January Ag Prices Received Index Up 2.1 Percent; Prices Paid Up 3.4 Percent

January Prices Received Index Up 2.1 Percent  

The January Prices Received Index 2011 Base (Agricultural Production), at 129.4, increased 2.1 percent from December and 16 percent from January 2024. At 88.5, the Crop Production Index was down 4.4 percent from last month and 9.5 percent from the previous year. The Livestock Production Index, at 188.8, increased 9.4 percent from December and 38 percent from January last year. Producers received higher prices during January for market eggs, cattle, milk, and broilers but lower prices for tomatoes, broccoli, lettuce, and cauliflower. In addition to prices, the volume change of commodities marketed also influences the indexes. In January, there was increased monthly movement for soybeans, cattle, corn, and strawberries and decreased marketing of market eggs, grapes, hogs, and cotton.  

January Prices Paid Index Up 3.4 Percent  

The January Prices Paid Index for Commodities and Services, Interest, Taxes, and Farm Wage Rates (PPITW), at 146.7, is up 3.4 percent from December 2024 and 4.9 percent from January 2024. Higher prices in January for feeder cattle, other services, feeder pigs, and taxes more than offset lower prices for interest, hay & forages, concentrates, and nitrogen.

This Week's Drought Summary (2/27)

With limited precipitation during the week, most of the country was dry after a fairly active week prior. The week was highlighted by the wild temperature swings from the first part of the period to the end. The current period started off with temperatures that were well below normal over much of the country and ended with temperatures that were well above normal. Valentine, Nebraska, had an observed low temperature of -33°F on Feb. 20, and this rebounded to 69°F on Feb. 25, a swing of 102 degrees over that five-day span. Precipitation was greatest over the coastal areas of the Pacific Northwest as well as along the Gulf Coast and Florida. In southern Louisiana, 4-6 inches of rain was common for the region. Even with cold temperatures over much of the eastern half of the country, the West was normal to slightly above normal for the week.

Northeast

Temperatures were below normal for almost the entire region outside of northern Maine. Departures ranged from 12-15 degrees below normal in West Virginia to 3-6 degrees below normal in New England. The week was dry, with only western New York as the one area near normal through some lake effect snow. As the impact of the recent wetter pattern continues to be analyzed, abnormally dry conditions were improved over southwest Pennsylvania and in eastern Virginia, where both abnormally dry and moderate drought conditions improved this week. With ongoing hydrological drought persisting in northern New Jersey, severe drought expanded slightly this week.

Southeast

Much of the region was dry this week, with some needed precipitation along the eastern areas of North Carolina as well as widespread precipitation over southern areas of Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia and much of Florida. Cooler-than-normal weather dominated the region, with departures of 10-15 degrees below normal in Alabama to 5 degrees below normal in southern Florida. Based on the impact of the recent precipitation in Alabama, improvements were made over much of the state. In the north and southeast, abnormally dry conditions improved while moderate drought improved in the southeast. Some additional abnormal dryness expansion was made over west central areas of Alabama to better reflect the indicators, as this area has not been as wet as others. Abnormally dry conditions were removed from the panhandle of Florida while severe and moderate drought were improved in central Florida. Moderate drought expanded slightly in south Florida. In Georgia, abnormally dry conditions were improved and adjusted in the northern and western parts of the state. In the south, moderate drought was adjusted in southeast Georgia to better reflect the data over the last several months.

South

It was a colder-than-normal week over the region with temperatures in the 10-20 degrees below normal range over the entire area. The greatest rain occurred across the coastal areas of east Texas, Louisiana and portions of northeast Oklahoma. The region has been dry over much of the winter after a few very wet weeks in the autumn. The short-term data are picking up the dryness that also was prevalent prior to the wet November. As the dryness persists, moderate drought was expanded into more of southwest Oklahoma and into northern and central Texas. Abnormally dry conditions were expanded over much of southern Oklahoma and north Texas. Due to ongoing hydrological drought issues in south Texas, drought expanded this week with more moderate, severe and extreme drought conditions. Abnormally dry conditions were improved over east Texas but were not removed completely due to some lingering dryness being observed at longer timescales. The recent rains allowed for the removal of the abnormally dry conditions over southern Louisiana and some improvements in southern Mississippi, where both moderate drought and abnormally dry conditions were improved.

Midwest

Temperatures were below normal over most of the region outside the northern reaches of Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan. Most areas were 5-15 degrees below normal for the week. It was a mostly dry week over the region with some precipitation in areas of Missouri and into southern Illinois and Kentucky. Nearing the end of February, the winter has been dry over much of the region, which has allowed for expansion of moderate drought over Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Missouri, Iowa, Minnesota and Michigan. Abnormally dry conditions were expanded in Missouri, Minnesota, Illinois and Indiana. Michigan has some longer-term dry signals that are quite prominent, which allowed for the expansion of severe drought over more of the Lower Peninsula.

High Plains

Light precipitation was measured from eastern Wyoming into Kansas and Nebraska as well as in portions of western North Dakota and the plains of eastern Montana. Most other areas were dry for the week. Colder-than-normal temperatures dominated the region with areas of southeast Kansas 20-25 degrees below normal for the week. With the dry conditions, moderate drought levels were expanded over southern Kansas along with additional abnormally dry conditions being shown.

West

A very divided region with wetter-than-normal conditions in the north and zero precipitation in the south. The most abundant precipitation was along the coastal areas of Washington and Oregon and into Idaho and western Montana. Unlike the rest of the country, much of the West had near- to slightly-above-normal temperatures this week. The wetter pattern in Oregon allowed for abnormally dry conditions to improve in the west and both moderate drought and abnormally dry conditions improved in the northeast. No changes in Washington occurred this week as the most recent rains helped to stabilize conditions that had been deteriorating. In Idaho, abnormally dry conditions were improved over much of western and southern portions of the state. Abnormally dry conditions were improved over northern portions of Nevada. In Wyoming, abnormally dry conditions improved over the southwest part of the state while moderate, severe and extreme drought conditions improved over the northern and western parts of the state. Montana had improvements to moderate, severe and extreme drought over eastern portions of the state in response to the improving indicators. In Colorado, some abnormally dry conditions improved in the northcentral areas while they were expanded in the south. Moderate and severe drought expanded in the south along with a new pocket of extreme drought due to the long-term drought indicators and the poor snow season to date. In New Mexico, moderate drought expanded over the west and abnormally dry conditions expanded in the east.

Caribbean

No changes were made in Puerto Rico this week.

Conditions were dry over the U.S. Virgin Islands this week, but islands remained free of drought or abnormal dryness. On St. John, Rafe Boulon/Windswept Beach reported 0.15 inches of rain this week. The depth to water level at Susannaberg DPW 3 well (St. John, USVI) on February 25 was 8.06 ft below land surface. The analysis showed a steady decrease in water level since November 19, when the water level was at 0.32 ft. The current water level is around 0.4 ft higher over the past year, where it was 8.43 ft below land surface on February 26, 2024. This week’s SPI values, at timescales (6-, 9- & 12-month), showed wetter conditions persist on the St. John, while the 1- and 3-month SPI value indicated slightly drier conditions. A total of 0.16 inches of rain were reported on St. Croix (Henry Rohlsen AP) this week. The depth to water level at Adventure 28 Well (St. Croix, USVI) on February 25 was 16.60 ft below land surface. The analysis showed a significant increase in water level (over 15 ft) over the past year, where it was 31.96 ft below land surface on February 26, 2024. This week’s 3-month SPI values indicated some dryness, but all other timescales confirmed wet conditions on the island. On St. Thomas, Cyril E. King Airport reported a rainfall total of 0.06 inches this week. The depth to water level at Grade School 3 well (St. Thomas, USVI) on February 25 was 6.15 ft below land surface. This is down by more than 6 ft from the 0.04 value on November 17, 2024, but about 2.5 ft above the water level value from last year (8.68 ft on February 26, 2024). This week’s SPI values showed conditions were wet at the 3-, 6-, and 9-month timescales, while the 1-month SPI value indicated some short-term dryness affected the island.

Pacific

In Alaska, abnormally dry conditions were added in the southeast part of the state due to the lack of snow.

In Hawaii, moderate drought expanded on Kauai while on Oahu, abnormally dry conditions expanded due to streamflow levels dropping rapidly after the last rain events. On Maui, abnormally dry conditions expanded over eastern areas while in west Maui, moderate drought expanded. On the Big Island, moderate drought conditions expanded due to dryness since the end of January over the northwest part of the island.

Conditions were wet over American Samoa this week. Pago Pago reported 11.67 inches of rainfall this week. This week brought significant daily rainfall totals, setting new daily rainfall records on February 19, with 4.79 inches of rain, and February 21, with a rainfall total of 3.29 inches. Toa Ridge and Siufaga Ridge reported 4.48 and 5.46 inches of rain this week, respectively. These islands need a minimum of two inches of rain per week to meet water needs.

Palau remained free of drought or abnormal dryness this week, with a reported rainfall total of 0.86 inches at the Koror COOP site.

Dry conditions persisted over the Mariana Islands this week. Short-term severe drought continued on Saipan, with a reported a weekly rainfall total of 0.26 inches. Guam and Rota reported weekly rainfall totals of 0.17 inches and 0.45 inches, respectively, but remained in short-term moderate drought this week. These islands need a minimum of one inch of rain per week to meet water needs.

Conditions were mixed across the Federated States of Micronesia this week. Nukuoro and Kapingamarangi reported weekly rainfall amounts of 3.20 inches and 3.17 inches, respectively, and both locations remained free of drought and abnormal dryness this week. Several locations, including Kosrae (1.82 inches), Pohnpei (0.21 inches), Lukunoch (0.20 inches), and Chuuk (0.19”), reported rainfall totals below the 2-inch minimum threshold for water needs. However, these locations remained free of drought and abnormal dryness this week due to previously wet conditions. Short-term abnormal dryness persisted on Woleai (1.64 inches), while Pingelap (0.04 inches) was degraded to short-term moderate drought this week. Conversely, wet conditions were observed over Yap this week, reporting 3.63 inches of rain. Although this amount is well above the 2-inch minimum threshold, Yap remains in short-term moderate drought due to previous weeks and months being dry. Data for Fananu and Ulithi were insufficient to make any assessments this week.

Dry conditions continued across the Republic of the Marshall Islands this week. The rain measured at Jaluit (0.99 inches), Majuro (0.79 inches), and Ailinglapalap (0.30 inches) were below the 2-inch minimum for water needs, but remained free of the drought and abnormal dryness this week. Despite minimal precipitation reported this week, Mili has received a month-to-date precipitation total of 12.33 inches, remaining free of drought and abnormal dryness. On Wotje, short-term abnormal dryness persisted this week, while no precipitation was reported on the island. No depiction was made Utirik due to missing data.

Looking Ahead

Over the next five to seven days, it is anticipated that the best chances of precipitation will be over the West coast and into the Great Basin, the Mid-Atlantic into the Northeast, the upper Midwest and across the Ozark plateau and into portions of the southern Plains. Temperatures are anticipated to be above normal over most of the Plains and into the Southeast with coastal areas of the West below normal. The greatest departures from normal are expected over the southern Plains with departures of 10-13 degrees above normal.

The 6-10 day outlooks show the high probability of above-normal temperatures over the upper Midwest and from south Texas and along the Gulf Coast as well as Alaska. The best chances of cooler-than-normal temperatures will be over much of California and into the Four Corners region. Most of the country will have above-normal chances of above-normal precipitation, with the greatest chances over southern California and from the Ohio Valley into the Northeast. West and southern Texas has the best chances of below-normal precipitation.

Idaho And Western United States SNOTEL Water Year (Oct 1) to Date Precipitation % of Normal (2/25)

Bureau of Reclamation, Pacific Northwest Region - Storage Reservoirs in the Upper Snake River (2/24)

Average daily streamflows indicated in cubic feet per second.

Reservoir levels current as of midnight on date indicated.

Upper Snake River system is at 74 % of capacity.
(Jackson Lake,Palisades, Grassy Lake,Island Park,Ririe,American Falls,LakeWalcott)
Total space available:	1044170 AF
Total storage capacity:	4045695 AF

This Week's Drought Summary (2/20)

A significant storm system moved through the South and into the Southeast during the week, which was associated with flooding rains over the Tennessee Valley and into Kentucky where some of these areas recorded 7-8 inches of rain or more. Portions of northwest Tennessee had CoCoRaHS reports of over 10 inches of rain over the previous week, with the greatest amount of 11.35 inches outside of Clarksville, TN. Many reports of 3 or more inches of rain were observed from northern Louisiana up to southern Virginia with pockets of northern South Carolina with widespread 6+ inches of rain recorded. With recent dryness and a prolonged rain event, many areas had good infiltration into the soil and even some runoff which helped the local hydrological conditions. The Northern and Southern Plains were mostly dry, with areas of east Texas seeing some benefits of rain. Rain returned to the lower elevations of California and up the West Coast as well as snow in the upper elevations in the West. Temperatures were colder than normal over most of the country, with the greatest departures over Montana and North Dakota where temperatures were greater than 25 degrees below normal. The warmest areas this week were in the Southwest and Southeast, where temperatures were near normal in the Southwest and 5-10 degrees above normal in Florida and southern Georgia.

Northeast

Temperatures in the region were 3-6 degrees below normal with the coldest air impacting northern Maine. Most areas recorded precipitation this week with almost all areas observing 125% or more of normal and the greatest amounts in southern Virginia. With a wetter pattern over the last few weeks, improvements were made in the drought status. In New York, abnormally dry conditions were improved in the east and moderate drought improved on Long Island, Rhode Island and eastern Massachusetts. In New Jersey, severe and extreme drought were improved in the central to southern portions of the state and were improved in southern Delaware. In Pennsylvania, moderate drought and abnormally dry conditions were improved in the far southwest while abnormally dry and moderate drought were improved in the southern areas. Severe drought was improved over southeast Maryland while moderate drought and abnormally dry conditions were improved over Virginia. In the panhandle of West Virginia, a full category improvement was made, leaving only a small area of abnormally dry conditions remaining in the state.

Southeast

A very wet week for the region except for the Florida peninsula. The greatest rains were recorded in Tennessee and Kentucky while the driest areas were along the west coast of Florida. With the rain, cooler-than-normal temperatures dominated the region as most areas were 3-6 degrees below normal but further south in the region, temperatures were warmer than normal with departures of 6-9 degrees above normal in southern Georgia and Alabama and most of Florida. With the soaking rain, a full category improvement was made over much of central and western North Carolina, improving the severe and moderate drought. In eastern North Carolina, some improvements were made to the severe drought areas, but also saw severe drought expand to aeras that missed out on any precipitation. Northern areas of South Carolina had moderate drought improve this week and abnormally dry conditions were also removed while northern areas of Georgia also had improvements to moderate drought and abnormally dry conditions. Along the west coast of Florida, the short-term indicators allowed for the introduction of severe drought in a couple of areas. In Alabama, almost the entire state had a full category improvement to the drought status with moderate and severe drought being improved upon over much of central and northern parts of the state.

South

The cold from the north made its way into the region with most areas of Oklahoma, north Texas and northern Arkansas all being below normal for temperatures with departures of 6-12 degrees below normal. Areas of central to east Texas, eastern Oklahoma and most areas east of here had the greatest precipitation this week, with some areas of northeast Arkansas and northern Mississippi and Louisiana at greater than 800% of normal. Much of central and western Oklahoma and southern, western and northern Texas were dry this week. Improvements to moderate drought and abnormally dry conditions were made over northern Mississippi and northern Louisiana. A full category improvement was made to all drought and abnormally dry conditions in Tennessee. It was suggested that some of these areas could see more improvement and it was hoped that the hydrological response would allow for this in the coming weeks. The areas that missed out on the rain again did see some degradation, which included the expansion of severe and extreme drought in south Texas and abnormally dry conditions expanded in southern Louisiana.

Midwest

It was a colder-than-normal week throughout the region, with temperature departures ranging from 20-25 degrees below normal in Minnesota and Iowa to 5 degrees below normal in Ohio. Precipitation was greatest in the southern extent of the region from southeast Missouri through southern Illinois, Indiana and Ohio, where over 400% of normal precipitation was recorded. The driest areas were in the upper Midwest where little to no precipitation was recorded over much of western and northern Minnesota. Most areas did measure some precipitation this week. The wet pattern over the last few weeks allowed drought to be removed completely form Ohio with the last area of moderate drought improved this week. Abnormally dry conditions were trimmed in both Indiana and Illinois based on recent precipitation. In northern Illinois, there was a mix of improvements and degradation associated with the moderate drought. Some areas in the state improved while others degraded based on the short-term drought signal in the region. In far southwest Iowa and far northwest Missouri, moderate drought and abnormally dry conditions were improved this week as the drought signal has diminished.

High Plains

The wettest areas were from eastern Colorado into western Kansas and most of Nebraska where over 200% of normal precipitation was measured. The driest areas were in North Dakota and South Dakota as well as in southern Kansas. It was a cold week for the region with areas of western North Dakota recording departures from normal of 25 degrees or more. Almost all of the High Plains were at least 15 degrees below normal for the week. Only a few slight changes occurred in the region this week, with far southeast Nebraska and far northeast improvements to Kansas’ abnormally dry and moderate drought conditions and abnormally dry conditions removed from northeast Colorado along the Kansas and Nebraska borders.

West

Widespread precipitation occurred over much of the region with only pockets of Nevada, Utah, Wyoming, southern California, southern Arizona and New Mexico missing out. Temperatures were below normal for the region outside of the southern deserts of California, Arizona, and New Mexico where they were near to slightly above normal. The coldest air was over Montana and into Wyoming where departures were greater than 25 degrees below normal. The wetter conditions over California allowed for some improvements in areas where the current water year indicators improved and eased some of the drought conditions. In Washington, continued dryness allowed the expansion of moderate drought in the western portions of the state. Nevada had degradation along the eastern areas, where severe drought expanded, while improvements were made to the moderate drought and abnormally dry conditions of western Nevada. Severe drought expanded over more of western Utah while extreme drought expanded into more of southern Arizona. The last few months have been dry over much of New Mexico coming off a wetter period prior. In looking at the values for the current water year, most areas were holding status quo but degradation to the drought status was made in southwest New Mexico into south central areas of the state. In Colorado, several small snow events occurred, which allowed for some chipping away at the drought designations as conditions showed some improvement. In southwest Colorado, moderate and severe drought improved and in western areas, abnormally dry and moderate drought improved. Northern Colorado continued to have a sharp gradient of areas where drought has developed, and some improvements were made here this week into southern Wyoming. Western areas of Wyoming continue to record better snowfall totals, improving the upper elevation snow numbers for this season. Improvements were made to the abnormal dryness and moderate drought in southern and western Wyoming while in northwest Wyoming, severe and extreme drought improved this week. With the active pattern over Montana as well, the recent improvements made over the last several weeks allowed for minimal changes with only some improvements to moderate drought over western Montana.

Caribbean

No changes were made in Puerto Rico this week.

The U.S. Virgin Islands remained free of drought or abnormal dryness this week. On St. John, Rafe Boulon/Windswept Beach reported 0.36 inches of rain this week. The depth to water level at Susannaberg DPW 3 well (St. John, USVI) on February 18 was 7.49 ft below land surface. The analysis showed a steady decrease in water level since November 18, when the water level was at 0.33 ft. The current water level is around 0.5 ft higher over the past year, where it was 7.94 ft below land surface on February 19, 2024. This week’s SPI values, at most timescales (1-, 6-, 9- & 12-month), also confirms wet conditions persist on the St. John, while the 3-month SPI value indicated slightly drier conditions. A total of 0.18 inches of rain were reported on St. Croix (Henry Rohlsen AP) this week. The depth to water level at Adventure 28 Well (St. Croix, USVI) on February 18 was 16.35 ft below land surface. The analysis showed a significant increase in water level (over 16 ft) over the past year, where it was 32.43 ft below land surface on February 19, 2024. This week’s 3-month SPI values indicated some dryness, but all other timescales confirmed wet conditions on the island. On St. Thomas, Cyril E. King Airport reported a rainfall total of 0.01 inches this week. The depth to water level at Grade School 3 well (St. Thomas, USVI) on February 18 was 5.67 ft below land surface. This is down by more than 5 ft from the 0.04 value on November 17, 2024, but about 2 ft above the water level value from last year (7.75 ft on February 19, 2024).

Pacific

In Alaska, a new area of abnormally dry conditions was introduced in the southern part of the state where higher elevation snow has been well below normal for this time of year. Southeast Alaska is also being monitored for degradation as precipitation has been lagging this winter here as well.

In Hawaii, Kauai had improvements to the drought levels over the southwestern half of the island with abnormally dry conditions filling in the rest of the northern portion of the island, while on Ni‘ihau, a full category improvement was made this week. Abnormally dry conditions were added to west Maui and on the Big Island, moderate drought was removed from the southern part of the island while abnormally dry conditions were filled in for all of the eastern side of the island.

Conditions were wet over American Samoa this week. Pago Pago reported 9.41 inches of rainfall this week, with 5.76 inches falling on February 17 – setting a new daily precipitation record. Toa Ridge and Siufaga Ridge reported 5.50 and 4.44 inches of rain, respectively, this week. These islands need a minimum of 2 inches of rain per week to meet water needs. Due to the abundance of rainfall this week, short-term abnormal dryness was removed from American Samoa this week.

Palau remained free of drought or abnormal dryness this week, with a reported rainfall total of 4.18 inches at the Koror COOP site.

Dry conditions persisted over the Mariana Islands this week. Guam and Rota reported weekly rainfall totals of 0.13 inches and 0.15 inches, respectively, and were degraded to short-term moderate drought this week. On Saipan, 0.11 inches of rain were reported this week, but they remained in short-term severe drought.

Dry conditions continued across the Federated States of Micronesia this week. Several locations, including Kosrae (1.77 inches), Pohnpei (0.99 inches), Lukunoch (0.84 inches), Nukuoro (0.57 inches), and Kapingamarangi (0.00 inches), reported rainfall totals below the 2-inch minimum threshold for water needs. However, these locations remained free of drought and abnormal dryness this week due to previously wet conditions. Short-term abnormal dryness persisted on Woleai (0.15 inches) and Pingelap (0.00 inches), while short-term moderate drought continued on Yap (0.30 inches) this week. Conversely, wet conditions were observed over Chuuk, receiving 2.98 inches of rain this week, bringing their month-to-date total to 10.71 inches. Data for Fananu and Ulithi were insufficient to make any assessments this week.

Conditions were mixed across the Republic of the Marshall Islands this week. Majuro received sufficient rainfall this week, with 4.47 inches exceeding the 2-inch minimum for water needs. The rain measured at Ailinglapalap (0.98 inches) and Jaluit (0.67 inches) were below the 2-inch threshold, but remained free of the drought and abnormal dryness this week. Kwajalein reported a rainfall total of 0.17 inches this week, remaining in short-term moderate drought. On Wotje, short-term abnormal dryness developed due to persistent dry conditions and rainfall deficits over the past two months. No depictions were made for Mili and Utirik due to missing data.

Looking Ahead

Over the next five to seven days, it is anticipated much of the area in the Southeast and into portions of the South will see additional precipitation with some areas that missed out on the last event potentially recording up to an inch of precipitation with this next storm system. Areas along the East Coast also are anticipated to see additional precipitation while much of the Pacific Northwest and into the northern Rocky Mountains is anticipated to see additional precipitation during this period. Much of the Plains, Midwest and Southwest are anticipated to be dry. In a reversal of recent weeks, warmer-than-normal temperatures are expected over much of the area from the Plains westward with departures of 13-16 degrees above normal over much of the Southwest. The areas east of the Plains are anticipated to be near normal.

The 6-10 day outlooks show the high probability of warmer-than-normal temperatures over the western half of the country, with the best probability of above-normal temperatures over the Southwest and portions of the High Plains. The greatest chances of below-normal temperatures will be over Florida. The greatest probability of above-normal precipitation will be along the Canadian border with the best chances of above-normal precipitation in portions of the High Plains, Midwest and New England. Above-normal chances of below-normal precipitation will be over much of the West, southern Rocky Mountains and southern Plains.

Idaho And Western United States SNOTEL Water Year (Oct 1) to Date Precipitation % of Normal (2/18)

Bureau of Reclamation, Pacific Northwest Region - Storage Reservoirs in the Upper Snake River (2/17)

Average daily streamflows indicated in cubic feet per second.
Reservoir levels current as of midnight on date indicated.

Upper Snake River system is at 72 % of capacity.
(Jackson Lake,Palisades, Grassy Lake,Island Park,Ririe,American Falls,LakeWalcott)
Total space available:	1126228 AF
Total storage capacity:	4045695 AF

This Week's Drought Summary (2/13)

Conditions this week were largely based on where precipitation fell. Storms across the Ohio River Valley and Mid-Atlantic brought very beneficial rainfall, leading to improvements in eastern Oklahoma, northeast Mississippi, northern Alabama, the Tennessee-North Carolina border, Virginia and northern West Virginia. Outside of this band of precipitation in the center and eastern U.S., conditions continued to deteriorate after weeks of little to no precipitation. Many of the coastal states in the Southeast saw widespread degradation as short-term indicators show deteriorating conditions. High temperatures in many of these areas make conditions worse. Snow in the Northern Rockies and central Montana brought improvements but the rest of the West was not so lucky. Precipitation along coastal mountains kept conditions in Oregon and California unchanged, Nevada and the four-corners region saw conditions continue to deteriorate. Areas of higher elevation are seeing low snowpack for this time of year. Hawaii also saw conditions improve, while Alaska and Puerto Rico remain free of any dry or drought conditions.

Northeast

Overall, conditions stayed the same in the Northeast, with some areas in West Virginia, western Maryland and southeastern Pennsylvania experiencing minor improvements thanks to the precipitation that passed through this week. New Jersey also saw some improvement in the far northeast. Unfortunately, the rest of the Northeast missed out on the storms this week, leading to Block Island, Rhode Island and Nantucket, Massachusetts degrading to moderate drought.

Southeast

The southern Southeast missed out on all beneficial precipitation adding on to their weeks (and months for some areas) of dryness. Above-normal temperatures also contributed to deteriorating conditions. Widespread abnormally dry and moderate drought conditions spread across Alabama, Georgia and Florida. Streamflow, soil moisture, lack of precipitation and other precipitation-based indicators are all showing quick drying over the past one to three months. The widespread abnormally dry expansion continued into South Carolina. North Carolina and Virginia did benefit from this week’s precipitation and saw one-category improvements.

South

Heavy precipitation fell across western Oklahoma into Kentucky, bringing improvements to the few remaining areas of dry or drought conditions. Northwest Oklahoma saw the removal of some abnormal drought along with northeast Mississippi. Western and central Texas, Louisiana and southern Mississippi missed out on the band of heavy precipitation and saw degradations.

Midwest

This Midwest remained largely unchanged except for a widespread expansion of abnormally dry conditions from central Missouri to west-central Ohio. This area continues to miss out on the storms that brought heavy precipitation to areas just to the south. Abnormally dry conditions expanded eastward in central and southeastern Texas, into southern Louisiana and Mississippi where indicators show drying conditions over the last month or two.

High Plains

The High Plains once again missed out on the precipitation that moved through the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic parts of the U.S. Western Nebraska and Kansas saw degradation as the lack of precipitation continues to affect the area. Colorado also saw degradations. In the far Northeast, abnormally dry conditions expanded from Nebraska and Kansas. Western Colorado continues to see degradations in the Western Slope and San Juan regions. Wyoming did see some extreme drought removal in the northwest and north central areas as snowpack has markedly improved in the non-mountainous areas.

West

Washington and northwestern Montana saw moderate drought expansion. Despite recent snow accumulation, they are still experiencing large moisture deficits. Conversely, central Idaho into central Montana saw widespread improvements as conditions continue to improve. Idaho has benefited from the recent snow from Boise into the Rocky Mountains into Montana. California remained unchanged this week. Conditions continue to deteriorate across the Four Corners area in the Southwest. Snowpack is below normal for this time of the year and soil moisture and streamflow levels are well below normal.

Caribbean

No changes this week in Puerto Rico.

The U.S. Virgin Islands received decent precipitation over the past week and remain drought-free. Weather observers reported that St. Thomas received 0.82 to 0.99 inches, and the King Airport has already received more precipitation than is normal for all of February. St. John received 0.91 to 1.00 inches, while St. Croix received 0.68 to 1.92 inches, also receiving more rainfall than is normal for the entire month.

The Standardized Precipitation Index indicates normal or wet conditions for St. Thomas and St. John at all time scales. The Vegetation Health Index indicates little vegetation stress. The water level in the well on St. John was dropping at 6.85 feet below the land surface on Feb. 10. The wells on St. Thomas and St. Croix were both rising in recent days in response to recent rainfall.

Pacific

No changes this week in Alaska

The past week was generally dry, but there was still regrowth from Oahu to the Big Island from the rainy conditions during the last week of January. Streamflow is near to above normal at nearly all locations across the state. One-category improvements were made from Oahu to the Big Island.

The Republic of Palau received ample rain with more than 5 inches at Palau and Koror. Water supplies should be adequate.

The Mariana Islands continued to reflect dryness as Saipan is in D2 and received from 0.66 inches to 1.0 inch at the island’s gauges. Guam and Rota got 0.22 and 0.33 inches, respectively, and both are in D0. These islands need an inch weekly to meet minimum water needs. Grass fires and browning vegetation have been reported in recent weeks.

Conditions are mixed for the Federated States of Micronesia with a few locations receiving ample rainfall, while other locations continued to be dry. Yap remains in D1 and received 0.39 inches. Woleai is in D0 after getting 1.53 inches. Pingelap is also in D0 and received 1.48 inches. Kapingamarangi returned to normal conditions after getting 4.13 and 1.93 inches in recent weeks. Several locations, including Chuuk Lagoon, Kosrae, Lukunor, Nukuoro, and Pohnpei, received 4 inches or more.

Some of the Marshall Islands got abundant rainfall, while Kwajalein remains in D1 and reported 0.72 inches of rain. Mili received ample precipitation in late January, which should be sufficient to meet water needs for a few weeks. The Majuro reservoirs held 26.59 million gallons on Feb. 11 after receiving 6.88 inches of rain in the past week.

American Samoa continues to be in D0 as Pago Pago, Siufaga Ridge and Toa Ridge received 0.23 to 0.74 inches of precipitation. These islands need 2 inches of rain per week to meet minimum water needs.

Looking Ahead

Over the next five to seven days, some coastal areas of the West could see precipitation from the Washington Cascades into most of California. Other higher-elevation areas in the Intermountain West as well as in the Southwest, are also expected to receive some precipitation. Heavy precipitation is expected across the South, Southeast and Northeast where amounts are estimated to reach 1.25 to 5 inches in the lower Ohio River Valley and through Alabama. Once again, much of the Plains, from North Dakota through central-west Texas, are expected to see less than a quarter of an inch of precipitation.

The 6-10 day outlook shows the greatest probability of below-normal temperatures are in the central Midwest. Below-normal temperatures are expected to be below-normal from central Montana to central Texas and all the way into Maine. The best chances of above-normal temperatures will likely be across Alaska and Hawaii. Southern Arizona and southern Florida are expected to stay near normal temperatures. The greatest chances of above-normal precipitation are expected to be across the Gulf Coast from Texas and across the Florida Peninsula. A large swath of the country (Washington towards the Gulf of Mexico) is leaning towards above-normal precipitation. Alaska is also leaning toward above-normal precipitation. Along California’s central and southern coast precipitation are expected to be drier –than normal, and to a lesser extent, Arizona, Nevada, and southwest New Mexico. The northern Midwest and Great Lakes region, along with Hawaii, are expected to have near or just below normal precipitation.

Idaho And Western United States SNOTEL Water Year (Oct 1) to Date Precipitation % of Normal (2/11)

Bureau of Reclamation, Pacific Northwest Region - Storage Reservoirs in the Upper Snake River (2/10)

Average daily streamflows indicated in cubic feet per second.
Reservoir levels current as of midnight on date indicated.

Upper Snake River system is at 70 % of capacity.
(Jackson Lake,Palisades, Grassy Lake,Island Park,Ririe,American Falls,LakeWalcott)
Total space available:	1203822 AF
Total storage capacity:	4045695 AF

This Week's Drought Summary (2/6)

Another week with isolated precipitation and warmer-than-normal temperatures for much of the contiguous U.S. (CONUS) brought a mixture of degradations and some smaller areas of improvement. The Midwest, Northeast and Southeast generally saw one-category degradations near existing abnormally dry or drought areas. There was some improvement from Texas to West Virginia and northeastern Kansas into northwestern Illinois, which followed a band of beneficial precipitation that fell this week. The northern intermountain West saw minor improvements with isolated precipitation and decent snow (snow water equivalent). Washington saw some improvement along the eastern Cascades while abnormally dry conditions expanded southward into northwest Oregon. The Southwest and southern Plains saw extensive degradation. Another week with no precipitation continues drying out the region, with alarmingly low streamflows in some areas and high fire danger from south California into southern New Mexico. Many mountainous regions of the Southwest and into Utah and Colorado are showing abnormally low snowpack, leading to degradation in these areas.

Northeast

The Northeast had below-normal temperatures this week and missed any meaningful precipitation. Conditions from northern New Jersey through central Massachusetts degraded, along with western New York, where abnormally dry conditions expanded along Lake Ontario. Little to no precipitation for several weeks is taking its toll on streamflows and surface-level soil moisture.

Southeast

The Southeast saw a mixture of improvements and degradations. Improvements followed a band of heavy precipitation that fell last week. The rest of the Southeast continues with dry conditions due to a prolonged lack of rainfall and warmer-than-normal temperatures. Mississippi and far northwestern Alabama saw one-category improvements from the recent precipitation and improved streamflows. North-central Alabama, northern Georgia, South Carolina and western North Carolina had significant one-category degradations. These areas have been without rainfall for extended periods, leading to drier soil moisture and decreased streamflows. Southwestern and southeastern Georgia also saw the expansion of moderate drought. Similarly, with warmer-than-normal temperatures, Florida missed out on the precipitation and saw moderate drought expansion into the Tampa Bay and Miami-Dade areas.

South

Above-normal temperatures and the absence of this week’s precipitation led to widespread degradations across the Texas and Oklahoma panhandles, along the Red River and in central Oklahoma. Last week, a band of heavy rainfall fell, leading to improvements in central Texas, along the eastern edge of the Oklahoma-Texas border, along the Red River, and up into central and northern Tennessee. Outside the band of precipitation, Tennessee saw degradations in the West and along the Georgia and North Carolina borders.

Midwest

The Midwest was warmer than usual, with Iowa and surrounding states being 10 to 15 degrees above normal. Precipitation was isolated this week with a band of rainfall from northwest Missouri, southern Iowa and northwest Illinois, resulting in one-category improvement in western Missouri, southwest Iowa, and along the Mississippi River of eastern Iowa and northwestern Illinois. Unfortunately, this precipitation provided little relief as short-term precipitation, soil moisture, and, in some cases, streamflow remained below the 30th percentile. Abnormally dry conditions further expanded southward into central Illinois and Indiana. Central Iowa, southern Minnesota, and southern Wisconsin also saw the further expansion of abnormal dryness and moderate drought.

High Plains

Like much of the central part of the country, the High Plains were 5 to 10 degrees warmer than usual. Little precipitation led to minor improvements in southeast Nebraska, northeast Kansas and along the Wyoming Rockies. Due to prolonged dryness, South Dakota saw the expansion of severe drought in the north-central eastward and extreme drought in the southwest.

West

The Northwest saw below-normal temperatures while the rest of the Western states were near or above normal. The intermountain West saw temperatures of 5 to 10 degrees above normal. Precipitation fell along the western coast from Washington to northern California, central Idaho, and higher elevations in Montana and Wyoming. This precipitation, along with good snow water equivalents, aided dry and drought conditions in north-central Washington, northwest and northern Wyoming, and central Montana. Unlike the rest of the northwest, Oregon saw the expansion of abnormal dryness in the northwest. Despite precipitation, streamflow and soil moisture were below the 30th percentile, indicating abnormally dry conditions. The remainder of the West saw widespread degradations. Severe and extreme drought expanded in southern California into southern Nevada, Utah and Arizona. Exceptional drought was introduced in southern Nevada along the northwestern Arizona border. Conditions are alarmingly dry, with dry soil and high fire danger. Moderate drought and abnormally dry conditions expanded in central and northern Utah and western Colorado. One-category degradations continued into New Mexico, with abnormal dryness to extreme drought expanding across the state into west Texas.

Caribbean

No changes this week in Puerto Rico

The U.S. Virgin Islands all remained free of drought or abnormal dryness this week. The precipitation estimate for St. Thomas was higher on the western end of the island at half an inch or less and lower to the east. Precipitation on St. John ranged between 0.1 and 0.25 inches. St. Croix received less than 0.25 inches at the western end of the island and was drier to the east.

Conditions were sufficiently dry on St. Croix to turn the Standardized Precipitation Index negative at the one-month time scale, but values were neutral or wet at other time scales. SPI values for St. Thomas and St. john did not indicate dryness.

The Vegetation Health Index did not indicate much stress for St. Croix or the other islands. Well levels were trending lower, but were still relatively good at 5.91 feet below the land surface for St. Thomas, 9.19 feet below the land surface on St. John, and 16.30 feet below the land surface on St. Croix.

Pacific

No changes this week in Alaska

Late last week, an intense low-pressure system affected the state, producing strong winds and heavy rainfall/flooding in many areas. The most significant rainfall occurred from Oahu to the west half of the Big Island. One-category improvements were made across all islands, with minor expansion of abnormal dryness on the Big Island.

The Republic of Palau received ample rain with more than 3 inches at Palau and Koror. Water supplies should be ample.

Rainfall has been below normal in the Mariana Islands, leaving Saipan in severe drought (D2) and Guam and Rota abnormally dry (D0). Guam received 0.46 inches, while Rota reported 0.19 inches. Saipan received from 0.37 to 0.48 inches at the three monitoring locations. These islands need an inch weekly to meet minimum water needs. Vegetation on plantations was beginning to turn brown, and the wildfire threat was increasing as wildfires have been reported across Guam and the CNMI in recent weeks.

Most locations in the Federal States of Micronesia received below normal precipitation over the past week. Yap was in D1 and got just 0.17 inches. Woleai got 1.39 inches and was categorized as being in D0. Pingelap and Kapingamarangi also entered D0 this week with no rain and 0.70 inches reported, respectively. Lukunor, Nukuoro, and Kosrae saw more rainfall than other islands, receiving 3.12, 1.69, and 1.71 inches. Chuuk Lagoon received 3.17 inches and was no longer considered to be abnormally dry.

Some of the Marshall Islands continued to experience below normal precipitation. Kwajalein, in moderate drought, received no rainfall in the past week. Utirik was in D0 after receiving just 0.89 inches of precipitation in January and no rain in the first three days of February. The label of abnormal dryness was removed from Majuro as the island received more than 2 inches last week and 1.85 inches this week. The Majuro reservoir held 24.579 million gallons on Jan. 31. Ailinglaplap and Jaluit got more than 3 inches in the past week. Mili received 13.78 inches in January and 0.65 inches at the start of February.

American Samoa entered D0 after several weeks of below normal rainfall. Pago Pago, Siufaga Ridge and Toa Ridge received 1.14, 1.02, and 1.19 inches of rain, which is about half of the amount these islands need to meet minimum water needs.

Looking Ahead

Over the next five to seven days, some coastal areas of the West could see precipitation from the Oregon Cascades into northern and central California. Other higher-elevation areas in the intermountain West are also expected to receive some precipitation. Precipitation chances appear good over the southern Plains and across much of eastern CONUS, with the heaviest expected in the Appalachian region. Areas from northern Louisiana into West Virginia could see 3 to 5 inches of precipitation. Dry conditions will continue in the Southwest and Central Plains.

The 6-10 day outlook shows the greatest probability of below-normal temperatures is in the northern Plains and across the U.S.-Canadian border. Below-normal temperatures are leaning toward below normal as far south as north Texas. The best chances of above-normal temperatures will be across the Southeast, with the greatest chance being in the Florida Panhandle. Hawaii is also likely to see above-normal temperatures. Alaska could experience below-normal temperatures in the Southeast and above-normal temperatures along the state's western side. The greatest chances of above-normal precipitation are in the southern Appalachian region and the West in south Oregon and north California. The best opportunity for below-normal precipitation is in the central and northern Alaska interior.