Drought Update

With all of the tornadoes, we haven't checked in on the drought recently.

Here is the latest Palmer Drought Index as of Saturday morning.

Most of the Midwest is too wet while the Southwest and Intermountain region is too dry.

How much rain is needed to break the drought?

click to enlarge

Of course, the amounts on the above map are as of 7am Saturday. How much rain has fallen since that time?

Here is the four-day rainfall up to 7am this morning.

A tropical system coming out of the Gulf should cause heavy rains in the East the next few days as indicated on this 5-day rainfall amount forecast. That should wipe out the incipient drought in the region.

Other than the East, I don't see much additional improvement in the West in the next few days.