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Latest Drought Monitor map shows the least amount of drought in the US since monitoring began in 2000.

As May ends, the Drought Monitor improves as soaking rains have impacted a large part of the country. Only 4.5% of continental US is currently experiencing drought conditions which is the lowest weekly percentage since drought monitor began in 2000.

The last week has brought soaking rains , even to areas still facing significant drought issues in the southeastern US. The central portions of the Rockies and Plains into the upper Midwest saw substantial rains from May 16-18 with the area of precipitation shifting to the southeast on May 20. Drought-affected areas of the Southeast, including portions of Alabama and Georgia, experienced substantial relief, with rain still falling when the drought-monitoring period ended on May 23. The benefits from the rain that fell after May 23 will be shown in next week’s map. Meanwhile, a late-season heavy snowfall, where 1-3′ of snow fell, along with low-elevation rains helped boost ground water in the central Rockies.

While rain in portions of the southeast received beneficial rain, Florida and Georgia remain extremely dry. Even with recent rainfall there, drought conditions are likely to persist until more soaking rains quench the region.

The latest Drought Monitor map shows improvement across much of the United States; the only exception is Georgia and Florida which is dealing with not only severe drought, but a high fire risk too.

An abundance of precipitation has eliminated much of the dry conditions that plagued a large part of the country prior to the winter. Heavy winter rain and snow in California has erased almost all of the drought there, allowing the Governor to lift the Drought Emergency there. Recently, the Midwest was inundated with heavy rains from southern Kansas through Missouri and into southern Illinois and Indiana.

Heavy rain also fell across portions of the Mid Atlantic and Northeast this weekend, although this map reflects conditions prior to that rain’s arrival.

Current fire map across Florida. Source: Florida Forest Service

Unfortunately, drought conditions persist in Georgia and Florida. From January 1 through May 10, Orlando, Florida only had 3.18″ of rain; that’s the same amount that was recorded in the 1907 drought. The driest on record was 2.64″ in 1898. While great for tourists, the lack of rain has been bad for lawns, agriculture, and water systems: Orlando did not get rain last month and has not had significant rain since mid-February. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, central Florida spring flows are weakening; they are supplied by the Floridan Aquifer, which is replenished by rain. More than 100,000 acres have gone up in flames from wild fires in the Sunshine State, due in part to the drought.