This Week's Drought Summary (4/2)

This U.S. Drought Monitor (USDM) week saw extensive degradations across areas of the West, Plains, South, and Southeast. Out West, widespread degradations were centered across the Intermountain West, including Colorado, Utah, Idaho, and Wyoming, and to a lesser extent across portions of Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, and Montana. Continued degradations are expected in the coming weeks and months due to anomalous heat and record-low snowpack levels. In the Plains, drought expanded and intensified from Oklahoma to South Dakota. In the South and Southeast, dry conditions persisted this week, adding to significant longer-term (9- to 12+ month) precipitation deficits (ranging from 8 to 20+ inches), with the most severe drought conditions centered over portions of Texas, Arkansas, Georgia, and Florida. In the Northeast and Midwest, light-to-moderate rainfall (1 to 3 inches) during the past week led to targeted improvements in Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New York.

At the end of March, mountain snowpack conditions remain well below normal for the time of year, with record to near-record low levels observed across all western states. Additionally, many Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) SNOw TELemetry (SNOTEL) network monitoring stations are reporting very shallow snow depths or no snow on the ground. Region-level (2-digit HUC) snow water equivalent (SWE) values (percent of median) are as follows: Pacific Northwest 55%, Missouri 56%, Upper Colorado 24%, Great Basin 18%, Lower Colorado 14%, Rio Grande 8%, and Arkansas-White-Red 8%. In California, statewide snowpack is 18% of normal (April 1), with the Southern Sierra at 32%, Central Sierra at 21%, and Northern Sierra at 6%. Despite poor snowpack conditions, California’s reservoirs remain at or above historical averages for the date (March 31), with Lake Shasta and Lake Oroville at 113% and 123% of average, respectively. In the Southwest, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (March 29) reports critically low levels at Lake Powell (24% full; 41% of average for the date) and Lake Mead (33% full; 52% of average for the date), with the total Colorado River system at 36% of capacity (compared to 41% at the same time last year).

Northeast

This week, improvements were made in isolated areas of Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Massachusetts in response to precipitation during the past two weeks. In New England, recent rainfall improved groundwater and soil moisture conditions in Connecticut and Massachusetts. Over the past 30 days, precipitation was near normal to above normal (110–200+%) across Pennsylvania, New York, Connecticut, and western Massachusetts, while areas of New Hampshire, Vermont, and Maine were below normal (50–90%). Snowpack conditions continue to decline seasonally, with the National Weather Service National Operational Hydrologic Remote Sensing Center (NWS NOHRSC) reporting 37.3% snow cover (compared to 97.8% last month) for the Northeast Region, an average depth of 2.7 inches, and a maximum depth of 73.6 inches. Temperatures were above normal across most of the region, with the greatest departures (4–10 °F) in the southern half, while Maine and New Hampshire observed below-normal temperatures (2–8 °F).

Southeast

During the past week, very dry conditions prevailed across most of the region, exacerbating drought conditions. However, some isolated light-to-moderate rainfall accumulations (1 to 3 inches) were observed in South Florida. On the map, drought expanded and intensified across all states except Virginia. In southern Georgia and northern Florida, areas of Exceptional Drought (D4) were added. Impacts are being reported in northern Florida, where low water levels are limiting recreational use of waterways on the Chipola, Santa Fe, and Suwannee rivers. For the past 30-day period, precipitation departures across most of the region ranged from 1 to 4 inches, with the greatest departures observed in southern Alabama, Florida Panhandle, southwestern Georgia, and far western portions of the Carolinas. According to data from the Southeast Regional Climate Center’s Climate Perspectives tool, the past six months (October 1 to March 31) have been very dry across areas of the region, with record dryness observed in the following locations: Tallahassee (-13.51 inch departure); Jacksonville, FL (-9.98 inches); Macon, GA (-11.64 inches); Montgomery, AL (-13.82 inches); Charlotte, NC (-10.67 inches); and Raleigh, NC (-9.23 inches). In terms of average temperatures for the week, above-normal temperatures (5 to 10 °F) were observed across the western portion of the region, while the eastern extent remained near normal.

South

On this week’s map, widespread degradations were made in drought-affected areas of Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Arkansas, while isolated areas of Mississippi and Tennessee saw degradations. During the past 30-day period, the National Drought Mitigation Center’s Conditions Monitoring Observer Reports (CMOR) tool showed numerous impact reports across the region. For the week, dry conditions prevailed across the region. Looking at climatological rankings for the past 90-day period (December 31 to March 31), several locations ranked among their driest on record, including Austin, TX (4th driest; -5.53 inches), Brownsville, TX (driest on record; -3.38 inches), Oklahoma City, OK (driest on record; -3.61 inches), Monticello, AR (driest on record; -8.95 inches), and Jackson, MS (driest on record; -7.4 inches). In Texas, Water for Texas (April 1) reports statewide reservoirs at 73.5% full, with eastern reservoirs in good condition while many western and southern reservoirs remain below normal, including Falcon Reservoir (19% full). Average temperatures for the week were above normal across the region (3 to 15+ °F) with dry conditions prevailing.

Midwest

On this week’s map, improvements were made across Iowa, Illinois, Wisconsin, and Michigan in response to rainfall during the past week, primarily along a narrow west-to-east band extending from west-central Illinois to northern Ohio. One-category improvements were observed in areas of Moderate Drought (D1) to Severe Drought (D3). In Kentucky, short-term dryness led to expansion of areas of Moderate Drought (D1) and Abnormally Dry (D0) across the state. Snowpack across the Northern Great Lakes Region continues to decline, with NWS NOHRSC reporting 30.5% snow cover, an average depth of 4.2 inches, and a maximum depth of 64.9 inches. Temperatures were above normal across most of the region, with anomalies ranging from 2 to 15 °F.

West

Conditions deteriorated significantly on the map this week in response to the combination of record to near-record heat and very poor snowpack conditions. The recent heat wave accelerated snowmelt across the region over the past few weeks, with many NRCS SNOTEL stations reporting little to no snow on the ground or unseasonably low levels. Peak runoff is occurring earlier than normal—or has already passed in some locations—raising concerns about reduced inflows into reservoirs moving through spring and into the summer months. In the Upper Colorado River Basin, Lake Powell is 25% full, while upstream reservoirs show mixed conditions, including Flaming Gorge (82% full), Blue Mesa (50%), and Navajo Lake (62%). In Rio Grande Basin in New Mexico, Elephant Butte is 12% full and Caballo Reservoir is 7% full. In Arizona, the Salt River Project reports the Salt River system at 56% full, the Verde system at 63%, and the combined system at 63% (compared to 70% last year).

Caribbean

No changes were made this week in Puerto Rico.

Overall, the U.S. Virgin Islands continued to receive enough rain to keep at bay any designation of dryness or drought. Across St. Croix, the Christiansted area generally reported anywhere from 0.75 inch to 2.67 inches of rain last week, pushing March totals to between 4 and 5.6 inches. Frederiksted has been slightly drier, picking up 2.2 to 4.5 inches of rain during March, but these amounts are not markedly lower than normal, and follow sufficient totals earlier in the year. On St. John, Cruz Bay reported about 1 to 1.5 inches of rain last week, which brought March totals to between 3.2 and 3.6 inches, which is not remarkably wet nor dry. Windswept Beach has been drier, with only 0.26 inch last week and just over 7.5 inches for the year to date, but this has been enough to keep most impacts from dryness at bay. Similar to Cruz Bay, Charlotte Amalie on St. Thomas also received generally 1 to 1.5 inches of rain last week, resulting in slightly higher March totals of 4.4 to 6.6 inches. This is enough to stave off any noticeable dryness or drought for the time being.

Pacific

No changes were made this week in Alaska.

No changes were made this week in Hawaii.

Palau received 2.20 inches of rain last week, bringing their March total to 12.62 inches and the year-to-date total to 29.51 inches. These numbers are both somewhat above normal and over the 8 inches per month generally required to consistently meet ecological and human demand. There are no indicators of dryness or drought.

Across the Marianas, heavy to excessive rainfall has been observed over the past few months, especially in March. After 6.24 inches of rain at Saipan last week, the March total climbed to 13.72 inches, more than 7 times the normal for the month. The January-March total at Saipan was 34.59 inches, compared to a normal of 8.09 inches. Guam, Dededo, and Rota all recorded 14-16 inches in March, which was over 5 times normal. Amounts in other areas were not as extreme, but no indicators of dryness or drought exist across the islands.

In western sections of the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), Yap and Woleai both recorded around an inch of rain last week, which brought March totals slightly above normal. Between 24 and 27 inches fell during January-March, which is also slightly above normal. There is no indication of any dryness or drought.

Across central FSM, Lukunor reported subnormal rainfall each of the last 3 months. Between 5.9 and 6.8 inches fell each month during this period, which ranged from 57 to 73 percent of normal. No significant dryness-related impacts have been reported, but 3-month amounts have been sufficiently below normal to support introducing abnormal dryness (D0) there. Elsewhere, across Chuuk, Nukuoro, and Kapingamaringi, very dry conditions prevailed during the last week of March, but enough rain fell during the prior few months to preclude the introduction of any dryness at this time. Chuuk has been persistently wetter than normal all year so far. Nukuoro recorded subnormal March (8.5 inches) and January (9.45 inches) totals, but amounts have been sufficient to keep up with environmental and human demand. Kapingamaringi has been drier than normal all 3 months, but totals have been sufficient to keep up with demand, ranging from near 8 inches to over 10 inches each month.

The eastern FSM is climatologically very wet this time of year. The 15.49 inches of rain reported during March in Kosrae were actually slightly below normal, and totals of 17.7 and 12.9 inches, respectively, fell during February and January. This is more than what is needed to keep up with demand. About 2/3 of normal rainfall amounts were reported in March at Pohnpei (9.39 inches), which is actually sufficient to keep up with demand. Totals during January (12.5 inches) and February (15 inches) were even more robust. Thus, no dryness is indicated in eastern FSM.

In contrast to other parts of the U.S. Affiliated Pacific Islands, drought dominates the northeastern Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI), with severe (D2, Utirik) to extreme (D3, Wotje) drought assessed. These conditions are unchanged from last week despite a wet spell that straddled the past 2 weeks. March 20-26 brought over 7 inches of rain to Utirik and more than 3.5 inches to Wotje; however, the drought designations were not changed because the rest of the month brought only 0.75 inch to Ulithi and 0.42 inch to Wotje, with none reported since early March 27. After the short wet spell, temperatures again climbed above normal, with Utirik reporting daily highs of 88-89 deg. F and lows remaining at or above 82 deg. F for the last 5 days of the month. This implies that surface moisture may not have been dramatically recharged despite the large amounts. For now, D2 to D3 conditions remain, but the situation will be closely monitored for any improvements.

In the western, central, and southern reaches of RMI, conditions have been significantly wetter during the past 3 months, and no dryness or drought is assessed at this time. Mili reported almost 7 inches of rain last week, which brought their March total above 19 inches. Majuro reported 3.26 inches last week, bringing their year-to-date total to 24.7 inches, which is about normal and sufficient to keep up with demand. Wet conditions prevailed last week at Jaluit (3.03 inches) and Ailinglapalap (5.38 inches). March finished with over 16 inches at Ailinglapalap and nearly a foot at Jaluit, and on the back of wetter-than-normal Februaries at both locations, no dryness is observed. Totals have been more muted at Kwajalein in northwestern RMI, but the climatology is a little drier than across most of southern and western RMI. Still, over 2 inches fell last week, pushing March totals to 6.5 inches. Prior months were somewhat wetter than normal (7.83 inches in January and 4.44 in February), but with relatively low normals and these months usually being among the driest of the year, the moisture budget is only marginally keeping up with demand, and abnormal dryness could be introduced if subnormal amounts continue over the forthcoming weeks and months, when normal will be increasing.

Abnormal dryness ended across American Samoa. Just 5.11 inches of rain fell in February (less than half normal), and deficient totals continued into March. Last week, however, over 5.5 inches of rain fell, primarily later in the period, bringing the monthly total to 11.3 inches, or approximately normal. In addition, January was exceptionally wet, with almost 28 inches of rain reported. Given the relatively short-lived nature of the territory’s moisture deficits, these amounts support removing abnormal dryness and leaving the region with no designation of dryness or drought.

Looking Ahead

The NWS Weather Prediction Center 7-Day Quantitative Precipitation Forecast (QPF, liquid equivalent) calls for precipitation accumulations generally ranging from 2 to 4 inches across eastern portions of the Southern Plains, Midwest, and Northeast, with the heaviest totals along a corridor from eastern Texas through the Lower Mississippi Valley into portions of the Upper Mississippi Valley. In the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic, light-to-moderate liquid precipitation accumulations ranging from 0.5 to 2 inches are expected. Across the High Plains, light-to-moderate liquid precipitation accumulations ranging from 0.5 to 2 inches are expected, with the greatest totals across portions of the Dakotas. In the West, light-to-moderate liquid precipitation accumulations are expected across areas of the region, with the highest totals across portions of the Pacific Northwest, northern California, and southern Oregon. In the higher elevations, snow is expected across the Sierra Nevada, southern Cascades, northern Great Basin, and portions of the central and northern Rockies. Dry conditions are expected to prevail across much of the Southwest, including areas of southern California, southern Nevada, Arizona, and New Mexico.

The 6–10-day temperature outlook (valid April 7–11, 2026) calls for above-normal temperatures across much of the western U.S., Southern Plains, and areas of the South, with the highest probabilities centered over the California, Nevada, Utah, and Arizona. Below-normal temperatures are favored across the Northern Plains as well as the New England. Near-normal temperatures are expected across much of the eastern U.S., including the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast, as well as portions of Texas. In terms of precipitation, the 6–10-day outlook calls for above-normal precipitation across areas of the eastern half of the western U.S., Plains states, South, much of the Midwest, and Florida. Below-normal precipitation is favored across portions of the Mid-Atlantic and southern extent of New England. Near-normal precipitation is expected across areas outside of these regions, including portions of the western U.S. and Southeast.

April Washington D.C. Preview

April will be a pivotal month for the economy and policymakers. Key data on jobs and inflation, the Fed’s next rate decision and the rollout of President Donald Trump's budget will shape the outlook for growth and interest rates. At the same time, geopolitical tensions, trade decisions and regulatory shifts are set to unfold. POLITICO's policy teams break down how Washington is navigating the month ahead.

— Rising oil prices are complicating the Federal Reserve's rate outlook.   — The Trump administration's fiscal 2027 plan will signal priorities across labor, defense, health and housing.   — New trade probes could reset the post–Supreme Court tariff landscape.

Agriculture —— More farm aid: President Trump pledged to request additional farm aid in an upcoming spending bill, which could bolster Republican plans for up to $15 billion in new ad hoc payments to farmers. USDA is still doling out $12 billion in Commodity Credit Corporation funds to farmers, but the economic outlook for agriculture remains bleak, compelling farm groups and lawmakers to press for more aid.   Trump also urged Congress to pass a long-delayed farm bill, which could help boost farmers’ bottom lines. However, it is not yet clear whether a pathway exists for the legislation, which is nearly three years overdue.   Any new farm aid would likely be attached to a supplemental funding request for the Iran war. That effort, however, faces complications as Congress remains deadlocked over the SAVE Act, which would tighten voter ID requirements, and over funding for the Department of Homeland Security. The president is also expected to send his budget request to Congress April 3, which could shed more light on any plans for future farm aid.   — Regulatory affairs: Nutrition advocates and school meal professionals are eagerly anticipating regulations that will seek to align the National School Meal program with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. The rules, which Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins has said to expect this spring, could crack down on processed foods in schools and affect the amount of animal protein kids eat.   Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has also said that the FDA will issue regulations to close the so-called loophole for food ingredients to qualify as “generally recognized as safe” and to define ultraprocessed foods.   — Sticker shock: The closure of the Strait of Hormuz during the U.S.-Israel war against Iran has left farmers confronting high prices for fertilizer and diesel. Experts warn that prolonged disruption could broaden the impact across the agricultural economy. Aluminum prices — relevant to food supply chains — have already taken a hit and may continue to rise. Diesel costs, which have been rising faster than gas, could be the first cost increases passed through to grocery prices. — Marcia Brown

Trade — Trade probes: The U.S. Trade Representative is launching two new investigations into trading partners could lay the groundwork for new U.S. tariffs to replace the ones the Supreme Court struck down in February.   USTR will collect feedback this month from governments, industry groups and businesses as part of probes into excess manufacturing capacity and forced labor across more than 60 countries, including major partners such as China, the European Union, Canada and Mexico.   USTR Jamieson Greer has set an April 15 deadline for written comments and requests to testify, with hearings on forced labor scheduled to begin April 28 and additional proceedings expected in early May.   The probes are being conducted under Section 301, which allows the administration to levy tariffs without congressional approval if it finds foreign practices to be discriminatory or harmful to U.S. commerce.   The investigation process is expected to take several months, even on an accelerated timeline, and additional investigations could be announced in the coming weeks. — Ari Hawkins, Daniel Desrochers

Financial Services — Fed rates: The Federal Reserve's policy-setting committee will meet on April 28-29 for its next interest rate decision. Its deliberations are in flux due to the war in the Middle East, which has pushed up oil prices and raised the risk of slower growth alongside higher inflation.   The meeting should be Jerome Powell's last as chair, but he has said he will stay on as chair pro tem if Kevin Warsh, Trump’s nominee to lead the Fed, is not confirmed before Powell’s term ends in mid-May.   — Post-Iran economy: Many economists have assumed the economic shock from the Iran war would be short-lived, but the prolonged closure of the Strait of Hormuz increases the risk of lasting damage.   Major stock indexes have fallen, but private sector data on retail spending and airline data suggest that consumer behavior has been largely unaffected. That could shift if the labor market softens further or inflation accelerates.   The Labor Department is scheduled to provide its monthly employment update on April 3, and the consumer price index is to be released on April 10.   — Corporate reports: The Securities and Exchange Commission is preparing a landmark proposal in the coming weeks to shift corporate reporting in the U.S. to a semiannual model, a change that Trump has long pushed for.   The move is primed to reignite a long-standing debate over how to encourage longer-term thinking in C-suites across corporate America.   — Housing: With the White House’s 2027 budget request expected to land on Capitol Hill on April 3, the affordable housing industry is watching for signals of federal support.   Last year’s proposal sought to slash the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s discretionary spending by more than half and consolidating rental assistance programs into one state block grant. Those changes didn’t make it into this year’s final budget, but they reflected the administration’s push to restructure housing programs. — Cassandra Dumay, Victoria Guida, Declan Harty, Sam Sutton

Tax — Tax Day watch: With April 15 approaching, much of the tax world is focused on the run-up to the filing deadline.   Lawmakers will be closely monitoring any issues taxpayers encounter in filing returns, as well as whether refunds grow as much as Republicans have projected.   IRS CEO Frank Bisignano is set to appear before the Senate Finance Committee on April 15, where he is expected to face a barrage of hostile questions from Democrats on issues ranging from staff cuts to the agency’s controversial agreement to share taxpayer info with the Department of Homeland Security. Republicans, meanwhile, will use the hearing to tout their signature tax cuts.   At the same time, Treasury will continue to work on regulations to implement the One Big Beautiful Bill, including the so-called Trump accounts for children.   On Capitol Hill, Republicans are weighing a second reconciliation package that could include additional tax changes. At the same time, and in an unusual split screen, lawmakers are also being watched for signs they can come together later this year on a relatively uncontroversial bipartisan tax package, including measures aimed at improving tax administration. — Brian Faler

Employment and Immigration — Budget time: President Trump is expected to release his budget request for the Labor Department and other agencies in the coming days, providing an updated glimpse at his vision for workplace enforcement.   In last year’s proposal, Trump called for steep cuts across much of the department, including the elimination of the Job Corps training program and the Women’s Bureau.   Congress ultimately rejected the president’s effort to slash DOL’s funding by more than a third, and instead approved a slight increase to its discretionary budget in a deal struck earlier this year.   The National Labor Relations Board — long a target for Republicans — was less fortunate, though its $5 million budget cut was less than the White House requested.   While presidential budget documents typically don’t carry much weight on Capitol Hill, last year’s requests came on the heels of cuts driven by the Elon Musk-led DOGE initiative, which has since receded. This year’s requests could provide clues as to what, if anything, has changed. — Nick Niedzwiadek

Education Accreditation rulemaking: The Education Department has a lot of regulatory changes in store for college accreditors, the organizations that serve as the gatekeepers to the student loan program, during rulemaking this spring.   The Accreditation, Innovation, and Modernization, or AIM, committee, will consider proposals to increase competition among accreditors, lower barriers for new accreditors to enter the market and eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion standards, among other priorities. The committee will meet on April 13-17 and May 18-22.   During a public comment period last month at the National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity, higher education leaders — including a committee member — requested the department define to “diversity” in the upcoming rulemaking.   Members of NACIQI, which advises the department on accreditation recognition, also critiqued accreditors for having DEI policies at a two-day March meeting. Meanwhile, other committee members pointed out that DEI isn’t illegal and that there was no established definition for it.   When asked if the department has plans to define DEI at rulemaking, a spokesperson said: “Stay tuned.”   — Admissions survey decision: A federal judge is expected to rule on a bid from a group of Democratic attorneys general to stop the Trump administration from expanding the federal government’s collection of college admissions data.   Massachusetts District Court Judge Dennis Saylor, a George W. Bush appointee, has already temporarily blocked the Education Department from demanding the data from public universities in 17 states, but his restraining order is only in effect until April 6. Saylor said he intends to issue a preliminary injunction decision as soon as April 2.   The data collection is part of the administration’s crackdown on the use of race in college admissions and is designed to aid President Trump’s anti-diversity and meritocracy push.   The administration last year significantly expanded the scope of admissions information colleges must submit to the federal government, including granular data from colleges about the race and gender of their applicants, and admitted and enrolled students, as well as for specific graduate programs.   — Budget: Trump is expected to send his budget request for fiscal 2027 to Congress this month, outlining the administration’s education priorities.   Earlier this year, Congress largely rejected Trump’s initial budget request of his second term, which reflected his directive to shutter the Education Department through deep cuts and program consolidation. Education Secretary Linda McMahon is expected to appear before Congress this month to the fiscal 2027 budget. — Rebecca Carballo, Mackenzie Wilkes, Bianca Quilantan

Defense — Defense budget debut: The Trump administration plans to roll out its 2027 budget on Friday, offering a first look at a Pentagon spending spike of roughly 50 percent.   Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth have endorsed a whopping $1.5 trillion national defense budget but provided few details on how that money would be spent. Several big ticket Pentagon priorities could see massive investment, including Trump's Golden Dome missile defense shield, missile and air defense production and Navy shipbuilding.   But they face massive pushback in selling another budget buildup amid tough midterm campaigns for Republicans and no desire from Democrats to back additional spending after the GOP forced through a $150 billion defense hike last year.   It’s also unclear whether the administration will ask Republicans to use the reconciliation process again to push the budget through or if it will include a supplemental funding request for the Iran war, which could exceed $200 billion.   — War wary: Lawmakers will also face questions about the course of the military campaign against Iran when Congress returns this month from a two-week recess.   The agenda will almost certainly include more votes in the House and Senate on Democratic-led legislation to cut short U.S. military operations against Iran. Republicans have remained mostly united against those measures, but those dynamics could shift as the conflict drags out and the military and economic fallout spreads.   Senate and House Democrats have also called for hearings with Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio on the war. Top Republicans have rebuffed those calls, but the coming budget season means the Defense secretary and top military leaders, including the head of U.S. Central Command tasked with running the campaign, will soon testify on Capitol Hill. — Connor O’Brien

Health Care — Tariff decision: It’s been nearly a year since the Trump administration kicked off a national security investigation into imports of pharmaceuticals and drug ingredients last April — and a key decision may be around the corner.   Under the law governing such investigations, it should be completed within 270 days, including the delivery of its results and recommendations to President Trump. He would then have 90 days to decide whether to accept the findings.   That means the deadline is fast approaching. If Trump decides to accept the recommendations, he would have 15 days to implement actions to address imports — and he would also have to inform Congress in writing within 30 days.   Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Deputy Administrator Chris Klomp portrayed China at last week’s Conservative Political Action Conference as a threat to the U.S. biopharmaceutical industry, saying speedy innovation and intellectual property protections are needed. But it is unclear what role potential tariffs may play.   — Trump budget: The White House is expected to release its fiscal 2027 budget plan later this week.   That’s the first step in what will be a months-long process on Capitol Hill to determine how much money the Department of Health and Human Services gets in the fiscal year that starts Oct. 1. Appropriations committees in the House and Senate will soon begin by hearing from health agency leaders and then write their own funding bills.   Lawmakers are likely to come up with something different than Trump proposes in part because appropriations bills must have bipartisan support in the Senate.   Trump last year proposed a 25 percent reduction in the HHS budget with deeper cuts at agencies like the National Institutes of Health and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Trump also proposed a broad reorganization of health department agencies. But months after the Sept. 30 deadline, Congress rejected those proposals in February, providing $116.6 billion in discretionary funds for HHS, a slight increase from fiscal 2025. — Health Care Pro Team

Transportation — Shutdown’s TSA fallout: Transportation Security Administration officers have begun receiving paychecks following an emergency directive from President Trump aimed at preventing further staffing shortfalls during the ongoing DHS funding lapse.   Despite the move, the impact is already being felt: more than 500 screeners have left, and attrition continues to climb. Acting administrator Ha Nguyen McNeill warned lawmakers the agency may need to reassess staffing at airports ahead of the summer travel surge tied to the FIFA World Cup.   McNeill said it could take up to half a year to get new employees trained on certain proprietary machines — well after the World Cup festivities have already begun — ensuring that the pressure on the system will linger amid the travel demand.   — Probe begins on another air disaster: The National Transportation Safety Board has has opened an investigation into the fatal crash of an Air Canada jet at LaGuardia Airport earlier this month, the latest in a series of incidents raising concerns about aviation safety.   Both pilots were killed after the aircraft collided with a firetruck on the runway. While runway incursions have declined in recent years, officials say systemic risks remain. FAA Deputy Administrator Chris Rocheleau told POLITICO the incident could prompt another industry-wide “safety standdown” to address vulnerabilities.   The NTSB’s preliminary report into the LaGuardia crash is expected in April and will outline contributing factors, along with any immediate changes to air travel operations the board deems necessary. The full investigation will take about a year.   — Infrastructure delays likely: Momentum is fading for a long-term surface transportation reauthorization bill, with Congress increasingly likely to rely on a short-term extension ahead of the Sept. 30 deadline.   The legislation — which seeks input from eight committees — is being sidelined by higher-priority issues, including the partial government shutdown. T&I chair Rep. Sam Graves (R-Mo.) recently announced he will not seek reelection, though lawmakers don’t believe his retirement should affect negotiations. The Trump administration has also given little indication that the bill is among its top priorities. — Oriana Pawlyk

Technology — Data privacy: Several states are looking to keep momentum on privacy legislation this month.   The Maine Online Data Privacy Act cleared the House after amendments in March and now awaits a Senate vote as lawmakers propose amendments to align the bill with regulations enacted in other states.   In Vermont, the House of Representatives passed H.211 in late March. The bill would allow residents to send a single deletion request to all data brokers registered with the state. It’s now in the Senate, which has until the end of May to move the bill.   — Reconciliation, take two?: Republicans are gearing up for a possible second swing at passing party-line legislation through budget reconciliation, which could draw in tech and telecom priorities if it gains traction. Last year’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act ultimately was the vehicle for a sweeping GOP spectrum deal. Lawmakers also attempted, unsuccessfully, to attach a moratorium on state AI laws.   What could be included this time? Asked in late March about priorities, House Energy and Commerce Chair Brett Guthrie (R-Ky.) pointed to permitting reform. “We’ve got to see what fits in reconciliation,” he told POLITICO, adding that changes to ease broadband deployment would likely be part of the push: “any way we can build.”   Such reforms would coincide with states beginning to deploy billions of dollars from the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program. Guthrie’s panel advanced several broadband permitting measures in December, although some drew Democratic opposition over concerns about overriding local sovereignty.   While speculation is buzzing about what reconciliation might contain, some lawmakers insist it’s early and aren’t even sure whether Commerce committees would be in a position to contribute, which would depend on how the Budget committees set up the bill.   “Not yet,” Sen. Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), who chairs the Commerce telecom subcommittee, when asked potential priorities. “I don’t know if they’ll even have instructions for Commerce this time.”   — AI PREEMPTION 3.0: House GOP leaders and the White House are ramping up efforts to codify Trump’s sweeping AI framework, as key Republican senators finalize a kids’ online safety package that could broach the thorny topic of federal preemption of state AI laws.   After two failed Republican-led attempts at passing a years-long moratorium on state and local AI laws, many industry and key lawmakers recognize that bipartisan support is needed to pass a single rulebook. Still, any AI legislation could be tacked onto a second must-pass reconciliation bill if standalone efforts falter.   Even some supporters of a national AI standard remain skeptical Congress can get it done, at least by the end of this year. Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) said his doubts stem from repeated failures to enact meaningful social media safeguards: “We did zippo,” he told POLITICO in late March, arguing that robust federal safety standards would be a prerequisite for preempting state laws.   Republicans are also divided on how to write AI regulations. Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) introduced the TRUMP AMERICA AI Act which differs from the White House framework on issues including copyright protections and legal liability for content posted on tech platforms. — John Hendel, Alfred Ng and Gabby Miller

Cybersecurity — Funding at risk: As Washington enters the spring budget cycle, lawmakers are preparing to review the administration’s fiscal 2027 proposal, which could include cuts to federal cyber programs.   The White House plans to send President Trump’s budget request for fiscal year 2027 to Congress on April 3. Last year’s proposal included nearly $500 million in cuts for the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, though lawmakers reduced that number during negotiations.   — Operations under strain: The nation’s top cyber defense agency is also contending with the effects of a prolonged Department of Homeland Security shutdown, while key leadership nominations remain stalled in the Senate.   The shutdown continues to disrupt operations at CISA: roughly 40 percent of staff are working without pay, while others remain furloughed. Acting Director Nick Andersen told lawmakers last month that the shutdown has limited intelligence-sharing with partner agencies and could hinder security preparations for major events such as the upcoming FIFA World Cup.   The Senate, currently in recess, is expected to revisit two key cyber nominations later this month. Sean Plankey, Trump’s nominee to lead CISA, has faced delays despite prior committee approval, while the nomination of Adam Cassady as the State Department’s cyber ambassador has yet to receive a hearing.   The ambassador role has been vacant since January 2025, and the State Department’s cyber bureau has undergone significant reorganization, raising questions about the position’s future influence. — Maggie Miller

Idaho And Western United States SNOTEL Water Year (Oct 1) to Date Precipitation % of Normal (3/31)

February Ag Prices Received Index Up 12 Percent; Prices Paid Up 0.6 Percent

February Prices Received Index Up 12 Percent  

The February Prices Received Index 2011 Base (Agricultural Production), at 130.6, increased 12 percent from January but decreased 11 percent from February 2025. At 101.6, the Crop Production Index was up 14 percent from last month and 5.0 percent from the previous year. The Livestock Production Index, at 153.7, increased 2.7 percent from January, but decreased 21 percent from February last year. Producers received higher prices during February for lettuce, cattle,  market eggs, and milk but lower prices for broilers, oranges, rice, and strawberries. In addition to prices, the volume change of commodities marketed also influences the indexes. In February, there was increased monthly movement for cattle, milk, broilers, and greenhouse & nursery and decreased marketing of soybeans, corn, tobacco, and cotton.  

February Prices Paid Index Up 0.6 Percent  

The February Prices Paid Index for Commodities and Services, Interest, Taxes, and Farm Wage Rates (PPITW), at 159.4, is up 0.6 percent from January 2026 and 8.1 percent from February 2025. Higher prices in February for feeder cattle, feeder pigs, diesel and complete feeds more than offset lower prices for concentrates, other services, nitrogen, and LP gas.