Idaho And Western United States SNOTEL Water Year (Oct 1) to Date Precipitation % of Normal (10/28)

Bureau of Reclamation, Pacific Northwest Region - Storage Reservoirs in the Upper Snake River (10/27)

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

Upper Snake River system is at 25 % of capacity.
(Jackson Lake,Palisades, Grassy Lake,Island Park,Ririe,American Falls,LakeWalcott)
Total space available:	3033874 AF
Total storage capacity:	4045695 AF

This Week's Drought Summary (10/23)

Recently, precipitation has been spatially variable across the Contiguous U.S. (“Lower-48”). Over the past 30 days, heavy precipitation (4 to locally over 8 inches) fell on parts of central and southern New England, the interior Northeast (especially eastern New York state), the Ohio Valley (particularly northern Kentucky and adjacent areas), eastern South Carolina, eastern Florida, parts of the Tennessee and adjacent Mississippi Valleys, isolated sites in the central Plains, the higher elevations in the Rockies, central Arizona and other scattered locations across the Southwest, parts of the Great Basin, portions of California (where such amounts are unusual this early in the wet season), and the Pacific Northwest (where these amounts are not unusual).

In stark contrast, an inch or less of precipitation has been noted in the desert Southwest and lower elevations across the interior West, most of the central and southern Plains, the northern Great Plains, the northwestern Great Lakes, portions or northern and western Florida, and some interior sections of the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic region.

Given the regional variability, there were a lot of changes in the Drought Monitor this week, with large parts of the West, much of the Ohio and middle Mississippi Valleys, and scattered locations across northern Mississippi, the Eastern Great Lakes, and the Northeast. At the same time, conditions have deteriorated across much of the southern and south-central Plains, the South Atlantic region from interior Georgia through eastern Virginia, southern parts of the Lower Mississippi Valley, and scattered areas across the rest of the Southeast, the Mid-Atlantic region, the Northeast, the Upper Mississippi Valley, and the northern Plains.

In sum, the array of improvements and deterioration incorporated into this week’s Drought Monitor resulted in slight declines in overall coverage of the various drought severity levels across the Lower-48. Abnormally dry or worse conditions cover 72 percent of the country, down from 74 percent last week. About 21 percent of the country is experiencing Severe Drought or worse (D2-D4), down slightly from 23 percent last week. For the 50 states plus Puerto Rico in total, coverage of abnormally dry or worse conditions fell from 62 to just under 60.5 percent.

Northeast

The coverage of some degree of dryness (D0 or higher) declined very slightly but continues to affect a vast majority of the region (93 percent, down one percent). However, the extent of more intense drought (D2-D4) increased slightly from just under 34 to just over 36 percent. Compared to other Regions, changes were less widespread, with small areas of improvement noted in the western half of West Virginia, central and western Pennsylvania, eastern New York, and the central and western sections of New England. Meanwhile, dryness and drought coverage and intensity increased in a few areas from central Maryland northward through north-central New York, and across northern Maine. Precipitation totaled 1 to 3.5 inches across much of northern West Virginia, western Pennsylvania, western New York, and central New England. Other locations reported less, with little or none from lower New York state and southwestern New England southward through Delaware and eastern Maryland. The most widespread area of Severe to Extreme Drought (D2-D3) persisted across Maine and northern New England, with smaller areas of similar intensity were noted across eastern West Virginia and vicinity.

Southeast

A dry week resulted in significant areas of deterioration from eastern Virginia through sections of North Carolina, the central tiers of South Carolina and central Georgia, and scattered locations over the rest of the Carolinas, northern Georgia, and scattered areas from central Alabama through western Peninsular Florida. Sections of southern and northern Alabama along with sections of the western Florida Panhandle and northern Peninsular Florida reported more than a few tenths of an inch, and other areas were drier. Some locations near the central Gulf Coast and west-central Alabama received 1 to 2 inches, and a few patches of improvement were limited to parts of these areas. The dry week allowed coverage of dryness and drought to increase from 81 to 85 percent. Moderate drought or worse (D1-D4) expanded from less than 49 percent to over 58 percent of the Southeast Region, and coverage of severe drought or worse (D2-D4) is approaching 20 percent. The worst dryness in the region (D3) covered west-central Alabama, a new area in northwestern Georgia, and parts of the northern Florida Panhandle and adjacent areas of Georgia.

South

Moderate to heavy rain resulted in several areas of improvement in Tennessee, central and northern Mississippi, northeastern Louisiana, and eastern Oklahoma. Farther south and west, subnormal precipitation continued for another week, resulting in numerous areas of deterioration from central and southern Louisiana westward across Texas and central through western Oklahoma. The proportion of the Region experiencing some degree of dryness or drought (D0+) increased slightly this week, from 79 percent to about 80.5 percent. There was a bigger jump in areas covered by some degree of drought (37 percent, up from a bit over 32 percent). The most intense drought (D3 with some isolated patches of D4) cover parts of the panhandle of western Texas and a sizeable part of south-central Texas. The heaviest rains this week (2 to 4 inches) were observed in a broken pattern from northwestern Louisiana through northern Mississippi. In contrast, southern sections of the Lower Mississippi Valley and the vast majority of Texas and Oklahoma received a few tenths of an inch at best, with most sites reporting no measurable precipitation.

Midwest

Once again this week, many parts of the Midwest Region received moderate to heavy precipitation. There was some expansion of dryness and moderate drought from northern Minnesota through Iowa, where less precipitation fell, but much broader areas of improvement were noted over the Michigan Lower Peninsula and the Ohio Valley States. Overall, the extent of any degree of dryness or drought (D0-D4) dropped only slightly by 1 percent (to 71 percent), but there was a more substantial decrease in the coverage of the most intense categories. Severe drought or worse (D2-D4) covered over 14.5 percent of the Region on October 14, but less than 10 percent this week. The worst conditions in the Region (D3) stretched across parts of southwestern Missouri, east-central Illinois, central and northeastern Indiana, and northwestern Ohio. Between 2 and 4 inches of precipitation fell on a band from east-central Missouri across upper southern Illinois and into west-central Indiana, while 1.5 to 3.0 soaked a large part of the Michigan Lower Peninsula.

High Plains

A wide range of precipitation totals were observed last week. Generally, 1.5 to 3.0 inches hit the northern and western Dakotas, much of central and eastern Wyoming, and scattered locations in northwestern Wyoming. An inch or a little more fell on many locations in a swath from central Nebraska into southeastern South Dakota, but other locations reported several tenths of an inch of precipitation at best, with most areas from southwestern Wyoming through western Nebraska and from eastern Nebraska through Kansas reporting little or none. This pattern resulted in less change here than in most other regions. Areas of deterioration were introduced in parts of the east-central and southeastern High Plains Region while improvement resulted from heavier precipitation farther west. The most widespread areas of improvement covered southwestern Colorado and western Wyoming. Coverage of dryness and drought is considerably lower in this region than in others, with the total area entrenched in some degree of dryness or drought (D0-D4) dropping slightly to a bit over 36 percent this week. The extent of Extreme Drought (D3) was almost cut in half, from 3.3 percent down to 1.7 percent. There is no D4 in the Region, but D3 remains across much of southwestern Wyoming and part of central Colorado. The proportion of the Great Plains States in this Region experiencing some degree of dryness or drought (D0-D4) is relatively low compared to much of the Lower-48; specifically, 3 percent of North Dakota, 32 percent of South Dakota, 35 percent of Nebraska, and 28 percent of Kansas.

West

Some unusually heavy early-season rain and snow has affected portions of the West, including areas of central and southern California where October so far has been wetter than most such months on record. Large portions of central and upper southern California, the Great Basin, and the western and eastern tiers of Utah saw improvement on this week’s Drought Monitor, along with patches of central and eastern Arizona, southwestern Oregon, central and eastern Washington, and parts of eastern, southern, and western Montana. Only a portion of north-central Montana saw any deterioration. The total area covered by any dryness (D0-D4) declined from 80 to a bit over 74 percent this week while the coverage of the more intense drought categories (D2-D4) dropped from 38.5 percent to just over one-third of the Region. D3-D4 was still entrenched over a decent proportion of the Region, but declined from almost 9 percent last week to about 6.5 percent this week. The only remaining area of the most intense category (D4) is in north-central Idaho.

Alaska, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico

In Puerto Rico, abnormal dryness (D0) expanded through a few more municipalities in southeastern parts of the Commonwealth, consistent with continued subnormal rainfall in the area.

No drought conditions are currently present in Alaska.

Most locations across Hawaii reported below normal precipitation through early- and mid-October, although scattered locations reported amounts closer to normal, including Lihue, Molokai, and Kailua-Kona. Hilo has recorded a bit over 3 inches so far this month, which is about half of normal. At this time, no changes were made this week, but if generally subnormal amounts continue, areas of deterioration will be necessary soon.

Virgin Islands

The U.S. Virgin Islands received plentiful rain as Invest 98L moved along to the south of the islands and brought the possibility of some localized urban and small stream flooding. The National Weather Service’s 7-day quantitative precipitation estimates indicated that St. Thomas received 0.5 to 4 inches, St. John received 2 to 4 inches, while St. Croix received 0.5 to 2 inches. All islands remained drought-free. Water levels in wells rose over the past month in response to rainfall.

Pacific Islands

The Republic of Palau received enough precipitation with 2.45 inches at Palau IAP and 1.8 inches at Koror. Water supplies should be satisfactory as these islands need two inches of precipitation weekly to meet minimum water needs as most islands in the USAPI do.

The Mariana Islands all reported enough rain this week or in recent weeks to have adequate water supplies and need an inch weekly. Guam received 11.26 inches, while Rota reported 2.35 inches. Saipan received 2.47 inches at its ASOS station, 1.3 inches at Saipan IAP and 0.58 inches at Saipan (AMME NPS).

Most islands in the Federated States of Micronesia either received adequate rainfall this week or, in many cases, ample precipitation in previous weeks to have adequate water supplies. Kapingamarangi, however, was in D2 and collected just 0.02 inches in the rain gauge.

The Marshall Islands were mixed in terms of precipitation. Ailinglaplap, Majuro and Mili each received more than 4.5 inches for the week, while Wotje and Kwajalein reported 1.9 and 1.66 inches, respectively. Utirik received just 1.12 inches for the week and 2.83 inches in October, indicating that water supplies may be short. All locations were free of drought.

American Samoa received abundant precipitation with 5.02 inches at Pago Pago, 4.63 inches at Siufaga Ridge and 5.98 inches at Toa Ridge.

Looking Ahead

Over the next 5 to 7 days, two general areas are expected to receive heavy precipitation: The Pacific Northwest, and a swath from the southern Great Plains through the Lower Mississippi and Lower Ohio Valleys. Windward areas and higher elevations are expecting 5 to locally over 10 inches of precipitation, with 2 or more inches anticipated for other areas from the Cascades to the Pacific Coast. Meanwhile, 3 to 5 inches are expected from the Red River (South) Valley into eastern Texas and parts of the Lower Mississippi Valley. Elsewhere, totals exceeding 1.5 inches are forecast in the higher elevations of northern and central Idaho and adjacent areas. Moderate amounts (0.5 to locally over 1.5 inches) are expected to fall on the Ohio Valley, the Middle and Upper Mississippi Valley, and remaining locations in the southern half of the Plains outside Deep South Texas. Look for a few tenths to around an inch of precipitation in the northern Sierra Nevada, plus portions of the northern Intermountain West and Rockies. Elsewhere, light amounts at best are anticipated in most of New England, parts of the Mid-Atlantic region, the South Atlantic coastal plain, much of Peninsular Florida, Deep South Texas, most lower elevations across the interior West including the Southwest into central California, plus most of the Great Basin. Daily highs are forecast to average 4 to 8 deg. F below normal from central California through the Pacific Northwest and across the northern Intermountain West. Similar anomalies should affect the Atlantic Seaboard and Piedmont from northern Georgia through southern New England. Meanwhile, unusually warm weather will likely continue across the northern Plains, with daily highs averaging 5 to 10 deg. F above normal from northern Minnesota through the Dakotas and northern Great Lakes into northeastern New York. Also, highs averaging 4 to 8 deg. F above normal are expected from the Southwest through western and southern Texas. Low temperatures should average warmer with respect to normal across most of the Lower-48, especially over the Plains, Mississippi Valley, the Southwest, and the Great Basin. Low temperatures could average 6 to 13 deg. F above normal in the northeastern Great Plains and adjacent areas. The only broad area expecting below-normal lows (by 2 to 5 deg. F on average) stretches from Virginia northward through much of New York.

The Climate Prediction Center’s 6-10 day outlook valid for October 29 – November 1 favors heavier than normal precipitation continuing across the Pacific Northwest, where odds for significantly above-normal precipitation range from 50 to 70 percent. Wet weather is slightly favored across most of the Rockies and Plains as well as parts of central and northern California, northwestern Nevada, and the Pacific Northwest. Wetter than normal conditions are nominally favored across Hawaii. Abnormally dry weather is expected from central and western Texas through central and southern sections of the High Plains and Rockies. Odds for subnormal amounts exceed 50 percent from eastern Arizona through parts of the Texas Big Bend. Meanwhile, warm weather is favored from California, the Southwest, and the Great Basin through parts of the northern Rockies, the High Plains, the northern Great Plains, the Great Lakes, and northern New England. There is a better than 60 percent chance for warmth from southern California into western New Mexico. Cool weather is forecast across the South Atlantic region from Maryland through parts of Florida along with the central and southern Appalachians and the adjacent central Gulf Coast. The Hawaii forecast favors warmth, with chances exceeding 50 percent across the western half of the island chain.

Idaho And Western United States SNOTEL Water Year (Oct 1) to Date Precipitation % of Normal (10/21)

Bureau of Reclamation, Pacific Northwest Region - Storage Reservoirs in the Upper Snake River (10/20)

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

Upper Snake River system is at 23 % of capacity.
(Jackson Lake,Palisades, Grassy Lake,Island Park,Ririe,American Falls,LakeWalcott)
Total space available:	3111010 AF
Total storage capacity:	4045695 AF

This Week's Drought Summary (10/16)

A late-season surge of tropical moisture brought heavy precipitation and areas of flooding to parts of the Four Corners States. Amounts of 4 to locally over 6 inches were reported in parts of interior Arizona and southern Colorado. Farther east, a potent coastal storm system brought gusty winds and heavy rains to parts of the East Coast. Rainfall totals approached one foot near Georgetown and Pawley’s Island, SC while amounts of 7 to 10 inches were scattered across South Carolina and near Whiteville, NC. Totals of 4 to 6 inches were measured at scattered locations from South Florida northward through eastern Massachusetts. Wind gusts reached 60 to 65 mph at several buoys near the North Carolina Coast; Cape Lookout, NC; and Island Beach Park, NJ. In contrast, only a few tenths of an inch, at most, fell across southeast California, most of the Great Basin, the central and northern High Plains, much of the Great Plains, the Great Lakes Region, portions of the Middle and Lower Mississippi Valley, much of the interior Deep South, and the Gulf Coast Region. Drought designations improved by multiple categories in some of the wetter areas across interior Arizona, southern Colorado, and eastern South Carolina while broad areas of 1-category improvement covered the central and southwestern Four Corners Region, The Middle and Lower Ohio Valley and adjacent locations, and portions of the Atlantic Coast from south Florida through southern New England. In contrast, dryness and drought persisted or intensified across large parts of the Deep South away from the Atlantic Coast, the central Gulf Coast Region, the Lower Mississippi Valley, the east-central and south-central Great Plains, and scattered locations across the northern tier of the Lower-48 from Montana through northern New England.

Northeast

Between 3 and 5 inches of precipitation fell on Rhode Island and eastern Massachusetts, as well as parts of east-central New Jersey and eastern Delaware. Totals of 2 to locally 4 inches were observed across the rest of central and south New Jersey, southern New England, central through southeastern New York, the central tier of Pennsylvania, much of southern and northeastern West Virginia, and parts of the Maryland higher elevations. Most locations across the Northeast Region reported moderate amounts of 0.5 to locally approaching 2 inches, with some lesser amounts reported in Downeast Maine and along the St. Lawrence Valley. This brought 1-category drought improvements to much of southern New England, finally bringing a little tangible improvement to Cape Cod, which has been entrenched in drought longer than most other locations in the Northeast. Improvement was also noted in a few areas of southern and eastern West Virginia, eastern Upstate New York, and eastern New Jersey while some areas in eastern Maine and the St. Lawrence Valley noted increasing indicators of dryness and drought.

Southeast

Eastern parts of the Southeast Region affected by the coastal storm complex experienced significant improvement in dryness and drought accompanying heavy rainfall, areas of flooding, and high winds. Much of eastern South Carolina and some adjacent areas noted 2-category improvements from 6 to 12 inches of rain while improvement was noted along many Atlantic Coastal areas from Florida through the Carolinas. Farther west, much drier conditions prevailed, along with generally above-normal temperatures. Increasing short-term rainfall deficits abetted surface moisture loss, leading to significant areas of deteriorating dryness and drought from western Virginia and northern North Carolina southward across upstate South Carolina, portions of Georgia, the northern tier of Florida, and much of Alabama. D3 (extreme drought) expanded significantly across southwestern Georgia, much of the Florida Panhandle, and adjacent Alabama.

South

Recent rainfall allowed for some improvement in dryness and drought across western Tennessee, adjacent Mississippi, central Oklahoma, and western Texas. However, deterioration was more common in aggregate across the South Region, with most of northwestern Mississippi, Louisiana, and eastern Oklahoma noting some intensification. There were scattered areas of moderate to locally heavy rainfall, but most of the Region recorded subnormal amounts for the week.

Midwest

Heavy rain brought widespread improvement to most of Kentucky, the southern reaches of Ohio and Indiana, eastern Ohio, and a few areas near southern Lake Michigan. A few patches in central Ohio assessed a 2-category improvement. Lesser amounts fell elsewhere, leading to scattered areas of deterioration across Illinois, central Indiana, Michigan, east-central and northwestern Wisconsin, Minnesota, northwestern Iowa, and parts of Missouri (especially the western tier). For the past 2 months, precipitation totals 4 to 8 inches below normal are fairly widespread across most of Missouri and Illinois, plus parts of southwestern Iowa and the east-central Michigan Lower Peninsula. Much of northern Indiana and northwestern Ohio are 3 to locally 5 inches below normal during this period.

High Plains

Heavy to excessive precipitation pounded the higher elevations of Colorado. Most areas from west-central through south-central portions of the state received at least 3 inches of precipitation, with much heavier amounts – approaching 8 inches in spots – falling on the higher elevations of south-central Colorado. This precipitation let to widespread improvements, with some of the wetter areas noting 2-category improvements. Elsewhere light to moderate precipitation (generally 0.5 to 1.5 inches) fell on most of the Plains and Wyoming, with amounts over an inch recorded in isolated sections of central Kansas, eastern North Dakota, and westernmost Wyoming. Significant areas of dryness development or deterioration were limited to eastern Kansas and the southern tier of South Dakota.

West

Late-season tropical moisture surged into the Four Corners States, bringing heavy to excessive precipitation to large parts of Arizona, western New Mexico, and eastern Utah. Improvement was also noted in scattered areas across central and western Utah, and southwestern Montana. The only areas of deterioration were in north-central and northeastern Montana, where parts of a few counties slid from D0 into moderate drought (D1). In other parts of the West Region, precipitation amounts were nondescript, and dryness and drought were essentially unchanged.

Caribbean

Abnormal dryness (D0) expanded through more of the southeastern Commonwealth while increased rainfall brought an end to D0 near the south-central coast.

Tropical Storm Jerry passed northeast of the northeastern Caribbean this week, resulting in increased moisture and instability over the U.S. Virgin Islands and causing intense bursts of heavy rain.

On St. Croix, CoCoRaHS stations reported various rainfall amounts for the week. VI-SC-35 (Frederiksted, 1.3 ENE) received 3.21 inches of rain, while VI-SC-30 (Christiansted 1.7 SW) recorded 2.98 inches. VI-SC-34 (Frederiksted, 1.9 NE) reported 2.71 inches, although two days of data are missing. VI-SC-20 (Frederiksted, 1.7 ESE) measured 2.72 inches, and VI-SC-10 (Christiansted, 1.6 E) noted 2.19 inches. Finally, VI-SC-23 (Christiansted, 6.5 W) recorded 1.63 inches of rainfall. This week, the 1-month Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) value for East Hill is 1.5, reflecting the recent heavy rain. Furthermore, the SPI values for the past 3, 6, 9, and 12 months also showed positive trends due to the recent precipitation. According to the USGS, the groundwater level at Adventure 28 Well (St. Croix, USVI) has decreased from last month’s level of 18.60 ft on September 14 to 18.15 ft this week on October 14, keeping St. Croix drought-free.

This week, St. John experienced significant rainfall across the island. Windswept Beach (VI-SJ-3) recorded 3.37 inches of rain, while Myall Point (VI-SJ-9, 0.1 S) recorded 2.92 inches. Cruz Bay (VI-SJ-5, 1.6 E) received 1.18 inches. All Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) values at the East End (672551) St. Johns station are positive, indicating that the island is currently experiencing wet weather conditions. As of October 14, 2025, the groundwater level at the Susannaberg DPW 3 well in St. John, USVI, has decreased from 13.05 feet on September 14 to 7.65 feet on October 14, allowing St. John to remain drought-free.

St. Thomas also received significant rainfall throughout the island. For example, on October 11, 2025, the National Weather Service reported that Cyril E. King Airport on St. Thomas received 3.59 inches of rain in one day, contributing to a weekly total of 4.16 inches. The rain gauge at VI-ST-13 (Charlotte Amalie, 1.2 NNW) recorded 4.75 inches of rain, although data was missing for one day. Meanwhile, VI-ST-15 (Charlotte Amalie West, 1.3 N) recorded 3.52 inches of rainfall, also with one day of missing data. Additionally, VI-ST-14 (Nadir 0.3E/Tropical Marine) observed 0.55 inches of rain, but it had four days of missing data. Additionally, the groundwater level at the Grade School 3 well in St. Thomas, USVI, has decreased from 8.19 ft on September 14 to 2.59 ft as of October 14. This change indicates that St. Thomas remains drought-free.

Pacific

No drought conditions are currently present.

Despite areas of light to moderate precipitation, the dryness and drought covering most of the state is unchanged from the prior week.

This week, the majority of the Marshall Islands were drought-free, while certain islands experienced considerable rainfall. For example, Majuro, Ailinglapalap, and Wotje recorded 6.44, 4.19, and 2.68 inches of rain, respectively. Jaluit and Kwajalein reported 2.39 and 2.68 inches of rain, respectively. Additionally, Mili received 0.38 inches of rainfall this week, which has helped the island remain drought-free due to the rain in recent weeks. Meanwhile, Utirik recorded 0.43 inches of rain this week and has improved to being drought-free due to recent rains and local expert recommendations.

This week, heavy rainfall impacted several islands in the Federated States of Micronesia. Kosrae received 6.13 inches of rain, Nukuoro received 5.71 inches, and Pohnpei recorded 3.78 inches. Additionally, Yap, Chuuk Lagoon, Lukunor, and Woleai received 2.44, 2.21, 1.93, and 1.07 inches of rain, respectively, ensuring that these islands remain drought-free. Pingelap received only 0.18 inches this week but stayed drought-free due to the wet conditions in the previous weeks. In contrast, Kapingamarangi did not receive any rain and is currently experiencing severe drought conditions.

American Samoa has recently experienced significant rainfall, with various areas on the island reporting heavy downpours. Pago Pago recorded 3.51 inches of rain, Siufaga Ridge received 5.68 inches, and Toa Ridge reported 3.23 inches this week. As a result, American Samoa is currently experiencing drought-free conditions.

Palau had wet weather this week, with the Weather Service Office in Airai recording 1.35 inches of rainfall, while Koror reported 2.13 inches. As a result, the island remained drought-free.

This week, wet weather conditions prevailed in the Mariana Islands, with some areas receiving heavy rainfall. According to the weekly rainfall report, Rota recorded 2.46 inches of rain, Guam received 1.17 inches, Tinian measured 0.74 inches, and Saipan had 0.52 inches. As a result, the Mariana Islands are currently experiencing drought-free conditions.

Looking Ahead

During October 15-20, 2025, heavy precipitation (1.5 to 3.0 inches) is forecast for coastal and windward locations from the Cascades to the Pacific Ocean, across eastern Montana and adjacent North Dakota, along a frontal boundary from the Middle Mississippi Valley through the central tier of the Great Lakes Region, and across scattered locations in northwestern Pennsylvania, the Tennessee Valley, and the Lower Ohio Valley. Moderate amounts of 0.7 to 1.5 inches are anticipated in the remainder of the Pacific Northwest, the higher elevations of the northern Intermountain West, central and northern Wyoming, the northern tier of the Plains, parts of the central Great Plains, most areas from the southeastern Great Plains through the Gulf Coast Region, the interior Deep South, most of the Ohio Valley, the lower Northeast, and southern New England. Meanwhile, a few tenths of an inch at most are expected across the South Atlantic Region, most of the southern half of the Plains, and the southwestern quarter of the Lower-48. Temperatures should average generally below-normal from the Rockies westward, and above-normal from the Plains to the Atlantic Coast. Daily highs are expected to average 4 to 5 deg. F below normal from southeastern California through southern Idaho and eastern Oregon while readings top out 8 to 11 deg. F above normal on average across central and southern Texas and most of Maine.

The Climate Prediction Center’s 6-10 day outlook valid for October 21-25 favors heavier than normal precipitation across central and northern California, northwestern Nevada, and the Pacific Northwest. Chances for totals in the top one-third of historical occurrences exceed 60 percent west of the Cascades. Wetter than normal conditions are nominally favored across Hawaii, most of Alaska, southern sections of the Rockies and High Plains, central and western Texas, and from the Great Lakes through much of the mid-Atlantic Region and Northeast. Subnormal precipitation is more likely across central and northern sections of the Rockies and Great Plains as well as parts of the South Atlantic Region. Warmer than normal weather is expected from the northern Intermountain West to the Appalachians, plus much of the South Atlantic and Northeast. Southern Texas and most of Maine are most likely to experience warmer than normal weather. Unusually warm weather is also favored across the eastern half of Mainland Alaska and across Hawaii. Temperatures are expected to average closer to normal from the Rockies through the West Coast and across the Carolinas and Virginias. The central tier of Alaska is also expected to average near normal while subnormal temperatures are nominally favored across western Mainland Alaska.

Idaho And Western United States SNOTEL Water Year (Oct 1) to Date Precipitation % of Normal (10/14)

Bureau of Reclamation, Pacific Northwest Region - Storage Reservoirs in the Upper Snake River (10/13)

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

Upper Snake River system is at 21 % of capacity.
(Jackson Lake,Palisades, Grassy Lake,Island Park,Ririe,American Falls,LakeWalcott)
Total space available:	3182546 AF
Total storage capacity:	4045695 AF

This Week's Drought Summary

The recent pattern of numerous changes in the USDM continued with this week’s map release. Continued dry weather in the Northeast led to widespread worsening of drought and abnormal dryness there. From Missouri northward to the Great Lakes states, many locations saw drought or abnormal dryness worsen. In particular, intense short-term drought continued to worsen in parts of Missouri, Illinois, Indiana and Ohio. However, in southeast Missouri and in the Ohio River Valley and some parts of the Mississippi River Valley, welcome rains fell, locally over 3 inches, leading to widespread improvements in ongoing drought and abnormal dryness in these areas. Much of Alabama, the Carolinas and Georgia saw drier weather, with local exceptions. As such, drought and abnormal dryness also expanded across portions of these states and a few spots in nearby Florida. Very heavy rain fell in southeast Louisiana; one area received over 5 inches of rain, leading to a 2-category improvement in the USDM, surrounded by nearby 1-category improvements after the heavy rain. In west Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas, dry weather this week led to many degradations as primarily short-term dryness intensified. A few areas of central and southwest Texas are also seeing long-term dryness and drought and saw some intensification this week. Drier weather this week in northeast Montana led to the development of moderate drought there. Recent heavy precipitation and reassessment of recent conditions led to widespread improvements in parts of the western United States, especially the Las Vegas area, northern areas of Nevada and Utah, Oregon and southwest Idaho, southeast Wyoming and a few spots in the Colorado Rocky Mountains. A wetter month of September also led to localized improvement away from abnormal dryness on the northeast coast of Kauai, though ongoing drought conditions remained unchanged elsewhere in Hawaii after a mainly drier week.

Northeast

Drought conditions continued to worsen this week across much of the Northeast after a mostly dry week. Temperatures this week were mainly above normal, with most locations 3-9 degrees warmer than normal. Extreme drought expanded in portions of northern New England and far eastern New York, where short-term precipitation deficits continued to deepen, causing further losses in soil moisture and streamflow levels. The drinking water supply for Moriah, New York, has been threatened by low water levels in Barlett Pond. Moderate and severe drought also worsened across western and northern New York and northwest Pennsylvania amid similar conditions there. Areas of moderate and severe drought also expanded in northeast Pennsylvania, northern New Jersey, southern New York and Cape Cod. Agricultural drought impacts worsened in southeast West Virginia this week, where severe drought developed.

Southeast

Mostly dry weather struck the Southeast this week, leading to many areas that had drought or abnormal dryness intensify. Temperatures this week across the Southeast were generally within 5 degrees of normal. Agricultural drought impacts continued to become more intense this week in southern Georgia, where the peanut crop was suffering, and in west-central Alabama. Both areas saw extreme drought develop or worsen. Short-term precipitation shortfalls continued to worsen in the central and eastern portions of the Carolinas, and abnormal dryness and moderate drought expanded and severe drought developed in a couple areas. Short-term precipitation deficits and localized lack of streamflow caused a few local degradations in northern and southern Virginia. A recent wetter pattern improved conditions enough in southeast Florida for long-term moderate drought to cease. The northeast Florida Panhandle continued to dry out, and severe drought expanded there and across the state line in Georgia as soil moisture and precipitation deficits worsened.

South

Pockets of heavy rain, locally 3 inches or more, fell in western Tennessee and adjacent northwest Mississippi and northeast Arkansas, in southwest Mississippi and in southeast Louisiana this week. The heavy rain was enough to improve overall conditions in much of western Tennessee, northeast Arkansas and in southeast Louisiana, where a localized 2-category improvement occurred. Parts of east-central and northeast Mississippi were much drier this week, leading to an expansion of moderate, severe and extreme drought. In these areas, precipitation deficits grew and soil moisture and streamflow continued to drop. Short-term dryness continued to intensify in south-central and west-central Louisiana and across much of Texas and parts of Oklahoma, all of which largely saw a mostly dry and warmer-than-normal week. Very dry weather over the last month continued in parts of Oklahoma, especially from the Oklahoma City area north and in southwest Oklahoma, where adverse impacts to agriculture were reported. In central and southwest Texas, recent dry weather compounded impacts from long-term dryness and drought.

Midwest

A few swaths of significant rain fell from southwest to central Iowa, across central Lower Michigan, and in the Ohio River Valley and Missouri Bootheel. In far southern parts of Ohio, Indiana and Illinois, western Kentucky and the Missouri Bootheel, this week’s rainfall improved conditions, as soil moisture and streamflow continued to recover and precipitation deficits lessened. As more data regarding the impact of recent rain filters in, more changes to the map may occur in this region in future weeks. Short-term drought, with localized longer-term impacts, continued to intensify this week from southwest Missouri northeast into central and northern Illinois, northern Indiana and northwest Ohio after another mainly dry week. In these areas, precipitation deficits grew while soil moisture and streamflow remained very low. As the intense dryness is occurring during the harvest, visibility restrictions from blowing dust were reported in parts of central Illinois, causing dangerous driving conditions. Enough rain fell across most of the central Lower Peninsula of Michigan to prevent further degradation of ongoing moderate and severe drought there. Short-term moderate drought expanded in coverage southeast from northern Minnesota into northwest Wisconsin, where recent deficits in rainfall and streamflow worsened. Widespread temperatures from 10-20 degrees above normal occurred across the region, adding extra stress to areas experiencing drought or abnormal dryness.

High Plains

Temperatures this week across the High Plains region were mostly 5-15 degrees above normal, with parts of central Colorado and southern and western Wyoming seeing closer to normal temperatures. Moderate to locally heavy precipitation fell in parts of the San Juan Mountains in southwest Colorado, the Rocky Mountains of northern Colorado and across much of Wyoming, northwest South Dakota and central to north-central North Dakota. Precipitation this week added to a generally wetter recent pattern in the San Juans, north-central Colorado and southeast Wyoming. In these areas, short- and medium-term precipitation deficits lessened and soil moisture conditions improved, allowing for some improvements to ongoing drought and abnormal dryness. In north-central Kansas, moderate drought improved in some areas where locally over 2 inches of rain fell. In eastern Kansas, short-term abnormal dryness and moderate drought worsened in spots where streamflow and soil moisture levels dropped along with growing precipitation shortages. In northeast Nebraska and southeast South Dakota, dry weather over the past couple of months continued this week, leading to a large expansion in abnormal dryness that also extended further into northwest Iowa and southwest Minnesota.

West

Cooler-than-normal temperatures prevailed in much of Oregon, California and Nevada, while the rest of the region was mostly 1-5 degrees above normal. Scattered heavy precipitation fell this week across much of the central and northern half of the region, with notable exceptions in central and eastern Washington and Oregon, southwest Wyoming, and north-central and northeast Montana. In northeast Montana, drier weather this week and temperatures that were 5-15 degrees above normal led to the development of moderate drought where short-term precipitation and soil moisture deficits grew. Recent precipitation, either from this week or the weeks preceding, led to improvements in streamflow and soil moisture and lessening precipitation deficits across much of northern and southern Nevada (and immediately adjacent parts of California and Arizona). Similarly improving conditions also occurred in northern Utah, south-central and southwest Idaho, Oregon and the Olympic Peninsula of Washington, leading to improvements in the USDM depiction in parts of these areas.

Caribbean

Mostly drier-than-normal weather occurred in the western half of Puerto Rico this week. With a couple exceptions on the cool side, most sites recorded temperatures 1-4 degrees warmer than normal. A small area of abnormal dryness continued in an eastern section of Puerto Rico’s south coast, while the rest of the island remained free of abnormal dryness or drought.

This week, the National Weather Service in San Juan, PR, reported that a high-pressure system initially created stable weather conditions on October 1st. However, this system was quickly replaced by the development of tropical disturbances. A tropical wave moved into the region, increasing the occurrence of showers and thunderstorms, especially during the afternoons.

On St. Croix, CoCoRaHS stations reported rainfall amounts as follows: VI-SC-23 (Christiansted, 6.5 W) received 1.59 inches of rain this week. VI-SC-35 (Frederiksted, 1.3 ENE) recorded 1.10 inches. Additionally, VI-SC-20 (Frederiksted 1.7 ESE) and VI-SC-34 (Frederiksted 1.9 NE) each reported 0.94 inches of rain, while VI-SC-30 (1.7 SW) received 0.50 inches. Lastly, VI-SC-10 in Christiansted (1.6 E) recorded 0.08 inches of rainfall. This week, the 1-month Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) value for East Hill is 1.31. Additionally, the SPI values for the past 3, 6, 9, and 12 months are 0.35, 0.42, 0.39, and 0.86, respectively. These figures indicate an overall improvement in conditions across the island due to recent rainfall. According to the USGS, the groundwater level at Adventure 28 Well in St. Croix, USVI, has slightly decreased from the previous month. On September 7, the depth was measured at 18.52 feet, which has since been reduced to 18.22 feet as of October 7. As a result, St. Croix has improved from being classified as abnormally dry to drought-free.

St. John experienced rainfall across the island this week. Windswept Beach (VI-SJ-3) recorded 0.88 inches of rain. VI-SJ-5 (Cruz Bay 1.6 E) received 0.99 inches of rain, while VI-SJ-9 (Myall Point 0.1 S) recorded 0.47 inches, although data for two days is missing. All Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) values at the East End (672551) St. Johns station indicate that the island is currently experiencing normal conditions. The 1-, 3-, 6-, 9-, and 12-month SPIs are 0.41, 0.92, 0.57, 0.61, and 1.33, respectively. As of October 7, 2025, the depth of water level at Susannaberg DPW 3 well (St. John, USVI) has decreased from 12.72 ft on September 7 to 8.81 ft on October 7, allowing St. John to remain drought-free.

St. Thomas also experienced some rainfall across the island. The rain gauge at VI-ST-5 (Charlotte Amalie West, 4.2 WNW) recorded 2.28 inches of rainfall, although data was missing for four days. Meanwhile, VI-ST-13 (Charlotte Amalie, 1.2 NNW) recorded 0.37 inches of rain, with data missing for two days. VI-ST-15 (Charlotte Amalie West, 1.3 N) observed 0.77 inches of rainfall. At Cyril E. King Airport, the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) values for periods ranging from 1 to 12 months indicate near-normal conditions, confirming that St. Thomas remains drought-free. Additionally, the water level at the Grade School 3 well in St. Thomas, USVI, has decreased from 8.17 feet on September 7 to 4.05 feet as of October 7, further supporting the fact that St. Thomas is not experiencing drought conditions.

Pacific

Precipitation anomalies for this week varied widely, though precipitation was generally below normal in southeast Alaska. Parts of southwest Alaska saw temperatures mostly in the 3-9 degree above normal range, while elsewhere across the state, most measuring sites finished the week near or within 3 degrees of normal, with some local variation. Alaska remained free of drought or abnormal dryness this week.

Drier-than-normal weather occurred across most of Hawaii this week. Temperatures across the state were mostly within a couple degrees of normal. A wetter-than-normal September led to a localized improvement from abnormal dryness to near-normal conditions on the northeast coast of Kauai. Other parts of the island remained in abnormal dryness or moderate drought due to continued concerns about low streamflow and signs of poor vegetation health. Conditions remained unchanged on the other islands, and moderate and severe drought continued on parts of Oahu, Molokai, Maui and the Big Island, where a few areas of extreme drought also continued this week.

Most of the Marshall Islands were drought-free this week, with some islands experiencing significant rainfall. Ailinglapalap and Kwajalein recorded 4.71 and 3.32 inches of rain, respectively. Jaluit and Majuro reported 3.07 and 2.92 inches of rain, with 1 day missing, respectively. Additionally, Mili received 0.52 inches of rainfall this week, but the total rainfall on Mili in September was 11.84 inches, nearly equal to the average of 11.59 inches, indicating normal conditions. In September, Wotje experienced wet conditions, receiving a total of 9.32 inches of rain, which is above the normal monthly amount of 8.36 inches. This week, Wotje recorded 1.95 inches of rain (note that data for two days is missing), resulting in an improvement from abnormally dry conditions to drought-free status. In contrast, Utirik received only 9.25 inches of rain in September, which is below the average of 10.26 inches. This week, Utirik reported a total of 1.28 inches of rain, indicating abnormally dry conditions.

This week, heavy rainfall was reported across several islands in the Federated States of Micronesia due to wet weather conditions. Chuuk Lagoon received 6.17 inches of rain, Pohnpei experienced 4.34 inches, and Kosrae recorded 3.59 inches. Additionally, Pingelap received 2.51 inches of rain (with data missing for 4 days), Lukunor had 2.41 inches (with data missing for 1 day), and Nukuoro recorded 1.27 inches. Woleai and Yap observed 0.44 inches and 0.51 inches, respectively. All these islands are currently drought-free. In contrast, Kapingamarangi only received 1.04 inches of rain this week and has remained dry for several weeks since mid-August. In September, Kapingamarangi received a total of 2 inches of rainfall, while the normal amount is 8.82 inches, worsening the conditions from moderate to severe drought. Data for Fananu and Ulithi were unavailable, preventing any assessment of those locations.

American Samoa has recently experienced wet weather, with several areas on the island reporting heavy rainfall. Pago Pago recorded 3.52 inches of rain, while Siufaga Ridge received 3.32 inches, and Toa Ridge reported 2.41 inches this week. Consequently, American Samoa remains free from drought conditions.

Palau experienced wet weather this week, with the Weather Service Office in Airai recording 2.66 inches of rainfall, while Koror reported 3.16 inches, although data for one day was missing. As a result, the island remained drought-free.

This week, wet weather conditions dominated the Mariana Islands, with some areas experiencing heavy rainfall. According to the weekly rainfall report, Guam received 2.49 inches of rain, Rota reported 1.9 inches, Tinian measured 0.4 inches, and Saipan recorded 0.86 inches. As a result, the Mariana Islands are currently experiencing drought-free conditions.

Looking Ahead

The National Weather Service Weather Prediction Center (WPC) forecast covering the period from the evening of October 8 to the evening of October 13 calls for an inch or more of precipitation from northwest California northward through northwest Washington. The WPC is also forecasting areas west of the Continental Divide in New Mexico and Colorado, as well as much of Arizona and Utah, to receive over 1 inch of precipitation, with some areas in Arizona and southwest Colorado forecast to receive over 3 inches. Forecast precipitation amounts dwindle north of Utah, though portions of Idaho and Montana may receive a half inch or more during this period. Heavy rain amounts are possible from the east coast of Florida northwards through the Atlantic Coast to southern New England. As of the afternoon of Wednesday, October 8, the east coast of Florida and the coasts of North Carolina and Virginia, as well as the Delmarva Peninsula, New Jersey appear most in line to receive at least 1.5 inches of rain, with higher amounts possible. However, given the forecasted tight gradient in rainfall amounts, small shifts in the track of the storm system may significantly impact how much rain falls in any particular location along or near the East Coast. Meanwhile, across most of the Great Plains, Midwest and South, mostly dry weather is forecast.

Looking ahead to October 14-18, the National Weather Service Climate Prediction Center forecast favors warmer-than-normal weather across most of the central and eastern Contiguous U.S., especially in the southern Great Plains and Lower Mississippi River Valley. Colder-than-normal weather is favored across much of California, Nevada, Oregon, Idaho, Washington and western Montana. Above-normal precipitation is favored across most of the West (except for northwest Oregon and most of Washington) and into the northern half of the Great Plains and western Great Lakes states. Above-normal precipitation is slightly favored in most of New England, while below-normal precipitation is slightly favored in northwest Washington. Below-normal precipitation is favored in the south-central and southeast U.S., with a slight lean toward below-normal precipitation extending northward to Lake Erie. Above-normal temperatures are strongly favored in most of Alaska, with above-normal precipitation also favored across most of the state. In far southeast Alaska, near- or below-normal precipitation is more likely. Above-normal precipitation and warmer-than-normal temperatures are favored across Hawaii.