BOISE, ID – Drought conditions across the western United States worsened over the past week, with no areas showing improvement, according to the latest report from the U.S. Drought Monitor.
Temperatures were warmer than normal across most of the region, with many areas experiencing temperatures 4 to 6 degrees above average. Only coastal areas of California and parts of eastern New Mexico recorded near- or below-normal temperatures. Precipitation remained limited, with only spotty monsoonal moisture over the Southwest and isolated rainfall in parts of Montana.
The report showed widespread drought expansion across multiple states:
- Idaho, particularly the panhandle and central regions, experienced a full-category degradation in drought classification.
- Western Colorado saw expansions of both severe and extreme drought conditions.
- Central Wyoming experienced an increase in areas classified as moderate drought and abnormally dry.
- Northern Utah had an expansion of severe drought, and a new area of extreme drought was added.
- Western Montana had expansions of both severe and extreme drought levels.
- Washington and Oregon saw increased areas of moderate and severe drought.
- Northeast Nevada reported expansion of severe drought.
While some areas in Montana received rainfall, overall conditions in the region remain dry. The U.S. Drought Monitor noted that degradation dominated the weekly changes and no improvements were recorded across the western U.S.
