve has grown to over 35,000 acres burned, according to the National Interagency Fire Center.
A majority of the South Region has received less than half normal precipitation with temperatures more than 6 degrees Fahrenheit above normal during the past 90 days.
West faces snowpack concerns
Low snowpack throughout much of the West remains a major concern heading into spring. As of March 10, snow water equivalent is less than 40% of normal from the Cascades of the Pacific Northwest southward through the Great Basin and Four Corners region.
Temperatures from Feb. 25 to March 10 averaged 5 to 10 degrees above normal, leading to early onset of snowmelt for parts of the West. In Colorado, snow water equivalent for river basins is running below 70% of the 1991-2020 average. California remains drought-free, though statewide snow water equivalent is 53% of normal.
Looking ahead, much-needed rainfall is anticipated for drought-stricken Florida, while dry weather accompanied by record heat is forecast for California, the Great Basin and Southwest during mid-March.
