Nationwide
This week brought sharp weather contrasts across the U.S. The central Plains were 5-10 degrees cooler than normal, while the Pacific Northwest was 5-10 degrees warmer than average.
A broad stretch from Texas through the Midwest to the Northeast received well above-normal rainfall, helping to ease drought conditions. In contrast, much of the West, the northern High Plains, and Florida remained dry, with many areas receiving just 5-25% of normal precipitation. These patterns led to widespread drought improvements across the High Plains, Midwest, South, and Northeast, particularly from northern Texas to southern Illinois, where 1-3 inches of rain reduced short-term dryness. Kansas, Nebraska, and eastern Colorado saw significant gains, while drought worsened in north-central Kansas, northwestern Colorado, and western Wyoming. Southwestern South Dakota and eastern Wyoming also improved. In the Midwest, drought eased in Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan, but degraded in northern Minnesota and eastern Iowa. The Southwest benefited from rare early June rainfall and an unusually wet spring, with Arizona, southern Utah, southern Nevada, and parts of California improving after receiving 4 to 8 times their typical rainfall. New Mexico saw minor improvements in the southeast but stayed dry elsewhere.
In the West, drought continued to worsen in Montana, northern Utah, and southeastern Wyoming due to ongoing dryness and low snowpack. Conditions in the Northwest are rapidly deteriorating due to well-below-normal precipitation. The Southeast had mixed results—southern Georgia, the Carolinas, and northeast Florida, as well as the Panhandle, improved, while southern Florida remained dry. The Northeast continued its gradual recovery with steady rain.
The West
The West saw a mix of drought relief and worsening conditions this past week, with the most notable improvements concentrated in the Southwest due to rare early June rainfall.
Parts of western and central Arizona, southern Nevada, and southwestern California received between 1–2 inches of rain. Even light to moderate amounts had a significant impact, resulting in broad one-category improvements in drought severity. New Mexico’s southeastern areas saw some improvement from the same rainfall that led to improvements in Texas.
Elsewhere in the West, conditions were less favorable. The Intermountain West, including northern Utah, largely missed recent storms and saw continued drought deterioration. Montana faced some of the worst conditions in the region. Dry weather and below-normal snowpack led to expanding drought across the northwest and central parts of the state, raising concerns as the region enters the warmest part of the year with limited water reserves.
The Pacific Northwest—covering Washington, Oregon, and Idaho—remained relatively stable this week, with no major shifts. However, dryness is quickly appearing across the region, where conditions will need continued monitoring.
The High Plains
The High Plains experienced a mix of drought improvements and degradations over the past week, driven by rainfall.
Kansas experienced the most widespread improvements, particularly in the southern and eastern regions, where numerous areas received over two inches of rain, resulting in significant one-category upgrades. However, north-central Kansas received less precipitation, and drought conditions there either persisted or worsened. Nebraska also benefited from recent storms, with helpful rainfall improving conditions in the central and southeastern parts of the state, though some areas now show signs of short-term moisture surplus. Colorado had a similar split. While much of the central and eastern regions received beneficial rainfall and saw improvements, the northwestern and southwestern corners remained dry and experienced drought deterioration. Wyoming followed an east–west divide as well: rain improved conditions in the central and eastern areas, but the west remained dry, resulting in further degradation.
Long-term moisture deficits and below-average snowmelt runoff continue to be a concern across western parts of both Colorado and Wyoming. In South Dakota, the southwest corner received 1-3 inches of rain, resulting in localized improvements, while the rest of the state remained mostly unchanged. North Dakota experienced little change overall, with limited but sufficient moisture maintaining stable conditions.
The South
In the South, especially in Texas and Oklahoma, heavy rain led to drought improvements in many areas.
Northern and central Texas experienced improvements, while southern and western Texas received only enough precipitation to result in one-category improvements along the border of the drought area. Oklahoma received a lot of rain and showed clear signs of recovery. Other southern states, such as Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee, continue to have stable conditions. — UNL Drought Monitor
