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Coast-to-Coast Storm Systems Improve Drought Outlook Nationwide

February 21, 2025 at 07:24 AM EST
By WeatherBug Meteorologist, Alyssa Robinette
Weekly Drought Map for February 20, 2025

Multiple coast-to-coast weather systems led to a soggy, active weather pattern throughout the U.S. this week. Extensive improvements were made to the drought depiction, especially in the drought-stricken areas of the West, South, and Southeast.

West
An atmospheric river brought a return of rain and mountain snow to much of the West Coast, with only isolated areas missing out on this beneficial moisture. Overall, there was a mix of improvements and degradations across the region.

The wetter conditions over California allowed for widespread improvements in central California, where the current water year indicators improved and eased some of the drought conditions. In contrast, Washington state saw continued dryness this week, causing moderate drought (D1) expansion in western portions of the state. An active pattern over Montana led to slight improvements to moderate drought (D1) over western parts of the state. Eastern Nevada had degradation to moderate and severe drought (D1-D2), while improvements were made to abnormal dryness and moderate drought (D0-D1) in western Nevada. Severe drought (D2) expanded over more of western Utah.

Extreme drought (D3) expanded in southern Arizona, with over 85% of Arizona now in severe (D2) or extreme (D3) drought.  The last few months have been dry over much of New Mexico. However, most areas are holding the status quo given a wetter period prior. Some small degradations were made to the drought status in southwestern New Mexico.
 
High Plains
The High Plains were fairly dry this week, especially in the Dakotas and southern Kansas. The exception was from eastern Colorado into western Kansas and most of Nebraska, where over 200 percent of normal precipitation was measured.

Only a few small changes were made across the region this week. Far southeastern Nebraska and far northeastern Kansas saw improvements to abnormally dry and moderate drought (D0-D1). Abnormally dry conditions were also removed from northeastern Colorado along the Kansas and Nebraska borders. Western Colorado has also been chipping away at the abnormal dryness and drought conditions given several small snowfall events. Western areas of Wyoming continue to have better snowfall totals, allowing for improvements to abnormal dryness and moderate drought. Severe and extreme drought (D2-D3) also improved this week in northwestern Wyoming.  However, an area of extreme drought (D3) persists in southeast Wyoming, northwest Nebraska, and the southwest portion of South Dakota.
 
Midwest
Precipitation was overall hit-or-miss throughout the Midwest this week. Most of the rain and snow for the week occurred in the southern extent of the region from southeastern Missouri into southern Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio. Here, over 400 percent of normal precipitation was recorded. Conversely, the driest areas were the Upper Midwest, where little to no precipitation occurred.

The wet pattern over the past few weeks allowed drought to be removed completely from Ohio. Abnormally dry conditions were trimmed in both Indiana and Illinois based on recent precipitation. There was a mix of improvements and degradations associated with moderate drought in northern Illinois. Abnormally dry conditions and moderate drought (D0-D1) improved this week as well.  The only two significant areas of severe (D2) drought in the Midwest are in northern Minnesota and the northeast part of lower Michigan.
 
South
A significant storm system moved through the South during the week, which was associated with flooding over the Tennessee Valley. Some areas picked up 7 to 8 inches or more of rain this week, with Clarksville, Tenn., seeing 11.35 inches of rain! Many reports of 3 or more inches of rain were also observed across northern Louisiana. Some areas of northeastern Arkansas, northern Louisiana, and northern Mississippi received greater than 800 percent of normal this week! With the recent dryness and a prolonged rain event, many areas had good infiltration into the soil and even some runoff which helped the local hydrological conditions.

Improvements to abnormal dryness and moderate drought (D0-D1) were made over northern Mississippi and northern Louisiana. A full category improvement was made to all drought and abnormally dry conditions in Tennessee.
However, much of western and central Oklahoma and southern, western, and northern Texas were dry this week. As a result, there were some degradations to abnormal dryness and drought conditions. There was some expansion of severe and extreme drought (D2-D3) in southern Texas and abnormally dry areas increased in southern Louisiana.
 
Southeast
A very wet week of weather was observed across most of the Southeast as a strong storm system moved through the region. Many reports of 3 or more inches of rain fell from Alabama into the Carolinas and southern Virginia. There were even some widespread rainfall reports of 6+ inches! With the recent dryness and a prolonged rain event, many areas had good infiltration into the soil and even some runoff which helped the local hydrological conditions.

A full category improvement was made over much of central and western North Carolina, improving the moderate and severe drought (D1-D2). There were some improvements made to the severe drought areas in eastern North Carolina, but drought also expanded in areas that missed out on precipitation. Northern areas of South Carolina saw improvement this week, while some abnormally dry conditions were removed. Northern Georgia saw a decrease in coverage of moderate drought and abnormally dry conditions. Almost the entire state of Alabama had a full category improvement to the moderate and severe drought (D1-D2). Virginia also saw improvements to abnormally dry conditions and moderate drought (D0-D1) this week.

The exception to the wet week was the Florida Peninsula, which stayed fairly dry. Short-term indicators allowed for the introduction of severe drought (D2) in a couple of areas along the west coast of Florida.
 
Northeast
Multiple weather systems moved across the Northeast this week, with almost all areas observing 125 percent or more of normal. With a wetter pattern over the last few weeks, widespread improvements were made in the drought status.

Abnormally dry and moderate drought (D0-D1) were improved on Long Island, Rhode Island, eastern Massachusetts, and southern Pennsylvania. Severe and extreme drought (D2-D3) improved in central and southern New Jersey as well as southern Delaware. Severe drought (D2) shrunk in coverage over southeastern Maryland. A full category improvement was made in the panhandle of West Virginia, leaving only a small area of abnormally dry conditions remaining in the state.
 
Looking Ahead
Much of the U.S. will be entering a drier, more settled weather pattern over the next week. There could be a few fast-moving weather disturbances that zip across the nation. With these disturbances, light snow will be most likely in the Northern Tier, while rain soaks the southern half of the nation. Locally heavier amounts cannot be ruled out. For most areas though, precipitation would not be enough to make significant changes in abnormally dry or drought conditions. Therefore, most areas will likely see abnormally dry, and drought conditions remain the same or worsen over the next week.


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Source: U.S. Drought Monitor  

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