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Dry Weather, Worsening Drought Seen East of the Rockies
October 9, 2025 at 01:15 PM EDT
By WeatherBug Meteorologist, Alyssa Robinette
A dry and warmer than normal weather pattern was not helpful for drought conditions east of the Rockies, with generally widespread deterioration observed. It was a different story though across the Western U.S.
Northeast
With high pressure settled overhead, there was continued dry, unseasonably warm weather in the Northeast last week. This led to widespread worsening of drought and abnormal dryness as a result.
Extreme drought (D3) expanded in portions of northern New England and far eastern New York, where short-term precipitation deficits continued to deep and soil moisture and streamflows are declining. The drinking water supply for Moriah, N.Y., has been threatened by low water levels in Barlett Pond.
Moderate to severe drought (D1-D2) also worsened across northern Maine, northern Connecticut, much of New York, northwestern and eastern Pennsylvania, northern New Jersey and Cape Cod. Agricultural drought impacts worsened in southeast West Virginia this week, where severe drought (D2) expanded. Abnormal dryness (D0) increased in coverage across southern New Jersey, Maryland and the Delmarva Peninsula.
Southeast
Mostly dry weather was observed throughout the Southeast last week, though there were some local exceptions. As such, drought and abnormal dryness also expanded across portions of the Southeast.
Agricultural drought impacts continued to become more intense this week in southern Georgia, where the peanut crop was suffering, and in west-central Alabama. Both areas saw extreme drought (D3) develop or worsen. Moderate to severe drought (D1-D2) also expanded in coverage for both Georgia and Alabama.
Short-term precipitation deficits continued to worsen in the central and eastern portions of the Carolinas, and abnormal dryness and moderate drought (D0-D1) expanded and severe drought (D2) developed in a couple areas. Short-term precipitation deficits and localized lack of streamflow caused a few local degradations in northern and far southern Virginia.
A recent wetter pattern has improved conditions enough in southeast Florida for long-term moderate drought (D1) to cease. However, the Florida Panhandle and northern Florida continued to dry out, and severe drought (D2) expanded there and across the state line in Georgia as soil moisture and precipitation deficits worsened.
South
Pockets of heavy rain (locally 3 inches or more) fell across parts of the South last week, including western Tennessee, adjacent northwestern Mississippi, northeastern Arkansas, southwestern Mississippi, and southeastern Louisiana. One area in southeastern Louisiana received over 5 inches of rain!
A very localized 2-category improvement occurred where the heaviest rain in southeastern Louisiana fell, removing both abnormal dryness and moderate drought (D1). Severe drought (D2) contracted across eastern Arkansas and far northwestern Mississippi. Moderate to severe drought (D1-D2) decreased in coverage across western Tennessee.
Meanwhile, dry weather prevailed for the rest of the South last week, leading to widespread degradations as rainfall deficits increased and soil moisture and streamflows declined. Moderate to severe drought (D1-D2) expanded across the rest of northern Mississippi. There was an expansion of abnormal dryness and moderate drought (D0-D1) for the rest of Louisiana. Extreme drought (D3) expanded in southwestern Texas, with a general expansion of abnormal dryness and moderate drought (D0-D1) throughout the rest of Texas and most of Oklahoma.
Midwest
Like most of the eastern two-thirds of the U.S., mainly dry and warmer weather was observed throughout the Midwest last week. Consequently, many locations saw drought or abnormal dryness expanded. However, in southeastern Missouri and in the Ohio River Valley and some parts of the Mississippi River Valley, a few swaths of significant rain fell this week, with locally over 3 inches of rain.
Abnormal dryness and drought improved in the areas that picked up locally heavy rain as soil moisture and streamflows recover. Severe drought (D2) was removed from the Missouri Bootheel and far southwestern Kentucky. Moderate drought (D1) also contracted across southern Illinois, western and northern Kentucky, a portion of southeastern Indiana and southwestern Ohio.
Conversely, degradations occurred throughout the rest of the Midwest. Extreme drought (D3) increased across northwestern Ohio, with two additional areas added to central Indiana and east-central Illinois. Severe drought (D2) expanded in northwestern Ohio, central Illinois and eastern and southwestern Missouri. Moderate drought (D1) increased or was added to northern Minnesota, northwestern Wisconsin, northern Illinois, northern Indiana and northeastern Ohio.
With intense dryness occurring during the harvest, visibility restrictions from blowing dust were reported in parts of central Illinois, causing dangerous driving conditions.
High Plains
There were the haves and have nots in terms of precipitation throughout the High Plains last week. Western portions of the High Plains saw moderate to locally heavy rain and even some wet snow in the higher elevations. This includes the San Juan Mountains in southwestern Colorado, the Rocky Mountains of northern Colorado, much of Wyoming, northwestern South Dakota and central to north-central North Dakota. North-central Kansas also saw locally heavy rain this past week, where over 2 inches of rain fell.
Short- and medium-term precipitation deficits lessened and soil moisture improved as a result, allowing for some improvements to ongoing drought and abnormal dryness. Severe drought (D2) lessened in coverage across western Colorado. Abnormal dryness and moderate drought (D0-D1) improved for central and southeastern Wyoming as well as a portion of north-central Kansas. Abnormal dryness (D0) decreased in coverage for south-central Nebraska.
Drier weather was observed across the eastern High Plains last week. Most notably, eastern Kansas saw an expansion of abnormal dryness and moderate drought (D0-D1). Abnormal dryness also worsened in northeastern Nebraska and southeastern South Dakota.
West
While areas east of the Rockies stayed dry last week, a different weather pattern prevailed throughout much of the West. Scattered heavy precipitation fell last week across much of the central and northern half of the region, except for central and eastern Washington, Oregon and north-central and northeastern Montana. There was also a reassessment of abnormal dryness and drought. Overall, the West saw widespread improvements this week.
An area of extreme drought (D3) was removed across northwestern Utah. Moderate to severe drought (D1-D2) decreased in coverage across the Olympic Peninsula of Washington, western and north-central Oregon, south-central Idaho, northern Utah, northern and far southern Nevada (near Las Vegas), southeastern California and northwestern Arizona. Abnormal dryness (D0) also contracted in eastern Oregon, southwestern Idaho and northwestern Nevada.
Conversely, moderate drought (D1) developed across northeastern Montana, with abnormal dryness (D0) expanding across north-central and northeastern Montana.
Looking Ahead
Over the next week, significant precipitation will likely impact parts of the western U.S. and along the East Coast. Areas from northwest California through northwest Washington are expected to receive an inch or more of rain. Heavier rainfall is projected in the Southwest, thanks to an influx of tropical moisture, particularly in Arizona and southwest Colorado where totals could exceed 3 inches. Precipitation amounts lessen farther north, though parts of Idaho and Montana may still receive around half an inch or more.
On the East Coast, heavy rain is also expected, particularly from Florida north through southern New England. The most substantial amounts—1.5 inches or more—are likely along the coasts of Florida, North Carolina, Virginia, and parts of the Mid-Atlantic such as the Delmarva Peninsula and New Jersey. However, rainfall totals could vary considerably depending on the exact track of the storm system.
In contrast, the forecast calls for mostly dry conditions across much of the Great Plains, Midwest, and Southern U.S., with little to no precipitation expected in these regions during the same period.
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Source: U.S. Drought Monitor
Northeast
With high pressure settled overhead, there was continued dry, unseasonably warm weather in the Northeast last week. This led to widespread worsening of drought and abnormal dryness as a result.
Extreme drought (D3) expanded in portions of northern New England and far eastern New York, where short-term precipitation deficits continued to deep and soil moisture and streamflows are declining. The drinking water supply for Moriah, N.Y., has been threatened by low water levels in Barlett Pond.
Moderate to severe drought (D1-D2) also worsened across northern Maine, northern Connecticut, much of New York, northwestern and eastern Pennsylvania, northern New Jersey and Cape Cod. Agricultural drought impacts worsened in southeast West Virginia this week, where severe drought (D2) expanded. Abnormal dryness (D0) increased in coverage across southern New Jersey, Maryland and the Delmarva Peninsula.
Southeast
Mostly dry weather was observed throughout the Southeast last week, though there were some local exceptions. As such, drought and abnormal dryness also expanded across portions of the Southeast.
Agricultural drought impacts continued to become more intense this week in southern Georgia, where the peanut crop was suffering, and in west-central Alabama. Both areas saw extreme drought (D3) develop or worsen. Moderate to severe drought (D1-D2) also expanded in coverage for both Georgia and Alabama.
Short-term precipitation deficits continued to worsen in the central and eastern portions of the Carolinas, and abnormal dryness and moderate drought (D0-D1) expanded and severe drought (D2) developed in a couple areas. Short-term precipitation deficits and localized lack of streamflow caused a few local degradations in northern and far southern Virginia.
A recent wetter pattern has improved conditions enough in southeast Florida for long-term moderate drought (D1) to cease. However, the Florida Panhandle and northern Florida continued to dry out, and severe drought (D2) expanded there and across the state line in Georgia as soil moisture and precipitation deficits worsened.
South
Pockets of heavy rain (locally 3 inches or more) fell across parts of the South last week, including western Tennessee, adjacent northwestern Mississippi, northeastern Arkansas, southwestern Mississippi, and southeastern Louisiana. One area in southeastern Louisiana received over 5 inches of rain!
A very localized 2-category improvement occurred where the heaviest rain in southeastern Louisiana fell, removing both abnormal dryness and moderate drought (D1). Severe drought (D2) contracted across eastern Arkansas and far northwestern Mississippi. Moderate to severe drought (D1-D2) decreased in coverage across western Tennessee.
Meanwhile, dry weather prevailed for the rest of the South last week, leading to widespread degradations as rainfall deficits increased and soil moisture and streamflows declined. Moderate to severe drought (D1-D2) expanded across the rest of northern Mississippi. There was an expansion of abnormal dryness and moderate drought (D0-D1) for the rest of Louisiana. Extreme drought (D3) expanded in southwestern Texas, with a general expansion of abnormal dryness and moderate drought (D0-D1) throughout the rest of Texas and most of Oklahoma.
Midwest
Like most of the eastern two-thirds of the U.S., mainly dry and warmer weather was observed throughout the Midwest last week. Consequently, many locations saw drought or abnormal dryness expanded. However, in southeastern Missouri and in the Ohio River Valley and some parts of the Mississippi River Valley, a few swaths of significant rain fell this week, with locally over 3 inches of rain.
Abnormal dryness and drought improved in the areas that picked up locally heavy rain as soil moisture and streamflows recover. Severe drought (D2) was removed from the Missouri Bootheel and far southwestern Kentucky. Moderate drought (D1) also contracted across southern Illinois, western and northern Kentucky, a portion of southeastern Indiana and southwestern Ohio.
Conversely, degradations occurred throughout the rest of the Midwest. Extreme drought (D3) increased across northwestern Ohio, with two additional areas added to central Indiana and east-central Illinois. Severe drought (D2) expanded in northwestern Ohio, central Illinois and eastern and southwestern Missouri. Moderate drought (D1) increased or was added to northern Minnesota, northwestern Wisconsin, northern Illinois, northern Indiana and northeastern Ohio.
With intense dryness occurring during the harvest, visibility restrictions from blowing dust were reported in parts of central Illinois, causing dangerous driving conditions.
High Plains
There were the haves and have nots in terms of precipitation throughout the High Plains last week. Western portions of the High Plains saw moderate to locally heavy rain and even some wet snow in the higher elevations. This includes the San Juan Mountains in southwestern Colorado, the Rocky Mountains of northern Colorado, much of Wyoming, northwestern South Dakota and central to north-central North Dakota. North-central Kansas also saw locally heavy rain this past week, where over 2 inches of rain fell.
Short- and medium-term precipitation deficits lessened and soil moisture improved as a result, allowing for some improvements to ongoing drought and abnormal dryness. Severe drought (D2) lessened in coverage across western Colorado. Abnormal dryness and moderate drought (D0-D1) improved for central and southeastern Wyoming as well as a portion of north-central Kansas. Abnormal dryness (D0) decreased in coverage for south-central Nebraska.
Drier weather was observed across the eastern High Plains last week. Most notably, eastern Kansas saw an expansion of abnormal dryness and moderate drought (D0-D1). Abnormal dryness also worsened in northeastern Nebraska and southeastern South Dakota.
West
While areas east of the Rockies stayed dry last week, a different weather pattern prevailed throughout much of the West. Scattered heavy precipitation fell last week across much of the central and northern half of the region, except for central and eastern Washington, Oregon and north-central and northeastern Montana. There was also a reassessment of abnormal dryness and drought. Overall, the West saw widespread improvements this week.
An area of extreme drought (D3) was removed across northwestern Utah. Moderate to severe drought (D1-D2) decreased in coverage across the Olympic Peninsula of Washington, western and north-central Oregon, south-central Idaho, northern Utah, northern and far southern Nevada (near Las Vegas), southeastern California and northwestern Arizona. Abnormal dryness (D0) also contracted in eastern Oregon, southwestern Idaho and northwestern Nevada.
Conversely, moderate drought (D1) developed across northeastern Montana, with abnormal dryness (D0) expanding across north-central and northeastern Montana.
Looking Ahead
Over the next week, significant precipitation will likely impact parts of the western U.S. and along the East Coast. Areas from northwest California through northwest Washington are expected to receive an inch or more of rain. Heavier rainfall is projected in the Southwest, thanks to an influx of tropical moisture, particularly in Arizona and southwest Colorado where totals could exceed 3 inches. Precipitation amounts lessen farther north, though parts of Idaho and Montana may still receive around half an inch or more.
On the East Coast, heavy rain is also expected, particularly from Florida north through southern New England. The most substantial amounts—1.5 inches or more—are likely along the coasts of Florida, North Carolina, Virginia, and parts of the Mid-Atlantic such as the Delmarva Peninsula and New Jersey. However, rainfall totals could vary considerably depending on the exact track of the storm system.
In contrast, the forecast calls for mostly dry conditions across much of the Great Plains, Midwest, and Southern U.S., with little to no precipitation expected in these regions during the same period.
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Source: U.S. Drought Monitor