Top 10 Ag Stories of 2025: No. 9 - Glyphosate Faces Uncertain Future as Lawsuits Mount and Science is Questioned

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (DTN) -- For the past five decades, U.S. farmers have relied on glyphosate, the herbicide commonly known as Roundup, for weed control. But in 2025, it seemed that mounting costs from lawsuits and efforts to "make America healthy again" might push the product off the market -- even while its largest manufacturer and the agricultural industry try to ensure its survival.

In recent years, plaintiffs have filed tens of thousands of lawsuits alleging glyphosate causes cancer, resulting in Bayer, makers of Roundup, paying more than $10 billion in settlements. This year alone, a Cobb County, Georgia, jury awarded a plaintiff $2.065 billion in compensation and damages, while a state appeals court in Missouri affirmed a trial court's $661 million product-liability judgement in favor of four plaintiffs who alleged Bayer's glyphosate caused their non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Bayer CEO Bill Anderson stated this spring that unless legal protection or other solutions emerged, Bayer might stop producing glyphosate entirely, potentially affecting farmers who rely on it. Such statements heightened concern among agriculture groups, who filed an amicus brief in court in support of Bayer.

Those groups included the American Farm Bureau Federation, American Soybean Association, American Sugarbeet Growers Association, Cherry Marketing Institute, Florida Fruit and Vegetable Association, International Fresh Produce Association, National Association of Wheat Growers, National Corn Growers Association, National Cotton Council of America, National Sorghum Producers, North American Blueberry Council and Western Growers. In the brief, the groups stated that glyphosate is "essential to sustaining American farming," and that removing it from the market would "pose an immediate, devastating risk to America's food supply."

Another group, the Make America Healthy Again Commission, also was commenting on the country's food supply and potential negative impacts on health from pesticides. After calling out glyphosate in its assessment in May, the commission backed away from criticizing pesticides in its report released in September. Instead, the report stated that EPA and USDA will partner with food and agricultural stakeholders to raise public awareness about EPA pesticide reviews.

As glyphosate's safety was argued throughout the year by courts and commissions, efforts backed by Bayer were pushing legislation to protect pesticide companies from claims that they failed to warn that their product allegedly causes cancer if their product labels have been approved by EPA without such designation. North Dakota passed such a law in 2025, as did Georgia. Similar efforts in other states -- including Idaho, Iowa, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, Oklahoma and Tennessee -- failed to pass their legislatures. Similar language has also appeared in proposed federal legislation.

In December, the U.S. solicitor general said the U.S. Supreme Court should grant review to Bayer on a petition filed by the company that could bring product-liability lawsuits to an end on the glyphosate-based weed killer Roundup. Just days later, however, a Dutch academic publishing company retracted a 25-year-old safety evaluation and risk assessment of Roundup that had been used by regulators such as EPA in assessments to approve use of the herbicide.

EPA is currently undergoing registration review for glyphosate. According to the agency website, a proposed interim decision on the pesticide is to be release sometime in 2026, a decision that could determine whether this commonly used crop-protection tool is available to farmers to control weeds.

This Week's Drought Summary (12/18)

This week, temperature and precipitation patterns varied sharply across the country. Temperatures were generally warmer in the West and colder in the east, with much of the Cascades and Rocky Mountains running well above normal while the Midwest experienced much colder-than-normal conditions. Multiple Pacific storm systems brought widespread precipitation to the Pacific Northwest and northern Rockies, falling as rain at lower elevations and snow in the mountains; however, despite recent snowfall, snowpack remains below normal for mid-December. East of the Rockies, precipitation was more limited and uneven, and where it did occur across the northern Plains and Midwest, it often fell as snow. As a result, drought conditions improved mainly across parts of the Pacific Northwest and northern Rockies. Additional localized improvements occurred in parts of the Southeast, where lingering benefits from rainfall in prior weeks continued to support soil moisture and streamflows. In contrast, areas farther south and east that missed meaningful precipitation saw conditions persist or worsen. Across portions of the southern Plains, lower Mississippi Valley, Ohio Valley, Mid-Atlantic, and Northeast, continued precipitation deficits and declining streamflows led to degradations. In the Midwest, colder temperatures limited precipitation to fall as snow, slowing hydrologic response and resulting in mostly localized changes.

Northeast

PlaceholderThe Northeast continued to dry during the past week, as light and uneven precipitation provided little relief to areas that have experienced ongoing precipitation deficits. While some precipitation occurred, it was not sufficient to improve soil moisture or streamflows, allowing drought conditions to expand in several parts of the region. Conditions worsened across portions of the Mid-Atlantic, where Pennsylvania, Maryland, and New Jersey all saw conditions degrade. In these areas, continued precipitation deficits and persistently low streamflows supported worsening drought, including the expansion of severe drought (D2) in northwestern New Jersey into eastern Pennsylvania. Farther north, abnormally dry (D0) conditions expanded across parts of New York and Connecticut as short-term precipitation remained limited, and soils continued to dry. In Massachusetts, growing long-term dryness led to the introduction of severe drought (D2) in the central part of the state and Nantucket Island, where hydrologic stress has continued to intensify despite recent precipitation.

Southeast

Rainfall patterns generally drove drought changes across the Southeast this week. While some areas continued to benefit from rainfall that occurred in prior weeks, much of the region experienced a mostly dry week. Across parts of Alabama and Georgia, drought conditions improved slightly where remnants of prior rainfall continued to improve soil moisture, leading to improvements in moderate (D1) and severe drought (D2) in localized areas. Despite light precipitation in southern Virginia and the Carolinas, conditions continued to deteriorate with abnormal dryness (D0) and moderate drought (D1) expanding. Similarly, northern Virginia saw worsening streamflows and soil moisture, leading to the expansion of severe drought (D2). In Florida, conditions diverged across the state. Portions of the central Florida Panhandle saw one-class improvements, where the prior week’s soaking rainfall continued to ease drought impacts. The central Florida Peninsula’s lack of recent precipitation and growing moisture deficits led to deterioration across the central and south-central parts of the Peninsula.

South

Drought conditions across the South generally worsened this week, as limited precipitation did little to improve the growing moisture deficits. Louisiana and some areas of Mississippi saw some improvements due to precipitation, including the removal of severe drought (D2) in west-central Louisiana. In Texas and Oklahoma, ongoing precipitation deficits led to further expansion of abnormally dry (D0) and moderate drought (D1) conditions. In south-central Texas, longer-term hydrologic stress continued and intensified with the expansion of severe (D2) and extreme drought (D3). Across Arkansas and Tennessee, despite cooler than normal temperatures, dry conditions continued to worsen with growing precipitation deficits, drying soils, and decreasing streamflows leading to the expansion of abnormal dryness (D0) and moderate drought (D1).

Midwest

The central and southern Midwest saw mixed and localized changes this week, shaped by uneven precipitation and below-normal temperatures, particularly across the northern part of the region where conditions largely remained unchanged. Much of the recent precipitation fell as a mix of rain and snow. In east-central Iowa, one-class improvements were made where repeated precipitation helped ease short-term dryness. In central Ohio, abnormally dry conditions (D0) were trimmed following recent precipitation and a reduction in short-term dryness. Elsewhere, abnormally dry (D0) conditions expanded across parts of southwestern Kentucky and southwestern Illinois, where limited precipitation did little to alleviate growing dryness. In Illinois and Missouri, longer-term precipitation deficits and low streamflows persisted, and recent precipitation was insufficient to improve conditions, leading to expansions of abnormal dryness (D0) and moderate drought (D1) along the Missouri–Illinois border. In southwestern Missouri, one-class degradations reflected continued hydrologic stress.

High Plains

The High Plains remained largely unchanged this week. Areas of less than one inch of precipitation fell across some areas of the Dakotas and northeastern Wyoming. In east-central South Dakota, this precipitation led to minor improvements with the removal of some abnormal dryness (D0). Nebraska, Colorado, and most of Kansas remained unchanged. In southeastern Kansas along the Kansas-Missouri border, hydrologic deficits led to further deterioration and the expansion of moderate drought (D1). In southeastern Wyoming, frequent strong winds and above-normal temperatures combined with continued lack of precipitation contributed to further degradation and the expansion of moderate drought (D1).

West

Across the West, drought changes were mainly determined by precipitation. In Washington and northern Oregon, multiple Pacific storm systems, associated with atmospheric river moisture, brought widespread precipitation to the Pacific Northwest. Precipitation fell mainly as rain at lower elevations and snow in the mountains, contributing to ongoing flooding in parts of western Washington and supporting widespread one-class improvements along the coast and nearby interior areas. Since the end of November, snowpack in the Cascades has slightly improved, though snow water equivalent (SWE) values remain below normal for this time of year, particularly where warmer temperatures limited snow accumulation. Across central and southern Oregon and into northern California, conditions show rapid short-term drying. However, last-minute (Dec. 15-16) rainfall of 1 to 2 inches along Oregon’s coast was enough to bring improvements where it fell while the areas that missed out on the precipitation saw abnormal dryness (D0) expanded.

In the Northern Rockies, repeated precipitation supported one-class improvements across northern Idaho and northwestern Montana. Lower elevations experienced rain or mixed precipitation, while higher elevations received snow, leading to SWE improvements in northern and central Idaho and western Montana. Despite this week’s precipitation, much of Idaho’s snowpack remains below normal with SWE at 70 percent of normal, while snowpack across western and central Montana showed the greatest improvement, with SWE near or above 90 percent of normal for this time of year. Farther east and south across central and western Montana, more widespread precipitation supported a swath of one-class improvements.

Across the central Rocky Mountains of Wyoming and Colorado, conditions were more mixed. Portions of the north-central Rockies received enough snowfall to lead to localized improvements, with SWE in some headwater areas approaching near-normal early-season levels. Elsewhere, continued warmth and limited snowfall hindered snowpack development, allowing drought conditions to persist or worsen in some mountain and adjacent areas. Across much of western and central Utah, SWE remains below 50 percent of normal, supporting one-class degradations in north-central and central Utah. In the Southwest, localized changes were made in New Mexico, with improvements in central New Mexico where longer-term precipitation from earlier periods continued show hydrologic improvement, while precipitation deficits led to the expansion of moderate drought (D1) in the southeast part of the state.

Caribbean

This week, Puerto Rico experienced limited and uneven rainfall, with amounts generally below normal, leading to an expansion of dryness across parts of the island. Abnormally dry conditions (D0) were expanded across northwestern Puerto Rico and from east-central areas towards the eastern coast, where recent precipitation has been insufficient to keep up with ongoing moisture demands. Vegetation conditions continued to show signs of stress in northern and northeastern portions of the island, and streamflows were mixed but generally trending lower, with many locations falling below typical seasonal levels.

Abnormal dryness continues to affect the U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI). CoCoRaHS stations situated across the St. Croix Island received 0.28” to 0.78” of rain this week. Well water levels at Adventure 28 Well were at 18.69 ft, which was 2.86 ft lower than last week. At St. John Island, CoCoRaHS stations recorded 0.76” to 1.17” of rain. Windswept Beach recorded 0.98” of rain this week. Well water levels at the Susannaberg DPW 3 Well were at 10.65 ft. St. Thomas Island received 0.77” to 0.87” of rain this week, according to CoCoRaHS stations. Grade School 3 Well experienced a slight increase in well water levels compared to last week, which are currently at 5.78 ft. St. Croix and St. John Islands may enter moderate drought should inadequate precipitation continue to fall into next week.

Pacific

This week, Alaska experienced persistent cold and dry conditions, with little precipitation across much of the state. Most areas received minimal new snowfall, particularly across south-central Alaska, where recent precipitation was insufficient to offset ongoing precipitation deficits. In addition, strong wind events affected parts of south- central Alaska during the period, with gusts reaching around 80 mph, further limiting any short-term moisture benefits. Given the continued lack of meaningful precipitation over recent weeks, abnormally dry conditions (D0) were introduced in south-central Alaska. Temperatures remained well below normal, especially across the Interior and northern areas, reinforcing dry conditions but limiting evaporation due to frozen soils. Elsewhere across the state, drought conditions remained status quo.

This week, Hawaii saw rainfall that led to short-term improvements across parts of the state, though dry conditions persisted elsewhere. Kauai received widespread rainfall of about 2 to 3 inches, which was sufficient to reduce dryness across the island and resulted in the removal of moderate drought (D1). Oahu generally picked up 1 to 3 inches of rain, with higher totals in windward and upslope areas, supporting improvements across much of the island; southeastern Oahu remained unchanged where rainfall was lighter. Molokai also received beneficial rainfall, particularly across central and eastern areas, leading to improved short-term conditions, though some lingering dryness remained. In contrast, Maui, Kahoolawe, and the Big Island saw lighter and more uneven rainfall, with most locations receiving less than one inch during the period. While recent rainfall provided limited short-term relief in a few areas, it was not enough to offset longer-term precipitation deficits, and drought conditions remained unchanged on these islands.

Most islands in the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) have experienced a dry week. Places like Ailingalapalap, Utirik, and Kwajalein have received less than 0.5” of rain this week, at 0.28”, 0.28”, and 0.16” of rain, respectively. Few places have received more than 0.5” of rain, with Jaluit receiving 0.62”, Majuro receiving 0.93”, and Mili receiving 3.43” of rain this week. Wotje received the least rain this week, at 0.08”. Should the lack of precipitation persist, Wotje may soon receive a 1-category degradation to abnormal dryness.

The Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) have received considerably more rain compared to the RMI. Places like Kapingamarangi, Kosrae, and Lukunor received 3.04”, 3.20”, and 3.13” of rain this week. Additionally, beneficial rain has allowed Kapingamarangi to become free of drought and dryness. Pohnpei has received the most rain out of all the islands in the FSM, receiving 5.9” of rain this week. However, there are places that have not received adequate rainfall. Pingelap, Woleai, and Yap received only 1.07”, 0.63”, and 0.99” of rain this week, respectively. Chuuk Lagoon received the least rainfall this week, only receiving 0.38” of rain this week. Should the lack of rainfall persist for Yap, the island may receive a 1-category degradation to abnormal dryness.

Rainfall in the Republic of Palau varied. While places like Koror received only 1.14” of rain, the WSO Palau station received 2.14” of rain this week. Similar variation in rainfall occurred in the Marianas Islands. The islands of Guam and Rota received 1.38” and 1.31” of rain this week, while Tinian and Saipan received 0.01” and 0.05” of rain this week. Tinian and Saipan will remain in abnormal dryness this week. American Samoa also experienced a dry week. The Siufaga and Toa Ridges received 0.47” and 0.60” of rain, respectively. The Pago Pago area received only 0.28” of rain this week. However, American Samoa has received adequate rainfall in the past weeks and thus will remain free of drought and dryness.

Looking Ahead

According to the National Weather Service’s 5-day (Dec. 18-23) quantitative precipitation forecast, the heaviest precipitation is forecast across the West, particularly along the Pacific Northwest coast and into northern California, where widespread totals may exceed 5 inches in some areas. Additional moderate to heavy precipitation is expected across the Cascades and into parts of the northern Rockies, with totals generally ranging from 1 to 4 inches. Lighter but still notable precipitation is forecast to extend eastward into portions of the central Rockies and the northern Plains. Across the central and eastern U.S., precipitation is expected to be more scattered and generally lighter. Portions of the Midwest, Ohio Valley, Southeast, and Gulf Coast may receive light to moderate precipitation, generally ranging from 0.5 to 2 inches. Farther east, a band of precipitation is indicated along parts of the East Coast, with locally higher amounts possible from the Southeast into the Mid-Atlantic and portions of the Northeast. Overall, the forecast highlights a wetter pattern in the West and more limited, variable precipitation across much of the central and eastern U.S.

The Climate Predictions Center’s 6 to 10 day temperature outlook (Dec. 22–26) shows an increased likelihood of above-normal temperatures across much of the central and southern U.S., extending from the West Coast through the Plains and into the Southeast. The highest probabilities for above-normal temperatures are centered over the southern Plains and Southwest, with much of the interior West, Rockies, and central Plains also favored to be warmer than normal. Near-normal temperatures are indicated across parts of the Pacific Northwest and the Great Lakes. Below-normal temperatures are most likely across portions of the Northeast, particularly northern New England, while Alaska shows a strong signal for below-normal temperatures across much of the state. Hawaii is favored to see above-normal temperatures during the period. In terms of precipitation, the 6 to 10 day outlook indicates an increased likelihood of above-normal precipitation across much of the West, including California, the Pacific Northwest, and parts of the Great Basin and northern Rockies. Near- to above-normal precipitation probabilities also extend into parts of the interior West. In contrast, below-normal precipitation is favored across much of the central Plains, lower Mississippi Valley, Southeast, and Florida, with the strongest signal centered over the southern Plains and Gulf Coast region. Near-normal precipitation probabilities are indicated across parts of the Great Lakes and Northeast, while Alaska shows mixed signals, with below-normal precipitation favored in southern portions and near-normal conditions elsewhere.

Top 10 Ag Stories of 2025: No. 10 - From RFS Exemptions to E15 in CA, Biofuels Policy Makes News in 2025

LINCOLN, Neb. (DTN) -- From a Supreme Court ruling in favor of biofuels groups, to a new Renewable Fuel Standard volumes proposal and more debate on small-refinery exemptions, biofuels news this year was highly consequential and starts our Top 10 Ag Stories of 2025 countdown.

As President Donald Trump took office for a second term, the year started with the U.S. Supreme Court hearing oral arguments from biofuels and petroleum industry groups on the proper court to hear court challenges to small-refinery exemptions to the RFS. 

The Supreme Court ruled later in the year that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit was indeed the proper venue. It was considered a win for biofuels because it is expected to bring consistency to future cases.

Unlike the first go-round with the Trump administration that saw the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency grant numerous SREs without considering how it affected the RFS, the second Trump administration decided to take a different approach.

The administration released proposed RFS volumes for 2026 and 2027 that gave a significant boost to renewable diesel volumes. That proposal sparked a jump in the soybean futures price.

In August 2025, the Trump administration granted full exemptions on 63 small-refinery exemption petitions, partial exemptions for 77 and denied 28 others. 

The following month, the EPA proposed several options to reallocate biofuels gallons lost through SREs to other obligated parties including petroleum companies, also announcing the RFS volumes proposal could be further delayed because of the SRE issue. 

The first Trump administration took a lot of heat for granting more than 80 SREs without trying to reallocate biofuels gallons lost -- by some estimates at 4 billion gallons.

Also in September, the California Senate voted unanimously on a bill to sell E15 in the state for the first time. The legislation was later signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom. The move opened a 600- to 800-million-gallon market for ethanol. 

E15 in California was welcomed news in a year that passed without federal lawmakers addressing national E15 legislatively.

Despite repeated calls from biofuels groups, the Trump administration did not provide additional tax guidance on the 45Z Clean Fuels Production tax credit as companies continued to wait for certainty on their investments in sustainable aviation fuel.

Even with a lack of 45Z certainty, companies like Summit Carbon Solutions continued to move on to next steps in building a carbon pipeline to connect to nearly 50 ethanol plants across the Midwest.

Summit not only announced that it hired Joe Griffin as a new chief executive officer, but Griffin then launched a campaign to improve relationships with landowners along the future path of the pipeline. The pipeline is considered an important avenue to help ethanol companies lower their carbon footprint enough for ethanol to be considered a good feedstock for SAF production.

October Ag Prices Received Index Down 8.8 Percent; Prices Paid Up 1.1 Percent

October Prices Received Index Down 8.8 Percent  

The October Prices Received Index 2011 Base (Agricultural Production), at 120.5, decreased 8.8 percent from September but increased 6.9 percent from October 2024. At 96.2, the Crop Production Index was down 4.9 percent from last month but up 7.2 percent from the previous year. The Livestock Production Index, at 158.4, decreased 3.0 percent from September, but increased 2.1 percent from October last year. Producers received higher prices during October for lettuce, broccoli, calves, and strawberries but lower prices for market eggs, broilers, cattle, and hogs. In addition to prices, the volume change of commodities marketed also influences the indexes. In October, there was increased monthly movement for soybeans, corn, calves, and cotton and decreased marketing of cattle, milk, broilers, and market eggs.  

October Prices Paid Index Up 1.1 Percent 

The October Prices Paid Index for Commodities and Services, Interest, Taxes, and Farm Wage Rates (PPITW), at 154.6, is up 1.1 from September 2025 and 11 percent from October 2024. Higher prices in October for feeder cattle, feeder pigs, milk cows, and other services more than offset lower prices for LP gas, diesel, feed grains, and gasoline.  

Idaho And Western United States SNOTEL Water Year (Oct 1) to Date Precipitation % of Normal (12/16)

Bureau of Reclamation, Pacific Northwest Region - Storage Reservoirs in the Upper Snake River (12/15)

Average daily streamflows indicated in cubic feet per second.

Reservoir levels current as of midnight on date indicated.

Upper Snake River system is at 39 % of capacity.
(Jackson Lake,Palisades, Grassy Lake,Island Park,Ririe,American Falls,LakeWalcott)
Total space available:	2453234 AF
Total storage capacity:	4045695 AF

This Week's Drought Summary (12/11)

 This U.S. Drought Monitor week saw both improvements and degradations across the country, shaped largely by uneven precipitation and widespread colder-than-normal temperatures. Much of the nation was colder than normal, with the sharpest departures in the Midwest and Northeast, where most of the week’s moisture fell as snow and offered limited short-term help for soils and streams. In the West, storm systems delivered substantial rain and mountain snow to the Pacific Northwest and northern Rockies, improving conditions in parts of Washington, northwest Oregon, western Montana and eastern Idaho. However, areas that missed the heaviest precipitation—especially central and southern Oregon, central Idaho and southwestern Montana—saw drought expand as snowpack remained well below normal. Parts of the Southwest, including southeastern California and western Arizona, continued to improve as moisture from earlier storms worked through the hydrologic system, while east-central Nevada saw worsening drought due to very low snowpack and long-term precipitation deficits.

The central and southern Plains did not see any meaningful precipitation this week, leading to conditions remaining largely unchanged outside of localized areas. Short-term dryness worsened in southeastern Kansas and northeastern Oklahoma, where precipitation deficits continue to accumulate. In the east, several areas along the Gulf Coast and Southeast received 1 to 3 inches of rain, leading to widespread improvement short-term dryness and drought in southern Alabama, southern Georgia, the Florida Panhandle and portions of the Carolinas. Despite moderate precipitation in southern Florida and parts of the interior Southeast, longer-term precipitation deficits led to dryness continuing to intensify. In the Midwest and Northeast, cold temperatures and predominantly frozen precipitation led to limited improvements and degradations in areas that missed precipitation.

Northeast

In the Northeast, this week’s precipitation did little to improve abnormal dryness or drought, with the only improvements occurring in southeast West Virginia, southeast Delaware and central New York. With temperatures across the region below normal, as much as 6 to 12 degrees in the north and west, precipitation remained largely frozen and unable to benefit soils and streamflows where it did fall. Across central Pennsylvania and southeastern New York, where streamflows are sitting below the 15th percentile, degradation expanded abnormal dryness (D0) and moderate drought (D1). Similarly, streamflows in northwestern New Jersey are at or below the 8th percentile, which led to the expansion of severe drought (D2) conditions in northwestern New Jersey.

Southeast

The Southeast saw a mixture of improvements and degradations, mainly driven by precipitation. Precipitation fell across the southern Gulf Coast with areas of 2 to 3 inches of rain falling across southern Alabama and Georgia, the Florida Panhandle and along the coasts of South and North Carolina, bringing widespread 1-class improvements and the removal of exceptional drought (D4). Further up the Atlantic coast, 1 to 1.5 inches of rain brought some minor improvements to northern Virginia. Further inland, the rain was not as beneficial to area of northern Alabama, Georgia and the western Carolinas which are at 50 to 75 percent of normal precipitation, causing areas of degradation as dryness intensifies. Elsewhere in Florida, a swath of 2 to 3 inches of rain brought improvements across the central Florida Peninsula. Much like the inland areas of the Southwest, southern Florida continues to see less than 50 percent normal precipitation and combined with temperatures of 3 to 6 degrees above normal saw abnormal dryness (D0) and moderate drought (D1) spread across southern Florida.

South

The South saw mostly improvements this week following a mixture of below-normal temperatures and heavy rainfall. One-class improvements were seen from far eastern Texas to Mississippi where 1.5 to 3 inches of rain fell, with parts of southern Louisiana recording 5 to 6 inches of rain. Areas of central Texas and the Panhandle that improved last week, continued to see improvements in soil moisture and streamflows, leading to further improvements this week. Isolated degradation did occur in Texas’ southwestern Panhandle as well in northeastern Oklahoma as lack of precipitation continues to stress soils and lead to lower streamflows.

Midwest

The Midwest had much colder-than-normal temperatures, and most of the week’s precipitation fell as snow, limiting its ability to improve soil moisture or streamflow. Drought changes in the Midwest were mixed and localized this week. In Missouri, drought expanded slightly along the southern Missouri–Illinois border, including small areas shifting into moderate (D1) and severe (D2) drought, while the northwest part of the state saw abnormal dryness (D0) expand. At the same time, northeastern Missouri experienced improvements where short-term conditions recovered. A small area along the central Missouri–Illinois border improved slightly. Illinois saw one-category degradations along the eastern side of the state near the Indiana border, driven in large part by multiple months of precipitation deficits. Michigan remained mostly unchanged except for a small area of expanding moderate drought (D2) in the southeast.

High Plains

Conditions across the High Plains changed very little this week as much of the region received only light precipitation and remained colder than normal. The Dakotas saw little meaningful moisture, and Nebraska saw none, leaving drought conditions unchanged. In Kansas, a lack of precipitation combined with continued short-term dryness led to an expansion of abnormal dryness (D0) that stretched into northeastern Oklahoma.

In eastern Wyoming, dryness increased where precipitation was limited, resulting in some expansion of abnormal dryness. In eastern Colorado, light snowfall helped ease small pockets of abnormal dryness, though most areas saw little change.

West

Out West, there was a mixture of improvements and degradations. Improvements were seen in the Southwest despite no precipitation this week. Prior weeks’ moisture has made its way into the hydrologic cycle, as seen in improving streamflows and soil moisture. Despite snow falling across the Rocky Mountains, many stations continue to report that the snow water equivalent (SWE) is below the 30th percentile. Snowpack levels in the northern Rockies are doing better, with many stations showing snowpack at 100 percent for this time of year, which was further improved with 1 to 2 feet of snow falling across western Montana and eastern Idaho. This moisture led to areas of improvement in northwest Montana. Improvements were also seen along the Idaho-Wyoming border where up to 2.5 feet of snow fell. Southwestern Montana and central Idaho, which are experiencing below-normal snowpack, missed out on the snow and saw the expansion of moderate drought (D1) across the border. Over the Pacific Northwest, storms brought upwards of 6 to 8 inches of precipitation, where many stations in the Cascades are reporting below snowpack below 50 percent of normal. Areas in central Washington into northwest Oregon saw improvements as some short-term metrics were more aligned with moderate drought (D1) conditions rather than severe drought (D2). Central and southern Oregon, which missed out on the heaviest precipitation, saw the expansion of abnormal dryness (D0) and moderate drought (D1).

Caribbean

No drought changes were made in Puerto Rico this week. Temperatures were near normal across the island.

Rainfall during the last 1.5 to 3 months has been persistently if not dramatically below normal. This led to St. John, St. Thomas, and St. Croix all receiving a D0 designation. Precipitation has remained below normal through the first 9 days of December, but amounts appear sufficient to keep all 3 islands in D0 again this week, although deterioration to D1 could occur in the near future if amounts remain lacking.

Generally 0.35” to 0.65” fell in the vicinity of Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas so far this December, bringing 30-day totals to just under 2” at C.E.King Airport. Longer-term totals are closer to normal, however, with about 9” reported over the last 60 days, and nearly 15” measured the most recent 90 days. November brought only 2.22” of rain to King Airport, but during October, areas around Charlotte Amalie observed 7” to over 10” of rain. St. Thomas may be on the cusp of drought (D1), but rainfall has been fairly frequent if not very heavy, so D0 is maintained on the island this week.

St. Croix also remains at D0 this week, but rainfall has been a bit more generous here since the start of December. Between 0.6” and 1.5” fell around most of Christiansted during December 1-9 while 0.9” to 2.3” dampened Frederiksted. Totals for the last 30 days are 2.83” and 2.68” respectively, which is considerably below normal. Longer-term numbers are closer to normal, with 60-day totals of 6.5” to 9.0” recorded, and 14.5” to 20.3” falling during the past 90-days. With slightly wetter conditions this past week, St. Croix does not appear as close to reaching D1 as St. Thomas and St. John.

Across, St. John, most locations reported 0.5” to 0.8” during December 1-9, with somewhat lower amounts measured across the east-central interior near Bordeaux. East Hill reports only about 2” of rain over the past 30 days (normal is almost 4.5”), but like most other locations across the U.S. Virgin Islands, this follows a fairly dry November with prior months being closer to normal. November brought anywhere from 2.0” to 2.7” to the various observing sites across St. John, which followed 3.9” to 7.3” totals for October, with that month’s highest totals observed at Bordeaux and Windswept Beach. Despite below-normal totals, rainfall this past week appears sufficient to maintain last week’s designation for the island (D0), although D1 may be introduced soon if rainfall doesn’t start to pick up.

Pacific

Alaska remained free of abnormal dryness or drought this week. Temperatures were generally near to slightly below normal across much of the state, with the coolest anomalies along the southern and southeastern coastline.

No changes were made in Hawaii this week. Temperatures across the islands were near to slightly above normal, with only small variations by island and elevation.

Palau was unusually dry this past week. Koror recorded only 0.62” during December 3-9, when the normal is over 2 inches. However, about 25 inches of rain fell during October-November, and there is no indication that impactful dryness could develop in the near future.

Across the Marianas Islands, Saipan maintains its abnormal dryness (D0) designation this week, and the same classification is introduced at Tinian this week. Saipan recorded no measurable rain this past week, and has received only 0.6” in the last 30 days. About 8.8” of rain has fallen on Saipan since the start of October, including just 2.62” for November 1 – December 9 (just over one-third of normal). Conditions in Tinian were boosted by a relatively wet November (5.52” or about 80 percent of normal) but less than 5 inches were observed in October (normal over 11 inches) and only 0.37” has fallen so far in December (just over one-third of normal). Farther south, Guam and Rota have been somewhat drier than normal for the past several weeks, but amounts have been running a bit above the amounts that could allow impactful dryness to develop.

December is off to a dry start in western portions of the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM). About an inch has fallen on Woleai in the first 9 days of the month, and just over one-half inch was reported in Yap. However, with October-November bringing 25” of rain to Yap and 35” to Woleai, no dryness or drought designation is warranted.

Across the central tier of FSM, December 1-9 featured more generous rainfall. Most locations recorded 2.0” to 5.2” during this period, which is near or above normal. Lukunor was drier than other locations, reporting just 1.2” of rain, but all of central FSM (Lukunor, Fananu, Chuuk, Lukunor, Nukuoro, and Kapingamaringi) received 9.5” to 15.5” during November, and in most locations October was as wet or wetter. The exception is Kapingamaringi, where moderate drought (D1) was in place last week. August-September brought only 5.65” of rain there (compared to a normal of 17.2”), but almost 14” fell during November, and the 2” noted so far in December has been sufficient to improve conditions, at least for the time being.

Precipitation was highly variable across the eastern reaches of FSM during the first 9 days of December. Pohnpei reported just 1.58” while 3.16” fell on Pingelap and 7.44” doused Kosrae. Prior to that, however, Pingelap reported almost 20” during November, and October-November featured 34” to 38” at Pohnpei and Kosrae. Given the robust rainfall of the last 2 full months, no dryness or drought designation is warranted at this time.

Across the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI), the northernmost islands are affected by abnormal dryness while no dryness or drought designation is justified elsewhere. Utirik remains in D0, unchanged from last week, while D0 was introduced at Kwajalein. Rainfall in Utirik was sufficient but several inches below normal during August-September. Amounts increased to slightly below normal during October, but November 1 – December 9 has seen a resurgence of dryness. Only 4.24” fell on Utirik during this period, which is a little over half of normal (7.90”). Kwajalein reported below-normal but adequate rainfall for a few months through October, but just over 7 inches fell November 1 – December 9, which is a less than what is typically necessary to keep up with demand, and well below the 13.4” normal. Farther south, December has been a mixed bag, with some locations reporting adequate to robust rainfall amounts (2.47” at Ailinglapalap, 3.90” at Majuro, and just under 2 inches at Jaluit) while others reported lesser totals (about 1” at Mili, and less than 0.5” at Wotje). However, abundant rainfall was observed during October-November across central and southern RMI (20 to 28 inches at Wotje, Ailinglapalap, Majuro, Jaluit, and Mili). This included a November with only about half of normal rainfall at Ailinglapalap, but a very wet October and somewhat increased rainfall rates for the first 9 days of December preclude introducing D0 there.

Like a number of other locations across the USAPI, Pago Pago in American Samoa has received considerably lower than normal rainfall since the start of December, but earlier heavy to intense rains make any dryness designation untenable. December 1-9 brought just 1.3” of rain to Pago Pago (less than 40 percent of normal), but with 60-day totals exceeding 35” and 90-day totals approaching 49” impactful dryness is not currently a concern.

Looking Ahead

According to the National Weather Service’s 5-day quantitative precipitation forecast (valid from Dec. 11 -16) the heaviest precipitation is forecast across the Pacific Northwest, especially along the coastal ranges of Washington, Oregon, and far northern California, where totals may exceed 5 to 10. Moderate precipitation is also expected across the northern Rockies and into the northern Plains and Upper Midwest, with widespread amounts between 0.5 and 2 inches and localized areas of higher amounts where terrain enhances moisture, such as elevation and lake-effect snow. Across the South and Southeast, a broad area of lighter but steady rain is anticipated from eastern Texas through the Gulf Coast states and into the Carolinas, generally ranging from 0.5 to 2 inches. The Northeast is also expected to pick up around 1 to 2 inches. In contrast, much of the Interior West—including the Great Basin, Southwest and central Rockies—shows little to no precipitation.

The Climate Prediction Center’s 6 to 10 day outlook (valid Dec. 16–20) favors widespread above- normal temperatures across most of the Lower 48, with the highest likelihood for above-normal temperatures centered over the Four Corners region and extending across the western and southern U.S. Much of the Midwest, Great Lakes and Northeast also lean warmer than average, while only a small pocket of near-normal temperatures is suggested in parts of the northern Plains. Cooler-than-normal conditions are limited to coastal New England and portions of Alaska, where the highest chances for below-normal temperatures appear. Precipitation patterns show more divide with wetter-than-normal conditions favored across the Pacific Northwest, the northern Rockies, the Upper Midwest and parts of Hawaii. In contrast, drier-than-normal conditions are likely across the central and southern Rockies, the central Plains and much of the Southeast, with the strongest dry signal centered over Arizona, New Mexico and western Texas. Near-normal precipitation is expected across broad sections of the Midwest, Mid-Atlantic and Interior West.

Idaho And Western United States SNOTEL Water Year (Oct 1) to Date Precipitation % of Normal (12/9)

Bureau of Reclamation, Pacific Northwest Region - Storage Reservoirs in the Upper Snake River (12/8)

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

Upper Snake River system is at 37 % of capacity.
(Jackson Lake,Palisades, Grassy Lake,Island Park,Ririe,American Falls,LakeWalcott)
Total space available:	2535499 AF
Total storage capacity:	4045695 AF

This Week's Drought Summary (12/4)

This U.S. Drought Monitor (USDM) week saw improvement in drought-related conditions across areas of the West, Plains, Midwest, South, Southeast, and the Northeast. Out West, improvements continued in areas of eastern California and southern Nevada, where conditions since the beginning of the Water Year (October 1) have improved significantly. As of early December, mountain snowpack conditions continue to be well below normal levels for the time of year across much of the western U.S., except for isolated areas of the Southwest and southern Rockies, where recent storms have boosted snowpack conditions well above normal levels. As of December 2, the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) SNOw TELemetry (SNOTEL) network reported the following region-level (2-digit HUC) snow-water equivalent (SWE) levels: Pacific Northwest 43%, Missouri 47%, Upper Colorado 53%, Great Basin 39%, Lower Colorado 121%, Rio Grande 64%, and Arkansas-White-Red 53%. In California, the statewide snowpack was 39% of normal (December 3), with the Southern Sierra at 78%, Central Sierra at 36%, and Northern Sierra at 17%. Elsewhere on the map, conditions continued to improve in drought-affected areas of central and northeastern Texas, where precipitation during the past month has been above normal. In the Southeast, drought conditions have intensified in recent months, both in spatial extent and intensity, including in southern Georgia and Florida Panhandle where soil moisture and streamflow levels have dropped significantly in recent weeks. In the Northern Plains, Midwest, and Northeast, moderate-to-heavy snowfall accumulations provided some minor relief to drought-affected areas.

Northeast

This week, improvements were made in isolated areas of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, New York, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. In New England, improvements were made in response to recent significant precipitation events, which have impacted groundwater and soil moisture conditions. For the week, the areas of the region received significant snowfall accumulations including areas of New York, Vermont, and New Hampshire with the highest totals (ranging from 10 to 27 inches) observed in western and central New York. In terms of snowpack conditions across the region, the National Weather Service National Operational Hydrologic Remote Sensing Center (NWS NOHRSC) is reporting that the Northeast region is currently 94% covered by snow (area), with an average depth of 5 inches and a maximum depth of 41 inches. Despite recent storm activity, precipitation has been below normal across much of the region in both the short and mid-term time scales. Moreover, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) continues to report below-normal streamflow levels (<10th percentile) at many gages across the region, with the lowest levels observed in eastern Pennsylvania, Maryland, southern New Jersey, western New York, southern New Hampshire, and southern Maine. For the week, average temperatures were below normal across the southern extent of the region with the greatest departures (6 to 9 degrees F) observed in areas of West Virginia. In the northern portion of the region, temperatures were 1 to 3 degrees F above normal.

Southeast

During the past week, light-to-moderate rainfall accumulations were observed across areas of the region with the highest totals (2 to 4 inches) logged in central and southern Alabama. The beneficial rains led to improvements of areas of drought on the map in Alabama, northwestern Georgia, and South Carolina. Elsewhere, conditions deteriorated on the map in Florida, east-central Georgia, central North Carolina, and southern Virginia. For the past 30-day period, precipitation departures across most of the region ranged from 1 to 4 inches with the greatest departures observed in southern Alabama, Florida Panhandle, southwestern Georgia, and far western portions of the Carolinas. According to data from the Southeast Regional Climate Center’s Climate Perspectives tool, the past month (November 2 to December 2) has been very dry across areas of Georgia and Florida, with record to near-record dryness observed in the following locations: Newton, GA (-3.14 inch departure, 2nd driest); Jacksonville, FL (-2.5 inches, 3rd driest); Vero Beach, FL (-2.86 inches, driest on record); and Ft. Myers, FL (-1.74 inches, driest on record). In terms of streamflows across the region, the lowest levels were observed in the Florida Panhandle and in west-central Florida where numerous USGS gages reported well below normal flows (<10th percentile). In terms of average temperatures for the week, below-normal temperatures (2 to 10 degrees F) were observed across most of the region except for areas of Florida which observed temperatures 1 to 5 degrees F above normal.

South

On this week’s map, widespread improvements were made in drought-affected areas of Texas, while isolated areas of Oklahoma, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Tennessee saw minor improvements in response to rainfall activity during the past week. The heaviest rainfall accumulations were observed in isolated areas along the Gulf Coast of southeastern Texas, while lesser accumulations (ranging from 1 to 2 inches) were observed in other areas of the region including eastern and southern Texas, Louisiana, southeastern Oklahoma, southern Arkansas, northern Mississippi, and eastern Tennessee. In western Texas, conditions on the map deteriorated in response to drier-than-normal conditions during the past 90-day period. Looking at climatological rankings for the past 30-day period (November 2 to December 2), Austin, TX was 10th driest (-2.31-inch departure), College Station, TX 9th driest (-2.54 inches), New Orleans, LA 8th driest (-3.32 inches), Slidell, LA 2nd driest (-3.49 inches), and Hattiesburg, MS driest on record (-3.71 inches). In Texas, Water for Texas (December 3) reported statewide reservoirs at 74% full, with numerous reservoirs in the eastern part of the state in very good condition, while numerous reservoirs in the southern and western portion of the state were experiencing continued below-normal levels, including at Falcon Reservoir along the Rio Grande River (15.9% full). In terms of drought-related impacts, the National Drought Mitigation Center’s Conditions Monitoring Observer Reports (CMOR) tool showed numerous impact reports during the past 30-day period with the highest concentration of reports yielding from southern Oklahoma, northern Arkansas, and northern Louisiana. For the week, average temperatures were below normal across most the region with anomalies ranging from 4 to 10 degrees F above normal.

Midwest

On this week’s map, improvements (Iowa, Illinois, Wisconsin, and Michigan) were made in response to this week’s snowfall activity, impacting a large portion of the region. The highest snowfall totals were observed across areas of northern Michigan, where accumulations ranged from 10 to 34 inches, according to NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information. Despite the beneficial moisture, areas of Michigan saw deterioration on the map in response to a combination of factors including short-term precipitation deficits, low streamflows, and low soil moisture levels. In terms of snowpack conditions across the region, the National Weather Service National Operational Hydrologic Remote Sensing Center (NWS NOHRSC) is reporting that the Northern Great Lakes region is currently 99% covered by snow (area) with an average depth of 6.5 inches and a maximum depth of 23.1 inches. For the week, average temperatures were below normal across the entire region, with anomalies ranging from 2 to 15 degrees F below normal, with the greatest departures observed in southwestern Minnesota, northwestern Iowa, and west-central Illinois.

High Plains

On this week’s map, only minor changes were made in the region. In eastern Kansas, two areas of lingering Moderate Drought (D1) were removed in response to improving conditions during the past 90-day period. For the week, some beneficial snowfall was observed across the northern Plains, with accumulations ranging from 1 to 14 inches. The highest accumulations were logged in areas of North Dakota. In terms of average temperatures, cooler-than-normal temperatures (5 to 20+ degrees F below normal) were observed across the region, with the greatest anomalies observed in the Dakotas. According to NWS NOHRSC, the Upper Midwest region is currently 94.4% covered by snow (area) with an average depth of 3.7 inches and a maximum depth of 22.2 inches.

West

Out West, recent storms and overall improving conditions on short-term indicators (precipitation, soil moisture, streamflows) led to improvements on the map in California (eastern Sierra, Mojave Desert), Nevada (west-central, southern), Utah (southwestern), Wyoming (central, southwestern), Montana (northwestern, central, northeastern), and Washington (southeastern). Conversely, degradations were made on the map in areas of Oregon (central, southern), Idaho (west-central), Wyoming (southeastern), Colorado (central, north-central), and New Mexico (southeastern). For the week, most of the region experienced dry conditions except for portions of the Pacific Northwest and isolated areas in the central and northern Rockies. In the Pacific Northwest, light-to-moderate precipitation accumulations were observed along the coastal areas of northwestern Oregon and western Washington. Despite this week’s storm activity, significant precipitation deficits (2 to 10 inches since October 1) remain, with the greatest anomalies observed in the Olympic Peninsula and Cascade Range. In terms of the snowpack out West, below-normal SWE levels are being observed at SNOTEL stations across most of the West, except for areas in the southern Sierra, Colorado Plateau, and southwestern Colorado. In California, the NWS Forecast Office in Los Angeles is reporting that November was one of the wettest Novembers in the last 50+ years across southwestern California. Moreover, the city of Santa Barbara has reported the wettest water-year start on record through November with over 9.5 inches observed. Other areas in Santa Barbara County, including areas of the Santa Ynez Mountains, have received over 15 inches for the contemporaneous period.

Caribbean

In Puerto Rico, some minor expansion of areas of Abnormally Dry (D0) were made in the central portion of the island in response to short-term dryness (past 30-day period), low streamflows, reduced soil moisture, and drying vegetation.

The U.S. Virgin Islands received good rainfall over the past week. St. Thomas received half an inch to an inch islandwide over the past week, according to the National Weather Service’s precipitation estimate. St. Croix got a quarter of an inch or less on the western third of the island, and a quarter to a half of an inch on the eastern two-thirds of the island. St. John received half an inch to an inch over the northern half of the island and 1 to 1.5 inches over the southern half of the island.

The Vegetation Health Index does not indicate vegetative stress for St. Thomas or St. John but does have some for St. Croix.

Water levels in wells on all three islands continued to drop through the end of the assessment period due to below-normal rainfall in recent weeks. The lack of response from the water levels suggests that a continuation of D0 is appropriate for all three islands.

Pacific

In Alaska, the state remained drought-free, and no changes were made on the map this week.

On this week’s map, widespread 1-category degradations were made across the Hawaiian Islands in response to continued rainfall shortfalls and exceptionally low observed streamflow levels, with numerous gaging stations reporting flows below the 10th percentile.

The Republic of Palau received adequate precipitation with more than 2 inches at Palau and Koror. Water supplies should be sufficient, as these locations need 2 inches of rainfall to meet minimum water needs.

Most of the Mariana Islands received more than an inch, which is the weekly minimum precipitation these islands need to meet minimum water needs. Guam reported 1.63 inches, Rota got 2.73 inches and Tinian collected more than 2 inches. Saipan, however, received under half an inch and was in D0 for a second week.

Most locations in the Federated States of Micronesia received more than 2 inches. Kapingamarangi received an inch of rain and remained in D1. Woleai and Yap received 0.83 inches and 0.35 inches, respectively. All other locations were free of dryness.

Most of the Marshall Islands reported more than 2 inches of precipitation for the week. Utirik received 0.53 inches of rain for the week and 2.79 inches in November and remained at D0. Kwajalein, Jaluit, Ailinglaplap, Mili and Majuro received from 2 inches to more than 5 inches, while Wotje reported 1.97 inches. The Majuro reservoir held 45.2 million gallons on Nov. 30.

American Samoa remained free of dryness. Pago Pago and Toa Ridge each received more than 6 inches of rain.

Looking Ahead

The NWS 7-day quantitative precipitation forecast calls for the heaviest rainfall (2 to 5 inches) to be along the central Gulf Coast, including southern Louisiana, southern Mississippi, southern Alabama, and the western Florida Panhandle, while 1 to 4 inches is expected in southern Georgia and areas of coastal South Carolina. The southern extent of the Mid-Atlantic coast is forecast to receive 1 to 3 inches, while New England is expected to have totals less than 1 inch. In the Pacific Northwest, 2 to 7+ inches (liquid) of precipitation is expected across western portions of Washington and Oregon, while the Northern Rockies—including northern Idaho, western Montana, and western Wyoming—are forecast to receive liquid totals ranging from 1 to 3 inches. These values represent liquid precipitation and may fall as rain or snow; actual snowfall amounts will vary depending on temperature and snow-to-liquid ratios. Meanwhile, much of the Intermountain West, Desert Southwest, and the central and southern Great Basin is expected to remain mostly dry, although northern portions of Utah and Colorado are forecasted to observe totals ranging from 0.25 to 2.0 inches. Across the Plains and Midwest, precipitation totals are expected to be less than 0.5 inch.

The 6–10-day temperature outlook (valid December 9 –13, 2025) calls for above-normal temperatures across the western U.S., much of the Plains, and Texas, with the highest probabilities centered over the Far West and Great Basin. Below-normal temperatures are favored across the eastern United States, with the highest probabilities in the Northeast and portions of the northern Mid-Atlantic and Great Lakes. Near-normal temperatures are expected across a narrow swath extending from the Lower Mississippi Valley through the eastern portions of the Dakotas. In terms of precipitation, the 6–10-day outlook calls for below-normal precipitation across the southern half of the continental United States, including California, Great Basin, southern half of the Intermountain West, South, and much of the Southeast. Above-normal precipitation is forecasted for much of the northern tier of the continental U.S., including the Pacific Northwest, Northern Plains, Upper Midwest, and the Northeast. Near-normal precipitation is expected across the Lower Midwest and southern Florida.