- New Mexico and Arizona saw improvement from monsoon rains.
- Colorado and Wyoming benefited from above-average precipitation.
- Utah and Nevada remain dry with little change in conditions.
- California received early-season rainfall, trimming dryness in the south.
Saturday, September 20, 2025 –– The latest U.S. Drought Monitor
, released September 18, 2025, shows drought conditions spreading across large parts of the Midwest, Northeast, and Southeast, while the Rockies and parts of the Southwest saw some welcome relief. Extreme drought was newly introduced near the confluence of the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers, as well as in eastern Ohio and parts of West Virginia. Meanwhile, early autumn storms brought some improvement in northern California and the Intermountain West.
Arizona and New Mexico.
Late-season monsoonal rains helped ease drought in the desert Southwest. Southeastern Arizona and southwestern New Mexico saw a reduction in exceptional drought (D4) coverage, marking one of the most significant improvements in the basin this week. Southeastern Arizona also experienced localized relief, though much of the state remains dry heading into fall.
Colorado and Wyoming.
Moisture pushed into the Rockies, delivering steady precipitation across western Colorado and northwestern Wyoming. This led to one-category improvements in areas that had been experiencing severe (D2) and extreme (D3) drought. Mountain snowpack will not begin to accumulate until later in the year, but this early precipitation offers modest short-term benefits.
Utah and Nevada.
Utah and Nevada saw little change. Despite scattered rainfall, drought conditions remain entrenched. Northern Utah continues to watch streamflow and reservoir conditions closely as the state prepares for the new water year. Nevada’s dryness persisted with no significant shifts in the drought map.
California.
Southern California received early-season precipitation, bringing slight improvement. In Imperial County, the map showed a reduction in abnormal dryness (D0). Northern parts of the state also recorded rainfall totals above average for this time of year, but widespread drought conditions remain in place across the broader West.
Next Week’s Outlook.
The Climate Prediction Center’s outlook for September 23–27 favors above-normal temperatures across the entire contiguous United States, with elevated chances for above-normal precipitation along the West Coast and Intermountain West. In contrast, below-normal precipitation is expected across the Rockies and much of the Great Plains.
