Drought coverage and intensity continued its overall decreasing trend this spring across the Great Plains. To the east across southern Iowa, northern Illinois, and northern Missouri, drought expanded with little to no precipitation from May 27 to June 2. The Desert Southwest had an unusual wet start to June as a low pressure system, interacting with enhanced moisture from Tropical Storm Alvin in the East Pacific, resulted in locally heavy rainfall and a 1-category improvement to parts of Arizona. A wetter-than-normal May brought an end to drought throughout much of the Northeast. The rainy season is well underway across Florida and heavy rainfall this past week led to improvements across the central to southern Florida Peninsula. 7-day temperatures (May 27-June 2) averaged below-normal across most of the eastern and central U.S., while above-normal temperatures prevailed for the West. Alaska and Puerto Rico are drought-free, while drought of varying intensity continues for parts of Hawaii.
Following May precipitation averaging more than 200 percent of normal, drought has now ended for nearly all of the Northeast. For this week’s map, a broad 1-category improvement was made to the Central Appalachians and Mid-Atlantic since SPIs are neutral or positive dating back to 6 months and nearly all of the 28-day average streamflows are above the 75th or even 90th percentile. Moderate long-term drought (D1) was maintained for northern Maryland due to continued low groundwater. No changes were warranted for the long-term D0 and moderate drought (D1) across New England with total precipitation amounts less than one inch from May 27 - June 2. Low groundwater and 28-day average streamflows below the 20th percentile support long-term D1 for Cape Cod.
A 1-category improvement was made to southeast Alabama, southwest Georgia, Florida, the Carolinas, and Virginia that received more than 1.5 inches of rainfall this past week. The end of May and beginning of June was quite wet across the southern central to southern Florida Peninsula (2 to 4 inches, locally more) resulting in a 1-category improvement. Extreme drought (D3) remains for parts of southwestern Florida and the Everglades. A slight expansion of abnormal dryness (D0) was warranted for the northern Florida Peninsula which had another dry week and 60-day precipitation deficits continue to increase.
For the second consecutive week, heavy rainfall (more than 1 inch) prompted a 1-category improvement to central and southern Texas. Despite this recent heavy rainfall, levels in the long-term monitoring wells of Bexar and Medina Counties remain near or at all-time lows. In addition, many of the 28-day average USGS streamflows across south-central Texas are below the 5th percentile, supporting the D3-D4 depiction. Since the SPIs dating back 6 months are mostly neutral to positive, the drought impact is designated as long-term only for central and southern Texas. Recent precipitation and the NDMC drought blends supported 1-category improvements to northern and eastern New Mexico. Additional rainfall this past week ended drought across Oklahoma and the Sooner State became drought-free for the first time since July 2019. The Lower Mississippi Valley and Tennessee Valley are also drought-free with 30 to 90-day precipitation averaging above normal.
Following a mostly dry week through June 2nd and based on 30 to 60-day SPI along with soil moisture, a 1-category degradation was made to parts of Iowa, northern Illinois, northern Missouri, northern Wisconsin, and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. 30 to 90-day SPI and multiple soil moisture indicators supported the addition of severe drought (D2) to northwestern Illinois. The largest 60-day precipitation deficits, ending on June 2, are 4 to 5 inches across northern Illinois, western to southern Iowa, and northern Missouri.
From May 20 to June 2, two-week precipitation amounts ranged from 2 to 4 inches, locally more, across much of Kansas, Nebraska, and northeastern Colorado. This precipitation accompanied by cooler-than-normal temperature during the latter half of May led to improving drought for the Central Great Plains. The southern half of Kansas is now drought-free. On June 2, precipitation (more than 0.5 inch) overspread southern Colorado where a 1-category improvement was made. Additional precipitation this past week along with consideration of SPIs dating back 6 to 12 months and the NDMC drought blends supported the removal of severe (D2) to extreme (D3) drought across southeastern Wyoming. Despite only light precipitation this past week, a 1-category improvement was made to much of the Dakotas to be more consistent with SPIs at various time scales, soil moisture, and the NDMC drought blends. For the Northern Great Plains, the drought impact was changed to long-term only given the recent wetness and the drought signal is strongest at 9 to 12 months.
The Desert Southwest had a rare wet start to June as a mid-level low pressure system interacted with enhanced moisture from former Tropical Storm Alvin in the East Pacific. Central Pima, northern Maricopa, and southern Yavapai counties of Arizona received 0.75” inches of precipitation with isolated amounts exceeding 2 inches, supporting a 1-category improvement. Although amounts were lower in southeastern Arizona, there was enough precipitation to warrant shifting the exceptional drought category (D4) to extreme drought (D3). A lack of springtime precipitation led to an expanding area of abnormal dryness (D0) and short-term drought (D1) across the Pacific Northwest. Based on worsening soil moisture and low 28-day average streamflows, a 1-category degradation was warranted for parts of central and southwestern Montana. A 1-category degradation was also made to parts of central and northeastern Utah. Elsewhere, across the West, little to no changes were made as California and Nevada enter their drier time of year.
Although precipitation was less than one inch across Puerto Rico from May 27 to June 2, no changes were needed this week. The drier weather has led to a decline in 28-day average streamflows but all observations remain within the 25th to 75th percentile or higher. Therefore, Puerto Rico remains drought-free and also with no designation of abnormal dryness.
The U.S. Virgin Islands remained free of drought or abnormal dryness this week. Rainfall amounts were rather paltry; up to 0.72 inches of rain were reported on St. John, while no amounts over 0.2 inches were reported on St. Thomas or St. Croix. While groundwater levels dropped a bit, all three islands remained free of drought or abnormal dryness since precipitation amounts have been either close to normal or well-above normal.
No changes were made this week to Alaska as the state remains drought-free. Ketchikan had its wettest May on record with 25.58 inches of precipitation. Only a small abnormal dryness (D0) area is designated to the north of Anchorage.
According to CoCoRaHS, more than one inch of rainfall was observed across the eastern end and along western coastal areas of the Big Island. 28-day average streamflows remain below the 10th percentile for northern parts of the Big Island and Maui. No changes were made to Hawaii this week with extreme drought (D3) designated for parts of the Big Island. Moderate (D1) to severe (D2) drought are posted for Maui, Molokai, and Oahu. Kauai is mostly drought-free.
Short-term moderate drought continued this week in Yap, where 0.47 inches of rain fell this week. No rainfall data were reported for Ulithi, so no Drought Monitor category was assigned there this week. Woleai reported 0.79 inches of rain this week, though wet weather from a couple weeks ago kept the island free of drought or abnormal dryness for this week. No rainfall data were reported for Fananu, so no Drought Monitor category was assigned there this week. Chuuk Lagoon remained free of drought or abnormal dryness as 1.95 inches of rain fell there this week. Lukunor received 0.88 inches of rain this week, following only 0.1 inches last week. It remained free of drought or abnormal dryness, though, given a wetter preceding period. Nukuoro remained free of drought or abnormal dryness this week after 1.83 inches of rain fell. Kapingamarangi reported 1.87 inches of rain this week and remained free of drought or abnormal dryness. In Pohnpei, 3.29 inches of rain fell and it remained free of drought or abnormal dryness. Kosrae received 2.13 inches of rain and remained free of drought or abnormal dryness. Pingelap reported 0.65 inches of rain this week, and short-term extreme drought developed there. Most water tanks there were a quarter full or less, requiring wells for some daily activities using water.
Kwajalein reported 0.79 inches of rain this week, and short-term severe drought continued. Ailinglapalap improved to short-term moderate drought after 3.63 inches of rain fell this week. Short-term moderate drought continued on Jaluit where 1.69 inches of rain fell this week. Short-term extreme drought continued on Utirik, though 1.73 inches of rain this week likely helped the situation there a bit. Extreme short-term drought also continued on Wotje, where 0.78 inches of rain were reported this week. Short-term abnormal dryness continued on Majuro, where 0.65 inches of rain fell this week. Mili recorded 1.28 inches of rain this week and remained free of drought or abnormal dryness.
Short-term severe drought continued on Saipan this week, where 0.89 inches of rain were reported. Short-term extreme drought continued on Rota and Guam, where 1.01 and 0.54 inches of rain were reported.
In Palau, 0.24-0.6 inches of rain were reported and it remained free of drought or abnormal dryness.
On Siufaga Ridge, 1.2 inches of rain were recorded in the last week. No data were reported for Toa Ridge in May. Pago Pago has reported 3.27 inches of rain this week after 7.17 inches fell last week, and American Samoa remained free of drought or abnormal dryness.
Looking Ahead
From June 5 to 7, a slow-moving cold front coupled with a low pressure system near the East Coast is forecast to bring scattered showers and thundershowers to the East with the heaviest precipitation for eastern North Carolina. Multiple rounds of thunderstorms with locally heavy precipitation are forecast from the Central and Southern Great Plains east to the Tennessee Valley through June 7. In the wake of a cold front, mostly dry weather will prevail for the Northern Great Plains and western Corn Belt. A warming trend is forecast across the Pacific Northwest and northern California with potential record highs on June 8 and 9.
The Climate Prediction Center’s 6-10 day outlook (valid June 10-14, 2025) favors above-normal precipitation for the Rocky Mountains, Great Plains, Lower Mississippi Valley, and Southeast. The outlook leans towards below-normal precipitation for the eastern Corn Belt. Below-normal precipitation is also favored for southern Alaska, while elevated above-normal precipitation probabilities are forecast across Hawaii. Above-normal temperatures are favored throughout much of the West, Northern Great Plains, Upper Mississippi Valley, and East Coast with increased chances for below-normal temperatures forecast for the Southern Great Plains and Middle Mississippi Valley. Cooler-than-normal temperatures are also more likely for much of Alaska.