Nationwide
Following a stormy pattern with frequent periods of heavy precipitation and severe weather outbreaks, major drought improvement occurred this spring across the Great Plains and Mississippi Valley.
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Recent heavy precipitation from May 28 to June 3 resulted in additional improvements to parts of the central and southern Great Plains. A dry start to the thunderstorm season and above-normal temperatures continued to result in drought expansion and intensification across the southern half of the Florida Peninsula. Anomalously heavy precipitation for late May into the beginning of June led to drought improvement across parts of Washington, northern Idaho, and western Montana.
The West
The climatology becomes much drier during May through the beginning of June across California, the Great Basin, and the Southwest. There was little to no change in Dx coverage throughout these areas.
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This past week, heavy precipitation (1.5 inches or more) supported a 1-category improvement to parts of northeastern New Mexico. Recent precipitation with a relatively cool late spring and SPIs at multiple time scales resulted in a 1-category improvement to western Montana and adjacent areas of northern Idaho. Unusually heavy precipitation (locally more than 3 inches) for the late spring led to a decrease in abnormal dryness (D0) and moderate drought (D1) coverage across parts of Washington. However, much of north-central Washington’s existing moderate drought area remained unchanged, with precipitation averaging less than 50 percent of normal since October 1, 2023.
The High Plains
Widespread heavy precipitation (1-3 inches, locally more) resulted in a 1-category improvement to parts of Kansas, eastern Colorado, and southeastern Nebraska.
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A small area of long-term D1 was maintained for southeastern Nebraska, which received less than 1 inch of precipitation this past week, and a long-term drought signal continues. Based on neutral or wet soil moisture percentiles and NDMC drought blends, a 1-category improvement was made to northwestern North Dakota, where more than 1 inch of precipitation occurred this past week. 30 to 60-day SPI and soil moisture indicators supported an expansion of abnormal dryness (D0) and moderate drought (D1) for northern Colorado and southeastern Wyoming.
The South
This past week, widespread heavy precipitation (2 to 5 inches, locally more) generally occurred outside of existing Dx areas of the South region.
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However, the heavy precipitation did overspread a few of the Dx areas. Heavy precipitation, along with considerations of NDMC drought blends, supported a 1-category improvement to parts of northwestern Oklahoma, Texas Panhandle, and south-central Texas.
Also, a slight reduction in abnormal dryness (D0) was warranted for northeastern Arkansas and western Tennessee. 30 to 60-day SPEI and soil moisture indicators led to a 1-category degradation to parts of southern Texas and the middle Rio Grande Valley. Maximum temperatures have averaged 4-8 F above normal during the past two weeks across the middle to lower Rio Grande Valley, which is likely drying out topsoil and a factor in worsening drought conditions. — UNL Drought Monitor
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