Nationwide
This week’s U.S. Drought Monitor saw widespread degradation in drought-related conditions across areas of the Midwest, Mid-Atlantic, and Northeast, where precipitation during the past 30-day period has been below normal. In these areas, rainfall deficits ranged from 3-5 inches, with the largest deficits observed across areas of New England and the Lower Midwest.
Elsewhere, short-term dryness and drought impact reports from the agricultural sector led to degradations in isolated areas of the Southeast and South. For the week, most of the eastern half of the conterminous U.S. experienced unseasonably cooler temperatures, while temperatures out West were above normal, especially across the Pacific Northwest and Desert Southwest.
In the West, conditions were generally dry; however, some isolated monsoon thunderstorm activity was observed in the Southwest, Sierra Nevada Range of California, Great Basin, and in the Rocky Mountains. In the Pacific Northwest, continued dryness as well as declining streamflow and soil moisture levels led to the expansion of areas of exceptional drought in the Idaho Panhandle.
The West
Out West, some isolated monsoon shower activity was observed across areas of the Desert Southwest, Sierra Nevada, and Great Basin, as well as areas of the central and northern Rockies.
Improvements were made on the map in Colorado, western Montana, southern Idaho, northern Utah, and southeastern California, while some degradations were made in north-central Arizona, where monsoon-season precipitation has been below normal. According to the National Weather Service in Tucson, 2025 monsoon rainfall has been below normal across much of the state, including Flagstaff, Phoenix, and Tucson. Conversely, a more active monsoon season has affected areas of New Mexico, including southern and eastern portions of the state.
For the week, average temperatures were below normal across areas of eastern California, central Great Basin, and areas of the Intermountain West, including Utah, Colorado, and southern Wyoming, where temperatures were 5-10 degrees below normal. In the Pacific Northwest, temperatures were above normal with anomalies ranging from 2-15 degrees and the most significant departures were observed in eastern Washington, Idaho Panhandle, and northwestern Montana.
The High Plains
On this week’s map, improvements were made in the region, namely in northern Kansas and southern Nebraska, where some isolated shower activity (1-5+ inches) during the past week continued to help chip away at the longer-term precipitation deficits.
For the past 60-day period, the Lincoln AP observed its 6th wettest on record with 10.24 inches (+3.69 departure from normal), according to the SERCC. Conversely, conditions deteriorated in the southwestern extent of South Dakota, where a combination of short- and long-term precipitation deficits has persisted, leading to the expansion of areas of Moderate Drought (D1). For the week, above-normal temperatures (ranging from 2 to 10 F) were logged across northern North Dakota, while much of the remainder of the region experienced below-normal temperatures (ranging from 1 to 10 degrees F), especially in the southern extent of the entire region.
The South
On this week’s map, improvements were made in eastern Texas, northern Louisiana, northern Arkansas, and central Oklahoma in response to locally heavy rainfall (ranging from 2 to 6+ inches) observed during the past week.
Elsewhere, short-term dryness led to the introduction of areas of Abnormally Dry (D0) in areas of Texas, including the Panhandle and Edwards Plateau. In Tennessee, degradations were made on the map in central and western portions in response to precipitation shortfalls (1-4 inches) during the past 30-day period. In terms of hydrologic conditions in Texas, the state’s reservoirs (cumulatively) were 77% full, with many in the eastern part of the state in good condition (over 90% full), while numerous others in the western portion of the state continue to experience below-normal levels, according to Water Data for Texas (September 3). For the week, average temperatures were below normal (2-8 degrees) across most of the region except for southern and western portions of Texas, where temperatures were 1-5 degrees above normal. — UNL Drought Monitor
