April 7, 2026 National Drought Summary

The discussion in the Looking Ahead section is simply a description of what the official national guidance from the National Weather Service (NWS) National Centers for Environmental Prediction is depicting for current areas of dryness and drought. The NWS forecast products utilizedinclude the HPC 5-day QPF and 5-day Mean Temperature progs, the 6-10 Day Outlooks of Temperature and Precipitation Probability, and the 8-14Day Outlooks of Temperature and Precipitation Probability, valid as of late Wednesday afternoon of the USDM release week. The NWS forecast webpage used for this section is: http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/forecasts/.

Weather Summary: This U.S. Drought Monitor (USDM) week saw degradations across the areas of the West, Southeast, and Mid-Atlantic, while rainfall during the past week led to improvements in drought-affected areas of the South, Plains, and Midwest. In the Midwest, widespread improvements were made after another round of precipitation during the past week leading to removal of areas of drought on the map in Iowa, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio. In these areas, precipitation totals ranged from 2 to 5 inches. Similarly, significant rainfall was observed in portions of Texas, Oklahoma, and Louisiana leading to targeted improvements. Out West, generally dry conditions prevailed across much of the region, although modest precipitation totals were observed in areas of the Pacific Northwest, Northern California, Intermountain West, and Southwest with the highest totals logged in California. Despite the much-needed precipitation, conditions deteriorated on the map in Oregon, California, Nevada, Wyoming, Montana, and New Mexico. In the Hawaiian Islands, conditions have improved significantly during the past two months due to historic rainfall events observed across the island chain. Elsewhere, dry conditions continued across much of the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic, leading to degradation in conditions from Virginia to Florida.

According to the latest U.S. temperature and precipitation analysis by NOAA’s Center for Environmental Information, March 2026 was the warmest March on record for the contiguous U.S. (CONUS) with average temperatures reaching 9.4 °F above the 20th-century average. For the month, 1,432 counties observed their single warmest March day on record (1950-present). Moreover, the April 2025 to March 2026 period was the warmest 12-month span recorded for CONUS since 1895. In terms of precipitation, the January to March period was the driest on record for CONUS, breaking the previous record set in 1910.

Coming into April, mountain snowpack conditions remain well below normal despite this week’s precipitation across the higher elevations of the Cascades, Sierra, and Rockies. According to the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) SNOw TELemetry (SNOTEL) network (April 7), region-level (2-digit HUC) snow water equivalent (SWE) values (percent of median) are as follows: Pacific Northwest 50%, Missouri 58%, Upper Colorado 26%, Great Basin 18%, Lower Colorado 17%, Rio Grande 13%, and Arkansas-White-Red 10%. In California, statewide snowpack is 16% of normal (April 7), with the Southern Sierra at 27%, Central Sierra at 19%, and Northern Sierra at 5%.

Northeast: This week, continued improvements were made in areas of Pennsylvania, New York, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and Maine in response to precipitation this week and overall improving conditions observed during the past 30 days. Over the past 60-day period, precipitation was near normal to above normal (110–200+%) across Pennsylvania, New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and western Massachusetts. Conversely, areas of Maine continue to observe precipitation deficits for the contemporaneous period, ranging from 1 to 4 inches. Snowpack conditions continue to decline seasonally, with the National Weather Service National Operational Hydrologic Remote Sensing Center (NWS NOHRSC) reporting 61% snow cover (compared to 91% last month) for the Northeast Region, with an average depth of 3.5 inches, and a maximum depth of 69 inches. For the week, temperatures were above normal across most of the region, with the greatest departures (9–15 °F) observed in the southern half of the region.

Southeast: During the past week, dry conditions prevailed across most of the region, except for some isolated light-to-moderate rainfall accumulations (1 to 3 inches) observed in southern Florida, southwestern Georgia, and southern Alabama. On the map, drought expanded and intensified across much of the region including in Virginia, the Carolinas, Georgia, and Florida. In southern Georgia and northern Florida, areas of Exceptional Drought (D4) expanded in response to continued dryness, very poor soil moisture and hydrologic conditions. Impacts are being reported in northern Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina, according to the National Drought Mitigation Center’s (NDMC) Conditions Monitoring Observer Reports (CMOR) tool. According to data from the Southeast Regional Climate Center’s Climate Perspectives tool, the past two months (February 7 to April 7) have been very dry across areas of the region, with near-record dryness observed in the following locations: Gainesville, FL (2nd driest; -4.7 inch departure); Tallahassee, FL (4th driest; -6.13 inches); Savannah, GA (3rd driest; -4.36 inches); Montgomery, AL (2nd driest; -4.34 inches); North Charleston, SC (5th driest; -3.93 inches); and Charlotte, NC (7th driest; -2.85 inches). In terms of average temperatures for the week, above-normal temperatures (5 to 15 °F) were observed across the entire region, with Virginia experiencing the greatest departures.

South: On this week’s map, improvements were made in drought-affected areas of Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Arkansas, while areas of Tennessee saw degradations. In terms of precipitation during the past week, moderate to heavy rainfall accumulations (ranging from 3 to 6 inches) were observed in Texas, Oklahoma, and isolated areas of Louisiana. In Arkansas, some beneficial rains fell in the far-western portion of the state, which led to a boost in streamflow conditions. However, dry soils and significant precipitation deficits remain across the state with the NDMC CMOR tool showing many new impact reports during the past week. Looking at climatological rankings for the past 60-day period (February 7 to April 7), record to near-record dryness was observed in the region, including in Del Rio, TX (driest on record; -1.98 inches), Monticello, AR (4th driest; -5.7 inches), and Monroe, LA (7th driest; -6.69 inches). In Texas, Water for Texas (April 7) reports statewide reservoirs at 74% full, with eastern reservoirs in good condition while many western and southern reservoirs remain below normal. Average temperatures for the week were above normal across the region (2 to 12+ °F).

Midwest: On this week’s map, widespread improvements were made across Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio in response to the cumulative impacts of precipitation events during the past 30-day period. Noteworthy, some multiple-category improvements were made in northern portions of Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio where the heaviest precipitation totals (ranging 2 to 5 inches) were observed during the past week. In Kentucky, short-term dryness and developing hydrologic drought conditions led to expansion and intensification of drought. NWS NOHRSC (Northern Great Lakes Region) reports 42% of the region is covered by snow, at an average depth of 5.5 inches, and a maximum depth of 71 inches. Temperatures were above normal across most of the region, with anomalies ranging from 2 to 15 °F. Looking at climatological rankings for the past 30-day period (March 7 to April 7), numerous locations ranked among their wettest or near-wettest on record, including Chicago, IL: (2nd wettest; +2.57 inches); Lake Geneva, WI (wettest on record; +6.33 inches), Lafayette, IN (wettest on record; +3.75 inches); Toledo, OH (wettest on record; +4.43 inches), and Saginaw, MI (wettest on record; +3.66 inches).

High Plains: On this week’s map, rainfall (1 to 4 inches) during the past week led to targeted improvements in far eastern portions of Kansas and Nebraska. Meanwhile, conditions deteriorated on the map in areas of central and western Kansas, and southwestern South Dakota. For the week, average temperatures were 4 to 10+ °F below normal across much of the region with the greatest departures observed in the Dakotas. Looking at climatological rankings for the past 60-day period (March 7 to April 7), several locations ranked among their driest on record, including Dodge City, KS (driest on record; -1.51 inches); Goodland, KS (driest on record; -1.05); and Manhattan, KS (2nd driest; -1.81 inches). In terms of hydrologic conditions, the U.S. Geological Survey is reporting below to much below normal streamflows across southwestern South Dakota, southern Nebraska, and central/western Kansas.

West: Conditions continued to deteriorate in the region with degradations made across southern Oregon, Northern California, southwestern Montana, northwestern Wyoming, and New Mexico. Despite some precipitation falling across the mountain ranges of the region this week, the snowpack conditions remain extremely poor with the remaining snowpack primarily restricted to the highest elevations. In Colorado, NRCS is reporting statewide SWE at the lowest on record. Historically, median peak SWE in Colorado occurs on April 8, however, this year peak SWE occurred on March 8. In Washington state, the Department of Ecology issued a statewide emergency drought declaration as projected water supplies are expected to be well below normal levels. In the Colorado River Basin, Lake Powell is 24% full, while Lake Mead is 33% full, according to the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. Across areas of the Far West, very dry conditions were observed during the past 30-day period (March 7 to April 7), with record to near-record dryness at the following locations: Eugene, OR (10th driest; -2.57 inches); Medford, OR (9th driest; -1.38 inches); Crescent City, CA (2nd driest; -5.58 inches); Mount Shasta, CA (driest on record; -5.35 inches); San Francisco, CA (5th driest; -2.34 inches); Santa Cruz (driest on record; -3.13 inches); Monterey, CA (3rd driest; -2.8 inches), and San Diego, CA (driest on record; -1.24 inches).

Caribbean: No changes were made this week in Puerto Rico.

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Pacific: No changes were made this week in Alaska.

In the Hawaiian Islands, the cumulative impact of several significant storm events has erased drought across the island chain, except some areas on the Big Island which have some remaining longer-term deficits as well as areas of dryness showing up on satellite-based vegetation health indices.

Looking Ahead: The NWS Weather Prediction Center 7-Day Quantitative Precipitation Forecast calls for precipitation accumulations generally ranging from 1 to 4 inches across eastern portions of the Southern Plains, Midwest, and Northeast, with the heaviest totals (locally 3 to 4 inches) along a corridor extending from eastern Oklahoma and Arkansas through the Mid-Mississippi Valley into eastern portions of the Upper Midwest. Across the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic, very dry conditions are expected, with little or no precipitation across most areas. The highest totals in the region are expected in isolated areas of eastern Florida, where accumulations may reach 2 to 3 inches. Across the High Plains, light-to-moderate precipitation accumulations ranging from 0.25 to 1.5 inches are expected, with the greatest totals across the eastern extent of the region. In the West, moderate-to-heavy liquid precipitation accumulations are expected across areas of California, particularly along the central and northern Sierra Nevada and coastal ranges, as well as portions of the central and northern Rockies, with lighter to moderate totals across portions of the Pacific Northwest. Dry conditions are expected to prevail across much of the Southwest, including areas of the southeastern California deserts, southern Nevada, Arizona, and New Mexico.

The NWS 6–10-Day Temperature Outlook (valid April 14–18, 2026) calls for above-normal temperatures across nearly all of the contiguous U.S., with the highest probabilities across the eastern half of the country, including the Midwest, Southeast, Mid-Atlantic, and Northeast. Below-normal temperatures are limited to areas along the broader U.S.–Canada border region in the Northern Plains and Upper Midwest, while near-normal temperatures are expected across parts of the Pacific Northwest.

In terms of precipitation, the 6–10-Day Outlook calls for above-normal precipitation across the Far West, northern Rockies, New Mexico, Texas, the South (eastern extent), portions of the central and southern Plains, Midwest, and Northeast. Near-normal precipitation is expected across the Intermountain West, Desert Southwest, areas of the South, Mid-Atlantic, and coastal New England. Below-normal precipitation is favored across the Southeast and portions of the Mid-Atlantic.

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