- Heavy rains hit Arizona, Utah, and Colorado this week.
- Flash-flood watches extend across several Basin states.
- Short-term drought improves in parts of Nevada and Utah.
- Despite government shutdown, Drought Monitor and National Weather Service updates continue.
Saturday, October 11, 2025 — The October 9 2025 U.S. Drought Monitor map
showed another week of shifting conditions across the country.
Dryness deepened in the Northeast, where parts of New England and eastern New York slipped into extreme drought. Missouri and surrounding states also saw worsening short-term drought, while beneficial rains eased conditions in portions of the Ohio and Mississippi River Valleys.
Across the South, dry weather returned to Alabama, Georgia, and the Carolinas, expanding areas of moderate and severe drought. In contrast, southeast Louisiana recorded more than five inches of rain in some areas, prompting two-category improvements on the map.
Southwest: From Dust to Deluge.
This week’s biggest story lies squarely in the Colorado River Basin, where several months of dry heat gave way to widespread storms fueled by tropical remnants.
According to the National Weather Service, “There is a Moderate Risk of excessive rainfall across portions of Arizona and southern Utah.” The Weather Prediction Center warned of “widespread showers and storms… producing moderate to heavy accumulations, with numerous flash floods possible.”
Moisture from former tropical systems Priscilla and Raymond surged north from the Pacific, colliding with a slow-moving upper-level trough. The result: repeated downpours, especially over steep terrain and burn scars. Hourly rainfall rates reached one to two inches, and some canyons and low-lying areas experienced dangerous flash flooding.
The Weather Channel reported that rainfall totals of two to four inches, with localized peaks near six inches, are possible through early next week. Flood watches were issued in Phoenix and Flagstaff, Arizona; Grand Junction, Colorado; and Cedar City, Utah.
Localized Relief Across Basin States.
While flash flooding poses immediate danger, the moisture offers partial relief to drought-stressed landscapes. The U.S. Drought Monitor cited “widespread improvements in parts of the western United States, especially the Las Vegas area, northern areas of Nevada and Utah, Oregon and southwest Idaho, southeast Wyoming and a few spots in the Colorado Rocky Mountains.”
In Arizona, short-term drought remains but has eased slightly across the central and northern parts of the state. Southern Utah saw a downgrade in drought intensity thanks to recent rains, while western Colorado recorded gains in soil moisture. Nevada also benefited from recent precipitation, particularly near the state’s southern border.
Further north, Wyoming experienced moderate improvement in its southeastern counties, though areas of dryness persist in the northeast.
Despite the wet pattern, experts caution that storms of this magnitude rarely erase long-term drought. Rapid runoff often prevents rainwater from soaking deeply into desert soils, limiting the benefit to reservoirs and aquifers.
Short-Term Outlook.
Forecasts from the National Weather Service Weather Prediction Center show more rain on the way. Through October 13, more than one inch of precipitation is expected across much of Arizona and Utah, with over three inches possible in parts of southwest Colorado. Cooler conditions are expected to follow in California, Nevada, Oregon, Idaho, and western Montana, while warmer, drier weather will prevail across the central and southern Great Plains.
Operations Continue Despite Federal Shutdown.
The Drought Monitor team emphasized that “Despite the federal government shutdown, the U.S. Drought Monitor map and its associated products remain unaffected and will continue to be released on schedule.”
Similarly, the National Weather Service and NOAA states, “The U.S. government is closed. However, because the information this website provides is necessary to protect life and property, this site will be updated and maintained during the federal government shutdown.”
