Dashboard Report

Idaho And Western United States SNOTEL Water Year (Oct 1) to Date Precipitation % of Normal (4/21)

2026-04-21T06:44:00.000-07:00

USDA Weekly Crop Progress Report - Corn 11% Planted, Soybeans 12% Planted, Winter Wheat Rated 30% Good to Excellent as of April 19

2026-04-20T14:46:00.000-07:00

OMAHA (DTN) -- The winter wheat crop's good-to-excellent condition rating continued to decline last week, falling 4 percentage points nationwide amid building drought, limited rainfall, frosts and freezes, according to USDA NASS's weekly Crop Progress report released on Monday.

A familiar weather pattern is setting up again this week, with another round of showers and thunderstorms expected along a front stretching from Texas to the Great Lakes, while colder air and even some snow will push through the Northern Plains and Canadian Prairies, according to DTN Ag Meteorologist John Baranick.

CORN

-- Planting progress: 11% of corn was planted nationwide as of Sunday, equal to last year and ahead of the five-year average of 9%. Tennessee was the furthest ahead of average at 64% complete as of Sunday, 40 points ahead of its average pace of 24%. That was followed by Kentucky at 48%, 30 points ahead of the average pace of 18%. Illinois and Indiana were both ahead of their averages at 13% and 14% planted, respectively.

-- Crop development: 4% of corn had emerged as of Sunday, 2 points ahead of last year and the five-year average of 2%.

SOYBEANS

-- Planting progress: An estimated 12% of intended soybean acreage was planted as of Sunday, 5 points ahead of last year at this time and 7 points ahead of the five-year average of 7%. Illinois' soybeans are 20% planted, 11 points ahead of last year and 13 points ahead of the five-year average of 7%. Indiana was also ahead of average at 19% planted, 16 points ahead of last year's pace and the five-year average.

WINTER WHEAT

-- Crop condition: An estimated 33% of winter wheat was rated poor to very poor as of April 19, up 12 percentage points from 21% a year ago, according to NASS.

-- Crop development: 20% of winter wheat was headed nationwide as of Sunday. That's 6 percentage points ahead of last year's 14% and 8 percentage points ahead of the five-year average of 12%. Top winter-wheat-producer Kansas' crop was 15% headed, 10 points ahead of last year at this time and 13 points ahead of the five-year average.

SPRING WHEAT

-- Planting progress: 12% of the crop was planted nationwide as of April 19, 4 percentage points behind last year's pace of 16% but equal to the five-year average. Washington was the furthest ahead of the average at 65% planted as of Sunday, 12 points ahead of its average pace of 53%.

-- Crop development: 2% of spring wheat was emerged as of Sunday, equal to last year and the five-year average.

THE WEEK AHEAD IN WEATHER

Another round of active weather is on the way this week, bringing showers and thunderstorms from central and eastern Texas into the Great Lakes, while colder temperatures and even some snowfall return to northern areas, according to DTN Ag Meteorologist John Baranick.

"The same corridor that has been getting the rainfall, from central and eastern Texas up through the Great Lakes looks like it will get another round of showers and thunderstorms along a front passing through on Thursday into Friday," Baranick said. "These areas may have had some damage due to severe weather over the last week and could get some more later this week as well. The main system pushing that cold front will move through the Northern Plains and Canadian Prairies with a mix of rain and snow. Some areas in Montana, the Dakotas, but especially the Canadian Prairies could see some heavy snowfall. That will continue to support colder temperatures across the north moving back in later this week and possibly spreading through the Plains and into the Upper Midwest as well.

"Hard red winter wheat took a beating from frosts and freezes this weekend, adding to the stress from the building drought and limited rainfall over the last several months. This week, it looks like most of those areas will be bypassed again. If there is any good news, there is at least a chance for precipitation to move in with a system on Sunday. The current track has the system moving through the Central Plains with good precipitation on the north side of it in Nebraska. The Texas and Oklahoma Panhandles are not currently expected to see much precipitation, though. That system will bring down some of the cold air from the north and could mean another round of frosts, further hurting wheat.

"In the Delta and Southeast, a front that went through this past weekend brought some waning showers, but many areas in Georgia, South Carolina, and Florida missed out completely. Drier conditions this week will again be concerning for the building drought for cotton, peanuts, and other crops. The front that moves through the Corn Belt later this week will move through the region and may have a tendency to stall. We could see some pockets of heavier rain, but it's not guaranteed. Overall, the prospects are still looking poor in this part of the country."

National Crop Progress Summary
	This	Last	Last	5-Year
	Week	Week	Year	Avg.
Corn Planted	11	5	11	9
Corn Emerged	4	NA	2	2
Soybeans Planted	12	6	7	5
Winter Wheat Headed	20	11	14	12
Spring Wheat Planted	12	6	16	12
Spring Wheat Emerged	2	NA	2	2
Cotton Planted	11	7	10	10
Sorghum Planted	15	13	17	16
Oats Planted	44	36	51	45
Oats Emerged	27	24	30	30
Barley Planted	24	13	24	20
Barley Emerged	6	NA	3	2
Rice Planted	56	42	46	40
Rice Emerged	34	23	27	22
Sugarbeets Planted	12	9	20	18
Peanuts Planted	4	1	3	2



National Crop Condition Summary
(VP=Very Poor; P=Poor; F=Fair; G=Good; E=Excellent)
	This Week					Last Week					Last Year
	VP	P	F	G	E	VP	P	F	G	E	VP	P	F	G	E
Winter Wheat	12	21	37	25	5	12	20	34	29	5	6	15	34	38	7

Bureau of Reclamation, Pacific Northwest Region - Storage Reservoirs in the Upper Snake River (4/20)

2026-04-20T06:57:00.000-07:00

Average daily streamflows indicated in cubic feet per second.

Reservoir levels current as of midnight on date indicated.

Upper Snake River system is at 76 % of capacity.
(Jackson Lake,Palisades, Grassy Lake,Island Park,Ririe,American Falls,LakeWalcott)

Total space available:	980729 AF
Total storage capacity:	4045695 AF

This Week's Drought Summary (4/16)

2026-04-16T06:52:00.000-07:00

Much of the country continued to experience above-normal temperatures in April. During the last week, the warmest temperatures were over the southern Midwest and into the central Plains, where departures were 9°F or greater. California and portions of the Southeast into the Mid-Atlantic were near normal to slightly below normal. Dryness has continued in the Southeast, portions of the South, the Northeast, and much of the High Plains. The greatest precipitation occurred in the Great Basin, northern California, central and west Texas, northeast Kansas, and across much of Michigan and Wisconsin, where spring thunderstorms developed within an active weather pattern, mainly over the Midwest.

Northeast

Temperatures were mixed across the region this week. Western areas were 2–4 degrees above normal, with some pockets of greater departures in New York and Pennsylvania. Coastal areas were near normal to slightly below normal. Northern New England was the wettest part of the region, with portions of New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine recording 100–150% of normal precipitation for the week. Farther south, precipitation decreased, with mostly dry conditions in southern New Jersey, Virginia, and West Virginia.

Moderate drought expanded across most of southern New Jersey, eastern Pennsylvania, and northern Delaware. In Virginia, moderate and severe drought expanded, with severe drought pushing north into southern Maryland. In West Virginia, abnormally dry conditions expanded across much of the state, while moderate drought expanded across southern and eastern areas. In northern Vermont, New Hampshire, and far northwest Maine—areas that received the most precipitation—abnormally dry and moderate drought conditions improved. Similar improvements were observed in far eastern Massachusetts.

Southeast

Much of the region was near normal to slightly below normal for temperatures this week. The western portion was the exception, with temperatures 3–6 degrees above normal. The coolest readings were along Florida’s Atlantic coast, where several rain events helped reduce temperatures. Outside of Florida, the region remained dry, with most areas recording little to no precipitation this week.

Coastal eastern Florida and much of southern Florida recorded above-normal precipitation, with some localized areas exceeding 6 inches. Continued dryness across the region led to widespread degradation in drought conditions. Nearly the entire state of Alabama experienced a one-category worsening, with extreme drought spreading across the southeast and severe drought affecting much of the state.

In Georgia, exceptional drought expanded eastward, while extreme drought in northern areas shifted slightly south. Across the Carolinas, severe drought spread across much of eastern South Carolina, with extreme drought expanding in the far southeast. Extreme drought also expanded along the North Carolina–South Carolina border and in western and northeastern North Carolina. Florida received enough rainfall to prevent degradation this week, despite below-normal precipitation in some areas. Improvements were observed along the Atlantic coast and in parts of central Florida.

Midwest

An active weather pattern brought significant rainfall to many areas, while locations outside the storm track remained mostly dry. Areas from western Missouri into southern Iowa, Wisconsin, northern Illinois, and northern Michigan recorded 200–400% of normal precipitation for the week. In contrast, areas from southeast Missouri to central Illinois and into Ohio and Kentucky received less than 25% of normal precipitation. Northern Iowa and northern Minnesota were also drier than normal.

Temperatures were above normal across most of the region, with only northern Michigan and Minnesota near or slightly below normal. Parts of Illinois, Missouri, and western Indiana were 9–12 degrees above normal. Dry and warm conditions allowed abnormally dry conditions to expand across southern Indiana and northern Kentucky. Moderate drought expanded across much of eastern and northern Kentucky, while extreme drought expanded over the “bootheel” of Missouri and into far western Kentucky.

In northern Missouri, eastern Illinois, and southern and western Iowa, abnormally dry and moderate drought conditions improved this week, supported by short-term indicators.

High Plains

Temperatures were mostly above normal, with only eastern North Dakota and northeast South Dakota near or below normal. The greatest departures occurred in central Kansas, where temperatures were 12–15 degrees above normal. Above-normal precipitation was observed in southwest and northern North Dakota.

Kansas experienced the most active weather, with southwest and eastern areas of the state and southeast Nebraska recording above-normal precipitation. Some areas of northeast Kansas received more than 400% of normal precipitation. These rains led to improvements in abnormally dry and moderate drought conditions across southeast Nebraska and northeast Kansas. Some areas of eastern Nebraska and south-central Kansas also saw improvements.

Extreme drought expanded across southwest Nebraska and northwest Kansas, while severe drought expanded across southwest Kansas. The plains of eastern Colorado experienced nearly a full-category degradation, with expansion of moderate, severe, and extreme drought.

South

Precipitation was mixed across the region. Oklahoma and much of central and western Texas received more than 150% of normal precipitation. Farther east, eastern Arkansas and Louisiana saw light precipitation, while areas farther west and into Tennessee remained mostly dry.

Temperatures were above normal across much of the region, with only southern Texas, southern Louisiana, and eastern Mississippi near or below normal. The greatest departures occurred in western Oklahoma and the Texas Panhandle, where temperatures were 12–15 degrees above normal.

Drought expanded and intensified across much of Tennessee, with moderate and severe drought expanding statewide and a new area of extreme drought developing in the northwest. In Mississippi, moderate and severe drought expanded across eastern and southern areas, with extreme drought expanding in the northwest. Arkansas remained dry, with extreme and exceptional drought expanding in both northern and southern areas.

Louisiana saw expansion of extreme drought across much of the south, as well as central and northern areas. Moderate and severe drought also expanded across southern portions of the state. Oklahoma remained largely unchanged, with only minor expansion of severe drought in the panhandle.

The most significant improvements occurred in Texas, where much of central, southern, and southeastern portions of the state saw a full-category improvement in drought conditions. However, severe drought expanded in parts of the panhandle.

West

Warmer-than-normal temperatures dominated the region this past week. Departures were 6–8 degrees above normal across most of Utah, Colorado, and Wyoming. Only the Sierra Nevada area and northern California were near to slightly below normal.

Precipitation was mixed, with parts of northern California, northern Nevada, eastern Oregon, southern Utah, eastern and western New Mexico, southwest Idaho, and eastern Washington receiving above-normal precipitation.

The lack of snowpack will continue to impact the region in the coming months. Earlier-than-normal snowmelt, below-normal seasonal totals, and increased liquid precipitation are contributing to hydrological impacts.

Changes this week included improvements in moderate drought in northeastern California and expansion of moderate and severe drought in southern Arizona. Southern Idaho into northern Nevada saw expansion of severe, extreme, and exceptional drought, while severe drought expanded across eastern and northern New Mexico.

Caribbean

No changes occurred in Puerto Rico this week.

Until the end of the period, it had been a relatively dry week across the U.S. Virgin Islands, with a few tenths of an inch of rain falling on most locations. Some locations may have been teetering on the brink of short-term dryness, but moderate to heavy rain fell on most of the region late in the week. Most locations reported 1.0 to 2.5 inches of rain in the last 24-48 hours, although parts of St. Croix received a little less than an inch. Still, these amounts pushed April to date totals to near or above normal, and with no antecedent dryness noted, this is enough to preclude any dryness or drought designation at this time.

Pacific

No changes occurred in Alaska this week.

Hawaii, recent wetter conditions allowed for additional reduction of abnormally dry conditions in central areas of the Big Island.

Heavy to excessive precipitation during the past few months was exacerbated by Super Typhoon Sinlaku, which tracked slowly across the Marianas into April 15. The center moved across the northern Marianas near Saipan, but wind gusts topped hurricane force throughout the island chain. Saipan reported wind gusts reaching 130 mph while Guam – well south of the center – recorded an 87 mph wind gust. Rainfall was intense, especially across the southern reaches of the island near Guam, which reported amounts of over one foot through mid-afternoon April 15. Saipan reported 5.73 inches through April 14, with the storm in progress. These amounts pushed March 1 – April 15 totals to near or above the record for the period. Guam recorded 28.46 inches during these 1.5 months (the normal is 4.36 inches) and Saipan measured 20.59 inches (normal 3.15 inches). Saipan reported 41.46 inches for the year to date (normal 9.30 inches) and Guam has received over 50 inches of rain since December 2025 (normal under 20 inches). It may go without saying that no dryness or drought is noted anywhere across the Marianas, and there is little chance of any developing in the near future.

In Palau, April is off to a dry start, with April 1-13 totals at Koror totaling just over one-half inch (two days of reports were missing). The prior couple of months, however, were at least somewhat wetter than normal, with February bringing almost 11 inches and March bringing slightly more. These amounts were more than sufficient to keep up with water demand, so no dryness or drought is indicated this week, but the situation will need to be monitored if April continues to be very dry.

April is also off to a very dry start in western sections of the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM). Less than one-half inch fell on Yap through the 13th (just 15 percent of normal) and under 0.9 inch was recorded in Ulithi (under 40 percent of normal). However, the first three months of the year were near or wetter than normal, so no impactful dryness or drought is noted at this time. Yap reported over 10.5 inches of rain in January (145 percent of normal), followed by 6.71 inches in February (112 percent of normal) and 6.92 inches in March (over 130 percent of normal).

In the central FSM from Chuuk southward to Kapingamaringi, Lukunor remains abnormally dry this week (D0) while no dryness or drought is noted elsewhere. Lukunor recorded 60 to 75 percent of normal for each of the first three months of 2026, and so far this April, 3.58 inches has been reported, or just under 70 percent of normal. Year-to-date, Lukunor reports 22.37 inches of rain, compared to the normal around 34.6 inches, which supports the D0 designation. This is slightly less than necessary to keep up with demand over the long-term, although serious water shortages have not been reported to date (also, several days of data are missing). To the south, Nukuoro and Kapingamaringi have reported under half of normal rainfall so far this April (3.56 and 2.48 inches, respectively). However, Kapingamaringi recorded more than enough rainfall to keep up with demand during the first 3 months of the year (over 28 inches). In Nukuoro, March (8.49 inches) was considerably drier than normal, but wet enough to keep up with demand. This followed almost 20 inches of rain in February, so no dryness or drought designations are posted for these two locations. North of Lukunor, it has been much wetter at Chuuk, where no drought or dryness designation exists. April totals to date are approaching 14 inches (more than twice normal), and this follows near 11 inches or more each of the three prior months in 2026.

Pohnpei is the only location reliably reporting precipitation recently, and April there has been exceedingly wet. Almost 14 inches of rain fell during the week, bringing month-to-date totals to nearly 25 inches no even halfway through the month. As a result, no dryness or drought designation is assessed, and none is anticipated in the near future.

The northeastern Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) was the only area across the U.S. Affiliated Pacific Islands (USAPI) reporting drought last week (April 6). Utirik was in severe drought (D2) while moderate drought (D1) was posted at Wotje. However, rainfall has increased dramatically since late March, and this trend continued through the past week. During March 22 – April 13 at Utirik, 16.70 inches of rain was reported, including 8.27 inches during the last half of this past week. Wotje recorded lesser amounts (7.57 inches) since March 20, which included almost 3 inches this past week. These amounts have dramatically improved conditions over the past three weeks, and both locations are designated as abnormally dry (D0) this week. This represents a 2-category improvement at Utirik. To the west, Kwajalein has received more consistent rainfall over the past few months, and no dryness or drought is impacting the region at this time. Just under 2.5 inches last week brought April-to-date totals to near 4.9 inches and year-to-date amounts to over 23.5 inches, the latter amount considerably more than the normal of about 16.5 inches for the period.

Farther south, the central and southern RMI (Ailinglapalap, Jaluit, Majuro, and Mili) is free from dryness and drought. Last week, rainfall totals ranged from 1.23 inches at Ailinglapalap to 2.38 inches at Mili. April totals to date are near or above normal across Ailinglapalap (3.97 inches, 136 percent of normal) and Majuro (4.86 inches, 116 percent of normal), and amounts over the past 30 days exceeded 18 inches in Mili. This followed robust February – March rainfall at Ailinglapalap (27.85 inches, about 2.5 times normal) and near-normal rainfall during January – March at Majuro. Jaluit was the only site reporting subnormal April rainfall to date (2.71 inches, 57 percent of normal) after near-normal amounts last week. But this followed February – March totals exceeding 20 inches.

So far this year, American Samoa has seen alternating dry and wet periods. Currently no dryness or drought designation is supported, but April to date has been quite dry (1.9 inches, under 40 percent of normal) and February amounts were also unfavorably low (5.1 inches, about 40 percent of normal). In between, however, March brought near normal amounts just shy of one foot, and earlier in the year, January brought nearly 28 inches of rain (almost twice normal).

Looking Ahead

Over the next 5–7 days, precipitation is expected to be most prominent across the southern Plains, Midwest, and Northeast. The heaviest precipitation is likely from eastern Kansas into Missouri and northward into eastern Iowa, northern Illinois, and the Great Lakes.

Additional precipitation is expected from the Pacific Northwest into the northern Rockies and High Plains. Dryness is likely to persist across much of the Southwest and Southeast.

Temperatures are expected to be above normal from the northern Rockies into the High Plains, with the greatest departures in western Nebraska, eastern Colorado, and central Montana (10–13 degrees above normal). Cooler-than-normal temperatures are anticipated across much of central Texas (5–9 degrees below normal), while warmer-than-normal conditions are expected across the Mid-Atlantic (5–7 degrees above normal).

The 6-10 day outlooks show that the locations with the best chances of experiencing below- normal temperatures are in the Southwest, especially those locations in Arizona and southern Nevada and California as well as in New England with the best chances in both Arizona and Maine. There is a high likelihood of above-normal temperatures over much of the Midwest, Plains, and into the South and Southeast with the best chances over Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma into southern Nebraska and Iowa. Precipitation chances are expected to be near-normal over southern Florida and southern areas of New Mexico and Arizona. Near-normal precipitation is also expected over the Pacific Northwest, upper Midwest and into the Northern Plains. In the Northeast, there will be a mix of near-normal to below-normal precipitation chances. Most of the rest of the country has above-normal chances of recording above-normal precipitation with the greatest chances over an area from northern Louisiana to Indiana.

Idaho And Western United States SNOTEL Water Year (Oct 1) to Date Precipitation % of Normal (4/14)

2026-04-14T06:49:00.000-07:00

USDA Weekly Crop Progress Report Crop Progress - Planted; Winter Wheat 34% in Good-to-Excellent Condition

2026-04-13T13:54:00.000-07:00

OMAHA (DTN) -- U.S. corn planting was slightly ahead of last year's pace and the five-year average as of Sunday, April 12, according to USDA NASS's weekly Crop Progress report released on Monday.

Winter wheat conditions also declined slightly last week, with the crop rated 34% good to excellent, down 1 percentage point from the previous week and 13 percentage points from 47% a year ago amid widespread drought in the Central and Southern Plains, noted DTN Senior Analyst Dana Mantini.

CORN

-- Planting progress: 5% of corn was planted nationwide as of Sunday, 1 point ahead of 4% last year and equal to the five-year average. Texas is leading the way at 63%, followed by Tennessee and North Carolina at 42% and 29%, Mantini said.

SOYBEANS

-- Planting progress: An estimated 6% of intended soybean acreage was planted as of Sunday, 4 points ahead of last year at this time and equal to the five-year average of 2%. Louisiana, Arkansas, Tennessee and Mississippi are at the top, ranging from 30% to 39% planted, Mantini said.

WINTER WHEAT

-- Crop condition: An estimated 32% of winter wheat was rated poor to very poor as of April 12, up 13 percentage points from 19% a year ago, according to NASS. Kansas, No. 1 winter-wheat-producer, is rated 32% good to excellent, while Nebraska and Oklahoma are among the worst-rated states at 14% and 10% good to excellent, respectively, Mantini said. Washington and Idaho are highly rated at 92% and 86% good to excellent, respectively, with soft red winter wheat state Illinois at 67% good to excellent.

-- Crop development: 11% of winter wheat was headed nationwide as of Sunday. That's 3 percentage points ahead of last year's 8% and 4 points ahead of the five-year average of 7%.

SPRING WHEAT

-- Planting progress: 6% of the crop was planted nationwide as of April 12, equal to last year's pace but 1 percentage point behind the five-year average of 7%. Western states Washington and Idaho lead the pack at 36% and 32% planted, respectively.

THE WEEK AHEAD IN WEATHER

An active weather pattern will impact much of the country this week, with frequent showers and thunderstorms in some areas and worsening drought in others, according to DTN Ag Meteorologist John Baranick.

"This week will be another busy week for weather, which may be a good thing or a bad thing depending on the location," Baranick said.

"Multiple storm systems will move through the Plains and Midwest this week, bringing daily showers and thunderstorms throughout the week. The highest amounts and coverage are focused on the Great Lakes states this week, which will increase soil moisture, but could cause some areas of flooding and severe weather as well. Across Texas and Oklahoma, rainfall will be more beneficial for reducing drought and increasing soil moisture for wheat and newly-planted summer crops.

"However, the pattern will not be favorable for some key areas of the country. Particularly in the central High Plains of western Nebraska, western Kansas, and eastern Colorado, little to no precipitation is expected. These areas got some streaks of precipitation late last week and weekend, but will get very little this week, causing drought to increase. The Delta region may get intermittent showers this week, but will see lower-than-normal amounts and the drought continues to be worse in the Southeast, where it should be largely dry. Even a cold front that sweeps through this weekend will have waning showers across the South and Southeast; not a great situation to be in for these areas.

"Behind that front, temperatures will take a sharp dive and we're likely to see frosts and freezes show up for at least the Northern Plains and Upper Midwest, but could spread farther south depending on how strong that system is that brings the cold front through. We may even see some accumulating snow across the north should the system be sufficiently strong."

National Crop Progress Summary
	This	Last	Last	5-Year
	Week	Week	Year	Avg.
Corn Planted	5	3	4	4
Soybeans Planted	6	NA	2	2
Winter Wheat Headed	11	7	8	7
Spring Wheat Planted	6	2	6	7
Cotton Planted	7	5	5	7
Sorghum Planted	13	12	15	14
Oats Planted	36	28	40	36
Oats Emerged	24	23	27	26
Barley Planted	13	5	12	10
Rice Planted	42	30	31	28
Rice Emerged	23	13	17	15
Sugarbeets Planted	9	3	10	9
Peanuts Planted	1	NA	1	1



National Crop Condition Summary
(VP=Very Poor; P=Poor; F=Fair; G=Good; E=Excellent)
	This Week					Last Week					Last Year
	VP	P	F	G	E	VP	P	F	G	E	VP	P	F	G	E
Winter Wheat	12	20	34	29	5	12	19	34	29	6	5	14	34	41	6

Bureau of Reclamation, Pacific Northwest Region - Storage Reservoirs in the Upper Snake River (4/13)

2026-04-13T07:06:00.000-07:00

Average daily streamflows indicated in cubic feet per second.

Reservoir levels current as of midnight on date indicated.

Upper Snake River system is at 76 % of capacity.
(Jackson Lake,Palisades, Grassy Lake,Island Park,Ririe,American Falls,LakeWalcott)

Total space available:	973256 AF
Total storage capacity:	4045695 AF

This Week's Drought Summary (4/9)

2026-04-09T06:51:00.000-07:00

This U.S. Drought Monitor (USDM) week saw degradations across the areas of the West, Southeast, and Mid-Atlantic, while rainfall during the past week led to improvements in drought-affected areas of the South, Plains, and Midwest. In the Midwest, widespread improvements were made after another round of precipitation during the past week leading to removal of areas of drought on the map in Iowa, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio. In these areas, precipitation totals ranged from 2 to 5 inches. Similarly, significant rainfall was observed in portions of Texas, Oklahoma, and Louisiana leading to targeted improvements. Out West, generally dry conditions prevailed across much of the region, although modest precipitation totals were observed in areas of the Pacific Northwest, Northern California, Intermountain West, and Southwest with the highest totals logged in California. Despite the much-needed precipitation, conditions deteriorated on the map in Oregon, California, Nevada, Wyoming, Montana, and New Mexico. In the Hawaiian Islands, conditions have improved significantly during the past two months due to historic rainfall events observed across the island chain. Elsewhere, dry conditions continued across much of the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic, leading to degradation in conditions from Virginia to Florida.

According to the latest U.S. temperature and precipitation analysis by NOAA’s Center for Environmental Information, March 2026 was the warmest March on record for the contiguous U.S. (CONUS) with average temperatures reaching 9.4 °F above the 20th-century average. For the month, 1,432 counties observed their single warmest March day on record (1950-present). Moreover, the April 2025 to March 2026 period was the warmest 12-month span recorded for CONUS since 1895. In terms of precipitation, the January to March period was the driest on record for CONUS, breaking the previous record set in 1910.

Coming into April, mountain snowpack conditions remain well below normal despite this week’s precipitation across the higher elevations of the Cascades, Sierra, and Rockies. According to the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) SNOw TELemetry (SNOTEL) network (April 7), region-level (2-digit HUC) snow water equivalent (SWE) values (percent of median) are as follows: Pacific Northwest 50%, Missouri 58%, Upper Colorado 26%, Great Basin 18%, Lower Colorado 17%, Rio Grande 13%, and Arkansas-White-Red 10%. In California, statewide snowpack is 16% of normal (April 7), with the Southern Sierra at 27%, Central Sierra at 19%, and Northern Sierra at 5%.

Northeast

This week, continued improvements were made in areas of Pennsylvania, New York, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and Maine in response to precipitation this week and overall improving conditions observed during the past 30 days. Over the past 60-day period, precipitation was near normal to above normal (110–200+%) across Pennsylvania, New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and western Massachusetts. Conversely, areas of Maine continue to observe precipitation deficits for the contemporaneous period, ranging from 1 to 4 inches. Snowpack conditions continue to decline seasonally, with the National Weather Service National Operational Hydrologic Remote Sensing Center (NWS NOHRSC) reporting 61% snow cover (compared to 91% last month) for the Northeast Region, with an average depth of 3.5 inches, and a maximum depth of 69 inches. For the week, temperatures were above normal across most of the region, with the greatest departures (9–15 °F) observed in the southern half of the region.

Southeast

During the past week, dry conditions prevailed across most of the region, except for some isolated light-to-moderate rainfall accumulations (1 to 3 inches) observed in southern Florida, southwestern Georgia, and southern Alabama. On the map, drought expanded and intensified across much of the region including in Virginia, the Carolinas, Georgia, and Florida. In southern Georgia and northern Florida, areas of Exceptional Drought (D4) expanded in response to continued dryness, very poor soil moisture and hydrologic conditions. Impacts are being reported in northern Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina, according to the National Drought Mitigation Center’s (NDMC) Conditions Monitoring Observer Reports (CMOR) tool. According to data from the Southeast Regional Climate Center’s Climate Perspectives tool, the past two months (February 7 to April 7) have been very dry across areas of the region, with near-record dryness observed in the following locations: Gainesville, FL (2nd driest; -4.7 inch departure); Tallahassee, FL (4th driest; -6.13 inches); Savannah, GA (3rd driest; -4.36 inches); Montgomery, AL (2nd driest; -4.34 inches); North Charleston, SC (5th driest; -3.93 inches); and Charlotte, NC (7th driest; -2.85 inches). In terms of average temperatures for the week, above-normal temperatures (5 to 15 °F) were observed across the entire region, with Virginia experiencing the greatest departures.

South

On this week’s map, improvements were made in drought-affected areas of Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Arkansas, while areas of Tennessee saw degradations. In terms of precipitation during the past week, moderate to heavy rainfall accumulations (ranging from 3 to 6 inches) were observed in Texas, Oklahoma, and isolated areas of Louisiana. In Arkansas, some beneficial rains fell in the far-western portion of the state, which led to a boost in streamflow conditions. However, dry soils and significant precipitation deficits remain across the state with the NDMC CMOR tool showing many new impact reports during the past week. Looking at climatological rankings for the past 60-day period (February 7 to April 7), record to near-record dryness was observed in the region, including in Del Rio, TX (driest on record; -1.98 inches), Monticello, AR (4th driest; -5.7 inches), and Monroe, LA (7th driest; -6.69 inches). In Texas, Water for Texas (April 7) reports statewide reservoirs at 74% full, with eastern reservoirs in good condition while many western and southern reservoirs remain below normal. Average temperatures for the week were above normal across the region (2 to 12+ °F).

Midwest

On this week’s map, widespread improvements were made across Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio in response to the cumulative impacts of precipitation events during the past 30-day period. Noteworthy, some multiple-category improvements were made in northern portions of Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio where the heaviest precipitation totals (ranging 2 to 5 inches) were observed during the past week. In Kentucky, short-term dryness and developing hydrologic drought conditions led to expansion and intensification of drought. NWS NOHRSC (Northern Great Lakes Region) reports 42% of the region is covered by snow, at an average depth of 5.5 inches, and a maximum depth of 71 inches. Temperatures were above normal across most of the region, with anomalies ranging from 2 to 15 °F. Looking at climatological rankings for the past 30-day period (March 7 to April 7), numerous locations ranked among their wettest or near-wettest on record, including Chicago, IL: (2nd wettest; +2.57 inches); Lake Geneva, WI (wettest on record; +6.33 inches), Lafayette, IN (wettest on record; +3.75 inches); Toledo, OH (wettest on record; +4.43 inches), and Saginaw, MI (wettest on record; +3.66 inches).

High Plains

On this week’s map, rainfall (1 to 4 inches) during the past week led to targeted improvements in far eastern portions of Kansas and Nebraska. Meanwhile, conditions deteriorated on the map in areas of central and western Kansas, and southwestern South Dakota. For the week, average temperatures were 4 to 10+ °F below normal across much of the region with the greatest departures observed in the Dakotas. Looking at climatological rankings for the past 60-day period (March 7 to April 7), several locations ranked among their driest on record, including Dodge City, KS (driest on record; -1.51 inches); Goodland, KS (driest on record; -1.05); and Manhattan, KS (2nd driest; -1.81 inches). In terms of hydrologic conditions, the U.S. Geological Survey is reporting below to much below normal streamflows across southwestern South Dakota, southern Nebraska, and central/western Kansas.

West

Conditions continued to deteriorate in the region with degradations made across southern Oregon, Northern California, southwestern Montana, northwestern Wyoming, and New Mexico. Despite some precipitation falling across the mountain ranges of the region this week, the snowpack conditions remain extremely poor with the remaining snowpack primarily restricted to the highest elevations. In Colorado, NRCS is reporting statewide SWE at the lowest on record. Historically, median peak SWE in Colorado occurs on April 8, however, this year peak SWE occurred on March 8. In Washington state, the Department of Ecology issued a statewide emergency drought declaration as projected water supplies are expected to be well below normal levels. In the Colorado River Basin, Lake Powell is 24% full, while Lake Mead is 33% full, according to the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. Across areas of the Far West, very dry conditions were observed during the past 30-day period (March 7 to April 7), with record to near-record dryness at the following locations: Eugene, OR (10th driest; -2.57 inches); Medford, OR (9th driest; -1.38 inches); Crescent City, CA (2nd driest; -5.58 inches); Mount Shasta, CA (driest on record; -5.35 inches); San Francisco, CA (5th driest; -2.34 inches); Santa Cruz (driest on record; -3.13 inches); Monterey, CA (3rd driest; -2.8 inches), and San Diego, CA (driest on record; -1.24 inches).

Caribbean

No changes were made this week in Puerto Rico.

Near the beginning of the current drought week (Wed, Apr 1 – Tue, Apr 7) strong high pressure over the western Atlantic maintained breezy trade winds across the region. Winds of 15-20 mph were generally noted, with gusts of 25-30 mph or higher. Dangerous rip currents were a concern for northward and eastward-facing beaches. As time progressed, a band of above-normal precipitable water (PW) values (the 75th climatological percentile for this time of year is near 1.7 inches) moved in from the northeast and spread across the islands. As moisture deepened and became more established over the area, passing showers became more frequent. The lack of a well-defined trade wind cap, combined with a nearby upper-level trough, aided in the formation of showers and isolated thunderstorm activity. For the mid to late part of the drought week, broad surface high pressure over the central to eastern Atlantic resulted in south to southeasterly winds. Increasing low-level moisture from the Caribbean overspread the USVI and nearby Puerto Rico, with PW values rising to near 2.0 inches. Above-normal heat index values returned to the region by the end of the period. SPoRT-based IMERG satellite imagery provided rainfall estimates for the drought week, with most areas indicating under one inch of rain.

Relatively dry conditions were noted across the U.S. Virgin Islands this past drought week, near the height of the climatological dry season. No adjustments were deemed necessary to any of the drought depictions.

Measured precipitation amounts on St. Croix this past week ranged from 0.17-inch (2 days of missing data) at VI-SC-35 (Frederiksted 1.3 ENE) to 1.54 inches at VI-SC-20 (Frederiksted 1.7 ESE). Intermediate rainfall values (in increasing order) were: 0.24-inch (2 days missing) at VI-SC-24 (Christiansted 2.1 ENE), 0.26-inch at VI-SC-34 (Frederiksted 1.9 NE), 0.34-inch (2 days missing) at VI-SC-29 (Frederiksted 2.5 NNE), 0.39-inch at VI-SC-23 (Christiansted 6.5 W), 0.49-inch (1 day missing) at VI-SC-25 (Christiansted 4.4 W), 0.51-inch at VI-SC-30 (Christiansted 1.7 SW), 0.58-inch at 11624 (Rohlsen Airport), 0.62-inch (1 day missing) at VI-SC-10 (Christiansted 1.6 E), and 0.65-inch at 672560 (East Hill). The Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) values at East Hill for 1-, 3-, 6-, 9-, and 12-months are: +1.03, +1.64, -0.27, +0.11, and +0.03, indicating there are no drought concerns at this time. The Adventure 28 Well water levels have ranged from a high of 20.46 feet early on Apr 1 to a low of 20.71 feet late on Apr 7.

Rainfall amounts on St. John’s in ascending order included 0.32-inch at 672551 (East End), 0.71-inch at VI-SJ-3 (Windswept Beach), 1.13 inches at VI-SJ-5 (Cruz Bay 1.6 E), and 1.23 inches at VI-SJ-10 (Cruz Bay 3.1 NNW). Historically, March is the driest month of the year at Windswept Beach, with a 1984-2025 mean rainfall value of 1.75 inches; this March’s accumulation was 2.25 inches. In February, the total precipitation at Windswept Beach was 3.37 inches. The Susannaberg Dpw 3 Well water levels peaked at 13.48 feet early on Apr 1, and then gradually declined to 13.73 feet on Apr 5, with a slight rebound towards the end of the period.

St. Thomas precipitation included 0.51-inch at 11640 (King Airport), 0.70-inch at VI-ST-13 (Charlotte Amalie 1.2 NNW), and 0.90-inch at VI-ST-15 (Charlotte Amalie West 1.3 N). The 1-, 3-, and 6-month SPI values at King Airport were +0.55, +0.56, and -1.14, which indicates additional assessment and reevaluation of parameters are warranted during the next few weeks. The Grade School 3 Well water levels peaked at 5.92 feet at the start of Apr 1, with steady decline thereafter to 6.92 feet near the very end of Apr 7.

Pacific

No changes were made this week in Alaska.

In the Hawaiian Islands, the cumulative impact of several significant storm events has erased drought across the island chain, except some areas on the Big Island which have some remaining longer-term deficits as well as areas of dryness showing up on satellite-based vegetation health indices.

At the beginning of the drought week, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) experienced the passage of a shear line fragment and spotty showers. Several days later, surface high pressure moved off the coast of Japan, which tightened the pressure gradient with the Near-Equatorial Trough (NET) which led to an increase in both ocean swell and winds. Rip currents were a concern for northward and eastward facing beaches. The second half of the drought week was associated with a seasonal trade-wind pattern attended by considerable cloud cover and scattered showers. Over the western Federated States of Micronesia (w-FSM), the nearby NET displayed the presence of an embedded circulation early in the drought week, while Palau was near a convergence zone produced by the circulation and the prevailing northeast winds. Drier conditions were noted for Yap and Palau. What remained of tropical disturbance 99W passed over Weno (the capital of Chuuk). Wet weather ensued at Chuuk, as a trade wind surge brought an increase in both showers and thunderstorms. Later in the drought week, the main two features for the w-FSM region included the NET and the incoming Invest 90W. South of the NET axis, scattered to numerous showers were observed on satellite imagery. For Palau and Yap, a dry trade wind pattern remained over the region, with the exception of an approaching trough which was expected to produce only a few showers. For the eastern FSM region (e-FSM), a tropical disturbance was located near Kiribati near the start of the drought week, producing heavy rainfall and gusty winds as it drifted around. The combination of this disturbance and the NET brought unsettled weather conditions to the region. A deepening in ITCZ convection as it interacted with the NET and embedded NET disturbance downstream, brought periods of intense showers, thunderstorms, and strong to near gale-force winds to Pohnpei and Kosrae, and extended farther east into Majuro, part of the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI). In the South Pacific, Tropical Cyclone (TC) Vaianu, remained well west and south of American Samoa, with little if any direct impacts from this system before the drought week came to a close.

Satellite-based rainfall estimates (from SPoRT GPM/IMERG) for the past 7-days ending 12z Apr 7 show a pattern that broadly favors the heavier precipitation amounts (1-4 inches) over central and eastern portions of the USAPI domain north of the equator. Much of this was consolidated into linear or quasi-linear bands, especially over the southern and eastern RMI. Smaller-scale clumps of more isolated convection were noted in the vicinity of Pohnpei. Much of the CNMI and w-FSM (including Palau) were shown to have received under a half-inch of precipitation for the week.

In the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) rainfall amounts were relatively light this past drought week ranging from 0.07-inch at Agat to 0.68-inch at Saipan International Airport. The previous three months have been “wet” in Saipan (exceeding the minimum water requirement of 4 inches), with 13.72 inches being recorded in March alone. Rota Airport measured 0.19-inch of rain this week, with every month from June 2025 through March 2026 registering “wet”. The March total of 15.94 inches is nearly four times the monthly minimum water requirement of 4 inches. Dededo came in with 0.21-inch for the week, with two days of data missing. Guam reported 0.34-inch of rain this past drought week, with the previous five weeks being wet, as well as each month from June 2025 through March 2026. Guam received 14.90 inches in March. There was not enough data to perform a reliable analysis at Tinian this week. Though this was a dry week for the CNMI, the amount of precipitation received in past months (including March 2026) was more than enough to justify the ongoing drought-free conditions.

The Republic of Palau experienced a very dry week, with only 0.15-inch of precipitation measured at Koror (2 days of missing data) and 0.23-inch at Airai (WSO Palau). The March 2026 monthly totals were 11.20 inches and 12.62 inches, respectively, which easily surpassed the 8-inch minimum water requirement. Despite this very dry week in Palau, past months (including March) have been wet. Drought-free conditions continue.

Across the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), rainfall amounts ranged from 0.09-inch at Ulithi to 10.81 inches at Pohnpei. Intermediate values included 0.17-inch (1 day missing) at Rumung, 0.29-inch at North Fanif, 0.37-inch (1 day missing) at Gilman, 0.55-inch (1 day missing) at Yap Island, 1.19 inches at Lukunoch, 1.22 inches (1 day missing) at Kosrae, 1.28 inches at Kapingamarangi, 1.38 inches at Nukuoro, and 6.72 inches at Chuuk. Only Chuuk and Pohnpei exceeded the 2-inch weekly minimum requirement this week to meet most water needs. Fananu, Pingelap, and Woleai did not report precipitation amounts this week and were therefore left out of the analyses. One station that bears monitoring is Lukunoch, currently depicted as D0(S). The previous three months, January, February, and March 2026 reported rainfall totals of 6.73 inches, 5.95 inches, and 6.11 inches, respectively, all falling short of the 8-inch minimum threshold.

In the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI), measured rainfall amounts ranged from 0.60-inch at Jaluit (though with 4 days of missing data) to 3.57 inches at Majuro. Intermediate values included 0.70-inch at Utirik, 1.62 inches at Wotje, 1.79 inches at Mili, 2.41 inches at Kwajalein, and 2.74 inches at Ailinglaplap. Weekly minimum water requirements of at least 2 inches were therefore met at Kwajalein, Ailinglaplap, and Majuro. For the month of March 2026, precipitation amounts included 3.49 inches at Wotje (“dry”), 6.49 inches at Kwajalein (dry), 7.70 inches at Utirik (dry), 16.17 inches at Ailinglaplap (wet), and a whopping 20.30 inches at Mili (wet). Based on Automated Weather Station (AWS) data, a 1-category improvement was rendered to the drought depictions at both Utirik (now becomes D2-S) and Wotje (now becomes D1-S).

In the South Pacific, American Samoa precipitation during the past drought week included 0.61-inch (1-day missing) at Toa Ridge, 0.79-inch at Pago Pago Airport, and 1.95-inch (1-day missing) at Siufaga Ridge. Though Siufaga Ridge came close to reaching the 2-inch weekly minimum cutoff, all three locations fell short this week and came in as “dry”. During the week before last, Pago Pago reported 6.20 inches (wet), and the March total was 11.96 inches (wet). For March, Siufaga Ridge observed 7.22 inches of rain (dry) and Toa Ridge observed 7.65 inches (dry). No changes were deemed necessary this week to the drought depiction for American Samoa.

Looking Ahead

The NWS Weather Prediction Center 7-Day Quantitative Precipitation Forecast calls for precipitation accumulations generally ranging from 1 to 4 inches across eastern portions of the Southern Plains, Midwest, and Northeast, with the heaviest totals (locally 3 to 4 inches) along a corridor extending from eastern Oklahoma and Arkansas through the Mid-Mississippi Valley into eastern portions of the Upper Midwest. Across the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic, very dry conditions are expected, with little or no precipitation across most areas. The highest totals in the region are expected in isolated areas of eastern Florida, where accumulations may reach 2 to 3 inches. Across the High Plains, light-to-moderate precipitation accumulations ranging from 0.25 to 1.5 inches are expected, with the greatest totals across the eastern extent of the region. In the West, moderate-to-heavy liquid precipitation accumulations are expected across areas of California, particularly along the central and northern Sierra Nevada and coastal ranges, as well as portions of the central and northern Rockies, with lighter to moderate totals across portions of the Pacific Northwest. Dry conditions are expected to prevail across much of the Southwest, including areas of the southeastern California deserts, southern Nevada, Arizona, and New Mexico.

The NWS 6–10-Day Temperature Outlook (valid April 14–18, 2026) calls for above-normal temperatures across nearly all of the contiguous U.S., with the highest probabilities across the eastern half of the country, including the Midwest, Southeast, Mid-Atlantic, and Northeast. Below-normal temperatures are limited to areas along the broader U.S.–Canada border region in the Northern Plains and Upper Midwest, while near-normal temperatures are expected across parts of the Pacific Northwest.

In terms of precipitation, the 6–10-Day Outlook calls for above-normal precipitation across the Far West, northern Rockies, New Mexico, Texas, the South (eastern extent), portions of the central and southern Plains, Midwest, and Northeast. Near-normal precipitation is expected across the Intermountain West, Desert Southwest, areas of the South, Mid-Atlantic, and coastal New England. Below-normal precipitation is favored across the Southeast and portions of the Mid-Atlantic.

Farmer Sentiment Improves Despite Rising Input Costs Concerns

2026-04-08T08:45:00.000-07:00

Farmer sentiment improved in March as the Purdue University-CME Group Ag Economy Barometer (AEB) Index rose from 116 points in February to 127. The Current Conditions Index increased by 6 points, while the Future Expectations Index increased by 14 points. The Future Expectations Index this month was still 12 points below last year’s December index, and 16 points below last year’s March index. The percentage of respondents who cited high input costs as their biggest concern increased from 44% to 46% this month. However, the percentage of respondents who think the U.S. is headed in the “right direction” and who expect land prices to be higher five years from now also increased. The March barometer survey was conducted among 400 farmers across the nation from March 16-20, 2026.

Approximately 18% of respondents indicated that their farm operations were better off in March than they were a year ago. Looking ahead 12 months, 18% expected worse financial performance, compared to 20% who expected better financial performance. The Farm Capital Investment Index rose by 3 points to 53. However, only 4% of survey respondents indicated that they plan to increase farm machinery purchases in the upcoming year.

This month’s survey included questions about inflation and interest rate expectations. Approximately 39% of respondents expected inflation for consumers to be above 3%. When asked whether the U.S. prime interest rate would be lower, about the same, or higher 12 months from now, 34% of respondents indicated that interest rates would be lower, while 16% said interest rates would be higher.

Periodically, the monthly survey includes questions concerning the leasing of farmland for solar energy production. In this month’s survey, 12% of producers said that within the last six months, they had discussed leasing farmland they own for solar energy production. Lease rates varied considerably, with approximately 21% of reported lease rates above $1,500 per acre. Fifty-six percent of respondents reported that contract offers included an escalator clause, with the most commonly reported range being 2% to 3% per year. Overall, 5% of March survey respondents said that either they or one of their landowners had signed a solar lease.

The Short-Term Farmland Value Expectations Index increased from 123 to 125, and the long-term index increased from 150 to 159 this month. Alternative investments, net farm income, and interest rates were cited as the three factors having the greatest influence on farmland values.

As in the last few months, producers were asked whether the U.S. is headed in the “right direction” or on the “wrong track”. The percentage of producers who indicated the U.S. is headed in the “right direction” increased from 59% in February to 65% in March.

Wrapping Up

Farmer sentiment increased from 116 in February to 127 in March. The increase in sentiment for future expectations was larger than the corresponding increase in sentiment for current conditions. In March, the percentage of producers who expected good times in the next five years was 37%, which is 12% lower than the share reported in March 2025. There continues to be a large disparity in expectations between crop and livestock producers. Approximately 31% of respondents expected good times for crop producers, while 63% expected good times for livestock producers.

Overall, the March results suggest that while producers report improved sentiment, concerns about input costs increased. A higher percentage of respondents indicated that U.S. policy is headed in the right direction, and a higher percentage expected land values to increase in the next five years, pointing to more optimism regarding long-run sentiment.

Idaho And Western United States SNOTEL Water Year (Oct 1) to Date Precipitation % of Normal (4/7)

2026-04-07T07:11:00.000-07:00

USDA Weekly Crop Progress Report - Winter Wheat Condition Rated 35% Good to Excellent

2026-04-07T06:51:00.000-07:00

OMAHA (DTN) -- The nation's winter wheat crop is starting the 2026 growing season in worse shape than last year's crop, according to USDA NASS's weekly Crop Progress report released on Monday.

NASS estimated U.S. winter wheat condition at 35% good to excellent, 13 points below 48% at the same time last year, amid widespread drought in the Central and Southern Plains, according to DTN Lead Analyst Rhett Montgomery.

WINTER WHEAT

-- Crop condition: An estimated 31% of winter wheat was rated poor to very poor as of April 5, up from 21% a year ago, according to NASS. Oklahoma had the highest very-poor-to-poor rating at 54%. It was followed by Texas with a 51% very-poor-to-poor rating and Colorado with a 49% very-poor-to-poor rating. Top winter-wheat-producer Kansas' crop was rated 38% good to excellent, 38% fair and 24% very poor to poor. Washington's crop was rated 86% good to excellent.

-- Crop development: 7% of winter wheat was headed nationwide as of Sunday. That's 2 percentage points ahead of last year's 5% and equal to the five-year average. Texas' winter wheat was 30% headed, 7 points ahead of last year's 23% and 5 points ahead of the state's average pace of 25%.

CORN

-- Planting progress: 3% of corn was planted nationwide as of Sunday, 1 point ahead of 2% last year and equal to the five-year average. "It's very close to the expected national pace for early April, with Texas leading the way at 59% complete," Montgomery said.

SPRING WHEAT

-- Planting progress: 2% of the crop was planted nationwide as of April 5, 1 point behind last year's 3% and equal to the five-year average. Idaho's crop was 18% planted, equal to last year's pace but 4 points ahead of the five-year average of 14%. Washington's crop was 12% planted, 1 point ahead of last year but 5 points behind the five-year average of 17%.

THE WEEK AHEAD IN WEATHER

Widespread rain last week offered drought relief across much of the country, but the weather pattern will remain active in the week ahead after a few colder and drier days, according to DTN Ag Meteorologist John Baranick.

"Last week's rain was significant for a large portion of the middle of the country," Baranick said. "It may have made it hard to go out and work the fields in some areas, but it certainly improved soil moisture and drought conditions. And really, it's the drought that is getting a lot of the headlines as we move into April and planting season. Southern areas are already starting as soil temperatures have come up above the magical 50-degree mark, but that will soon be moving northward throughout the month.

"This week, after a couple of colder and drier days, we'll see temperatures rising and the pattern getting a bit more active again. A system will move along the Canadian border on Wednesday and Thursday and that will leave a front across the Central Plains starting on Thursday. Batches of showers and thunderstorms are forecast to develop along that front before it pushes northward with some warmer air this weekend. In addition, a larger upper-level low pressure system will move into the Southwest and bring some disturbances into the Plains starting this weekend and going at least into early next week. That should bring some chances for widespread showers and thunderstorms for some of the worst drought areas in the country and improve conditions for hard red winter wheat. Other extremely dry areas across the Delta and Southeast will be much drier this week and miss out on a lot of the activity farther north and west. Though they had some good rainfall this past weekend, drier conditions this week will not be favorable for planting, and some folks may wait for more rain to begin planting."

National Crop Progress Summary
	This	Last	Last	5-Year
	Week	Week	Year	Avg.
Corn Planted	3	NA	2	2
Winter Wheat Headed	7	NA	5	5
Spring Wheat Planted	2	NA	3	3
Cotton Planted	5	NA	4	5
Sorghum Planted	12	NA	13	13
Oats Planted	28	NA	31	28
Oats Emerged	23	NA	25	23
Barley Planted	5	NA	5	5
Rice Planted	30	NA	23	18
Rice Emerged	13	NA	11	10
Sugarbeets Planted	3	NA	2	3

National Crop Condition Summary

(VP=Very Poor; P=Poor; F=Fair; G=Good; E=Excellent)

This Week

Last Week

Last Year

Winter Wheat

Bureau of Reclamation, Pacific Northwest Region - Storage Reservoirs in the Upper Snake River (4/6)

2026-04-06T08:39:00.000-07:00

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

Upper Snake River system is at 76 % of capacity.
(Jackson Lake,Palisades, Grassy Lake,Island Park,Ririe,American Falls,LakeWalcott)

Total space available:	990196 AF
Total storage capacity:	4045695 AF

This Week's Drought Summary (4/2)

2026-04-02T06:45:00.000-07:00

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

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

Northeast

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

Southeast

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

South

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

Midwest

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

West

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

Caribbean

No changes were made this week in Puerto Rico.

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

Pacific

No changes were made this week in Alaska.

No changes were made this week in Hawaii.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Looking Ahead

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

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

April Washington D.C. Preview

2026-04-01T08:34:00.000-07:00

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

— Rising oil prices are complicating the Federal Reserve's rate outlook.

— The Trump administration's fiscal 2027 plan will signal priorities across labor, defense, health and housing.

— New trade probes could reset the post–Supreme Court tariff landscape.

Agriculture

—— More farm aid: President Trump pledged to request additional farm aid in an upcoming spending bill, which could bolster Republican plans for up to $15 billion in new ad hoc payments to farmers. USDA is still doling out $12 billion in Commodity Credit Corporation funds to farmers, but the economic outlook for agriculture remains bleak, compelling farm groups and lawmakers to press for more aid.

Trump also urged Congress to pass a long-delayed farm bill, which could help boost farmers’ bottom lines. However, it is not yet clear whether a pathway exists for the legislation, which is nearly three years overdue.

Any new farm aid would likely be attached to a supplemental funding request for the Iran war. That effort, however, faces complications as Congress remains deadlocked over the SAVE Act, which would tighten voter ID requirements, and over funding for the Department of Homeland Security. The president is also expected to send his budget request to Congress April 3, which could shed more light on any plans for future farm aid.

— Regulatory affairs: Nutrition advocates and school meal professionals are eagerly anticipating regulations that will seek to align the National School Meal program with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. The rules, which Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins has said to expect this spring, could crack down on processed foods in schools and affect the amount of animal protein kids eat.

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has also said that the FDA will issue regulations to close the so-called loophole for food ingredients to qualify as “generally recognized as safe” and to define ultraprocessed foods.

— Sticker shock: The closure of the Strait of Hormuz during the U.S.-Israel war against Iran has left farmers confronting high prices for fertilizer and diesel. Experts warn that prolonged disruption could broaden the impact across the agricultural economy. Aluminum prices — relevant to food supply chains — have already taken a hit and may continue to rise. Diesel costs, which have been rising faster than gas, could be the first cost increases passed through to grocery prices. — Marcia Brown

Trade

— Trade probes: The U.S. Trade Representative is launching two new investigations into trading partners could lay the groundwork for new U.S. tariffs to replace the ones the Supreme Court struck down in February.

USTR will collect feedback this month from governments, industry groups and businesses as part of probes into excess manufacturing capacity and forced labor across more than 60 countries, including major partners such as China, the European Union, Canada and Mexico.

USTR Jamieson Greer has set an April 15 deadline for written comments and requests to testify, with hearings on forced labor scheduled to begin April 28 and additional proceedings expected in early May.

The probes are being conducted under Section 301, which allows the administration to levy tariffs without congressional approval if it finds foreign practices to be discriminatory or harmful to U.S. commerce.

The investigation process is expected to take several months, even on an accelerated timeline, and additional investigations could be announced in the coming weeks. — Ari Hawkins, Daniel Desrochers

Financial Services

— Fed rates: The Federal Reserve's policy-setting committee will meet on April 28-29 for its next interest rate decision. Its deliberations are in flux due to the war in the Middle East, which has pushed up oil prices and raised the risk of slower growth alongside higher inflation.

The meeting should be Jerome Powell's last as chair, but he has said he will stay on as chair pro tem if Kevin Warsh, Trump’s nominee to lead the Fed, is not confirmed before Powell’s term ends in mid-May.

— Post-Iran economy: Many economists have assumed the economic shock from the Iran war would be short-lived, but the prolonged closure of the Strait of Hormuz increases the risk of lasting damage.

Major stock indexes have fallen, but private sector data on retail spending and airline data suggest that consumer behavior has been largely unaffected. That could shift if the labor market softens further or inflation accelerates.

The Labor Department is scheduled to provide its monthly employment update on April 3, and the consumer price index is to be released on April 10.

— Corporate reports: The Securities and Exchange Commission is preparing a landmark proposal in the coming weeks to shift corporate reporting in the U.S. to a semiannual model, a change that Trump has long pushed for.

The move is primed to reignite a long-standing debate over how to encourage longer-term thinking in C-suites across corporate America.

— Housing: With the White House’s 2027 budget request expected to land on Capitol Hill on April 3, the affordable housing industry is watching for signals of federal support.

Last year’s proposal sought to slash the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s discretionary spending by more than half and consolidating rental assistance programs into one state block grant. Those changes didn’t make it into this year’s final budget, but they reflected the administration’s push to restructure housing programs. — Cassandra Dumay, Victoria Guida, Declan Harty, Sam Sutton

Tax

— Tax Day watch: With April 15 approaching, much of the tax world is focused on the run-up to the filing deadline.

Lawmakers will be closely monitoring any issues taxpayers encounter in filing returns, as well as whether refunds grow as much as Republicans have projected.

IRS CEO Frank Bisignano is set to appear before the Senate Finance Committee on April 15, where he is expected to face a barrage of hostile questions from Democrats on issues ranging from staff cuts to the agency’s controversial agreement to share taxpayer info with the Department of Homeland Security. Republicans, meanwhile, will use the hearing to tout their signature tax cuts.

At the same time, Treasury will continue to work on regulations to implement the One Big Beautiful Bill, including the so-called Trump accounts for children.

On Capitol Hill, Republicans are weighing a second reconciliation package that could include additional tax changes. At the same time, and in an unusual split screen, lawmakers are also being watched for signs they can come together later this year on a relatively uncontroversial bipartisan tax package, including measures aimed at improving tax administration. — Brian Faler

Employment and Immigration

— Budget time: President Trump is expected to release his budget request for the Labor Department and other agencies in the coming days, providing an updated glimpse at his vision for workplace enforcement.

In last year’s proposal, Trump called for steep cuts across much of the department, including the elimination of the Job Corps training program and the Women’s Bureau.

Congress ultimately rejected the president’s effort to slash DOL’s funding by more than a third, and instead approved a slight increase to its discretionary budget in a deal struck earlier this year.

The National Labor Relations Board — long a target for Republicans — was less fortunate, though its $5 million budget cut was less than the White House requested.

While presidential budget documents typically don’t carry much weight on Capitol Hill, last year’s requests came on the heels of cuts driven by the Elon Musk-led DOGE initiative, which has since receded. This year’s requests could provide clues as to what, if anything, has changed. — Nick Niedzwiadek

Education

Accreditation rulemaking: The Education Department has a lot of regulatory changes in store for college accreditors, the organizations that serve as the gatekeepers to the student loan program, during rulemaking this spring.

The Accreditation, Innovation, and Modernization, or AIM, committee, will consider proposals to increase competition among accreditors, lower barriers for new accreditors to enter the market and eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion standards, among other priorities. The committee will meet on April 13-17 and May 18-22.

During a public comment period last month at the National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity, higher education leaders — including a committee member — requested the department define to “diversity” in the upcoming rulemaking.

Members of NACIQI, which advises the department on accreditation recognition, also critiqued accreditors for having DEI policies at a two-day March meeting. Meanwhile, other committee members pointed out that DEI isn’t illegal and that there was no established definition for it.

When asked if the department has plans to define DEI at rulemaking, a spokesperson said: “Stay tuned.”

— Admissions survey decision: A federal judge is expected to rule on a bid from a group of Democratic attorneys general to stop the Trump administration from expanding the federal government’s collection of college admissions data.

Massachusetts District Court Judge Dennis Saylor, a George W. Bush appointee, has already temporarily blocked the Education Department from demanding the data from public universities in 17 states, but his restraining order is only in effect until April 6. Saylor said he intends to issue a preliminary injunction decision as soon as April 2.

The data collection is part of the administration’s crackdown on the use of race in college admissions and is designed to aid President Trump’s anti-diversity and meritocracy push.

The administration last year significantly expanded the scope of admissions information colleges must submit to the federal government, including granular data from colleges about the race and gender of their applicants, and admitted and enrolled students, as well as for specific graduate programs.

— Budget: Trump is expected to send his budget request for fiscal 2027 to Congress this month, outlining the administration’s education priorities.

Earlier this year, Congress largely rejected Trump’s initial budget request of his second term, which reflected his directive to shutter the Education Department through deep cuts and program consolidation. Education Secretary Linda McMahon is expected to appear before Congress this month to the fiscal 2027 budget. — Rebecca Carballo, Mackenzie Wilkes, Bianca Quilantan

Defense

— Defense budget debut: The Trump administration plans to roll out its 2027 budget on Friday, offering a first look at a Pentagon spending spike of roughly 50 percent.

Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth have endorsed a whopping $1.5 trillion national defense budget but provided few details on how that money would be spent. Several big ticket Pentagon priorities could see massive investment, including Trump's Golden Dome missile defense shield, missile and air defense production and Navy shipbuilding.

But they face massive pushback in selling another budget buildup amid tough midterm campaigns for Republicans and no desire from Democrats to back additional spending after the GOP forced through a $150 billion defense hike last year.

It’s also unclear whether the administration will ask Republicans to use the reconciliation process again to push the budget through or if it will include a supplemental funding request for the Iran war, which could exceed $200 billion.

— War wary: Lawmakers will also face questions about the course of the military campaign against Iran when Congress returns this month from a two-week recess.

The agenda will almost certainly include more votes in the House and Senate on Democratic-led legislation to cut short U.S. military operations against Iran. Republicans have remained mostly united against those measures, but those dynamics could shift as the conflict drags out and the military and economic fallout spreads.

Senate and House Democrats have also called for hearings with Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio on the war. Top Republicans have rebuffed those calls, but the coming budget season means the Defense secretary and top military leaders, including the head of U.S. Central Command tasked with running the campaign, will soon testify on Capitol Hill. — Connor O’Brien

Health Care

— Tariff decision: It’s been nearly a year since the Trump administration kicked off a national security investigation into imports of pharmaceuticals and drug ingredients last April — and a key decision may be around the corner.

Under the law governing such investigations, it should be completed within 270 days, including the delivery of its results and recommendations to President Trump. He would then have 90 days to decide whether to accept the findings.

That means the deadline is fast approaching. If Trump decides to accept the recommendations, he would have 15 days to implement actions to address imports — and he would also have to inform Congress in writing within 30 days.

Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Deputy Administrator Chris Klomp portrayed China at last week’s Conservative Political Action Conference as a threat to the U.S. biopharmaceutical industry, saying speedy innovation and intellectual property protections are needed. But it is unclear what role potential tariffs may play.

— Trump budget: The White House is expected to release its fiscal 2027 budget plan later this week.

That’s the first step in what will be a months-long process on Capitol Hill to determine how much money the Department of Health and Human Services gets in the fiscal year that starts Oct. 1. Appropriations committees in the House and Senate will soon begin by hearing from health agency leaders and then write their own funding bills.

Lawmakers are likely to come up with something different than Trump proposes in part because appropriations bills must have bipartisan support in the Senate.

Trump last year proposed a 25 percent reduction in the HHS budget with deeper cuts at agencies like the National Institutes of Health and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Trump also proposed a broad reorganization of health department agencies. But months after the Sept. 30 deadline, Congress rejected those proposals in February, providing $116.6 billion in discretionary funds for HHS, a slight increase from fiscal 2025. — Health Care Pro Team

Transportation

— Shutdown’s TSA fallout: Transportation Security Administration officers have begun receiving paychecks following an emergency directive from President Trump aimed at preventing further staffing shortfalls during the ongoing DHS funding lapse.

Despite the move, the impact is already being felt: more than 500 screeners have left, and attrition continues to climb. Acting administrator Ha Nguyen McNeill warned lawmakers the agency may need to reassess staffing at airports ahead of the summer travel surge tied to the FIFA World Cup.

McNeill said it could take up to half a year to get new employees trained on certain proprietary machines — well after the World Cup festivities have already begun — ensuring that the pressure on the system will linger amid the travel demand.

— Probe begins on another air disaster: The National Transportation Safety Board has has opened an investigation into the fatal crash of an Air Canada jet at LaGuardia Airport earlier this month, the latest in a series of incidents raising concerns about aviation safety.

Both pilots were killed after the aircraft collided with a firetruck on the runway. While runway incursions have declined in recent years, officials say systemic risks remain. FAA Deputy Administrator Chris Rocheleau told POLITICO the incident could prompt another industry-wide “safety standdown” to address vulnerabilities.

The NTSB’s preliminary report into the LaGuardia crash is expected in April and will outline contributing factors, along with any immediate changes to air travel operations the board deems necessary. The full investigation will take about a year.

— Infrastructure delays likely: Momentum is fading for a long-term surface transportation reauthorization bill, with Congress increasingly likely to rely on a short-term extension ahead of the Sept. 30 deadline.

The legislation — which seeks input from eight committees — is being sidelined by higher-priority issues, including the partial government shutdown. T&I chair Rep. Sam Graves (R-Mo.) recently announced he will not seek reelection, though lawmakers don’t believe his retirement should affect negotiations. The Trump administration has also given little indication that the bill is among its top priorities. — Oriana Pawlyk

Technology

— Data privacy: Several states are looking to keep momentum on privacy legislation this month.

The Maine Online Data Privacy Act cleared the House after amendments in March and now awaits a Senate vote as lawmakers propose amendments to align the bill with regulations enacted in other states.

In Vermont, the House of Representatives passed H.211 in late March. The bill would allow residents to send a single deletion request to all data brokers registered with the state. It’s now in the Senate, which has until the end of May to move the bill.

— Reconciliation, take two?: Republicans are gearing up for a possible second swing at passing party-line legislation through budget reconciliation, which could draw in tech and telecom priorities if it gains traction. Last year’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act ultimately was the vehicle for a sweeping GOP spectrum deal. Lawmakers also attempted, unsuccessfully, to attach a moratorium on state AI laws.

What could be included this time? Asked in late March about priorities, House Energy and Commerce Chair Brett Guthrie (R-Ky.) pointed to permitting reform. “We’ve got to see what fits in reconciliation,” he told POLITICO, adding that changes to ease broadband deployment would likely be part of the push: “any way we can build.”

Such reforms would coincide with states beginning to deploy billions of dollars from the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program. Guthrie’s panel advanced several broadband permitting measures in December, although some drew Democratic opposition over concerns about overriding local sovereignty.

While speculation is buzzing about what reconciliation might contain, some lawmakers insist it’s early and aren’t even sure whether Commerce committees would be in a position to contribute, which would depend on how the Budget committees set up the bill.

“Not yet,” Sen. Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), who chairs the Commerce telecom subcommittee, when asked potential priorities. “I don’t know if they’ll even have instructions for Commerce this time.”

— AI PREEMPTION 3.0: House GOP leaders and the White House are ramping up efforts to codify Trump’s sweeping AI framework, as key Republican senators finalize a kids’ online safety package that could broach the thorny topic of federal preemption of state AI laws.

After two failed Republican-led attempts at passing a years-long moratorium on state and local AI laws, many industry and key lawmakers recognize that bipartisan support is needed to pass a single rulebook. Still, any AI legislation could be tacked onto a second must-pass reconciliation bill if standalone efforts falter.

Even some supporters of a national AI standard remain skeptical Congress can get it done, at least by the end of this year. Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) said his doubts stem from repeated failures to enact meaningful social media safeguards: “We did zippo,” he told POLITICO in late March, arguing that robust federal safety standards would be a prerequisite for preempting state laws.

Republicans are also divided on how to write AI regulations. Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) introduced the TRUMP AMERICA AI Act which differs from the White House framework on issues including copyright protections and legal liability for content posted on tech platforms. — John Hendel, Alfred Ng and Gabby Miller

Cybersecurity

— Funding at risk: As Washington enters the spring budget cycle, lawmakers are preparing to review the administration’s fiscal 2027 proposal, which could include cuts to federal cyber programs.

The White House plans to send President Trump’s budget request for fiscal year 2027 to Congress on April 3. Last year’s proposal included nearly $500 million in cuts for the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, though lawmakers reduced that number during negotiations.

— Operations under strain: The nation’s top cyber defense agency is also contending with the effects of a prolonged Department of Homeland Security shutdown, while key leadership nominations remain stalled in the Senate.

The shutdown continues to disrupt operations at CISA: roughly 40 percent of staff are working without pay, while others remain furloughed. Acting Director Nick Andersen told lawmakers last month that the shutdown has limited intelligence-sharing with partner agencies and could hinder security preparations for major events such as the upcoming FIFA World Cup.

The Senate, currently in recess, is expected to revisit two key cyber nominations later this month. Sean Plankey, Trump’s nominee to lead CISA, has faced delays despite prior committee approval, while the nomination of Adam Cassady as the State Department’s cyber ambassador has yet to receive a hearing.

The ambassador role has been vacant since January 2025, and the State Department’s cyber bureau has undergone significant reorganization, raising questions about the position’s future influence. — Maggie Miller

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

2026-03-31T05:24:00.000-07:00

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

2026-03-30T14:54:00.000-07:00

February Prices Received Index Up 12 Percent

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

February Prices Paid Index Up 0.6 Percent

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

Bureau of Reclamation, Pacific Northwest Region - Storage Reservoirs in the Upper Snake River (3/30)

2026-03-30T06:55:00.000-07:00

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

Upper Snake River system is at 72 % of capacity.
(Jackson Lake,Palisades, Grassy Lake,Island Park,Ririe,American Falls,LakeWalcott)

Total space available:	1116486 AF
Total storage capacity:	4045695 AF

This Week's Drought Summary (3/26)

2026-03-26T06:48:00.000-07:00

This week, extreme weather events across the United States painted a starkly contrasting picture of drought development and relief. In the West and Plains, a persistent heat dome drove temperatures 20 to 25 degrees above normal, shattering early-season records and significantly increasing evaporative demand. This intense heat, combined with high winds and pre-existing dryness, threatened to rapidly deplete topsoil moisture and fueled explosive, landscape-altering wildfires—most notably the historic Morrill Fire in Nebraska that consumed over 800,000 acres. Ultimately, the combination of soaring temperatures and below-normal precipitation resulted in the expansion of drought and abnormal dryness across portions of the West, Great Plains, and parts of the Southeast.

Conversely, other regions experienced abrupt and volatile moisture influxes that mitigated dry conditions but introduced localized to severe flooding. In the Pacific Northwest, an atmospheric river stalled over Washington, bringing heavy rain and significant snowmelt. Further east, a powerful winter storm delivered a massive precipitation boost in the form of a late-season blizzard, dropping over 50 inches of snow across parts of the Upper Midwest and Michigan's Upper Peninsula. The most extreme precipitation of the week occurred over the Hawaiian Islands, where a stalled Kona low dumped unprecedented, historic rainfall, resulting in excessive flooding, widespread landslides, and infrastructure damage. Overall, above-normal precipitation resulted in improvements to drought and abnormal dryness across parts of the Midwest, Northeast, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico.

Northeast

Precipitation fell across much of the Northeast this week, with highly variable totals ranging from 0.25 to 3 inches. Beneficial rainfall—reaching 150% to 300% of normal for the week—helped alleviate ongoing dry conditions across parts of Pennsylvania, New York, and southern New England (Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut). This above-average moisture allowed for the reduction of severe drought (D2) in northern New Jersey and along the Pennsylvania-Maryland border. Moderate drought (D1) was trimmed in parts of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, and Massachusetts, while abnormal dryness (D0) improved across New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Delaware. Temperatures were sharply divided, running up to 10 degrees F below normal in northern areas like New York and Vermont, while southern portions of the region, such as Maryland, experienced departures up to 10 degrees F above normal.

Southeast

Much of the Southeast experienced above-normal temperatures this week, with the exception of Florida and parts of Georgia, which remained cooler than average. Precipitation was scarce, with most of the region reporting little to no rainfall; month-to-date totals from central North Carolina down to northern Florida sit at a dismal 25% of normal or less. This combination of dry weather and elevated temperatures exacerbated short-term SPI/SPEI, streamflow, and soil moisture deficits. Consequently, exceptional drought (D4) expanded from southern Georgia into northern Florida. Extreme drought (D3) grew in south-central North Carolina, northern and southern Georgia, western Florida, and pushed into southern South Carolina. Severe drought (D2) expanded in northwest and southeast North Carolina, and moderate drought (D1) saw a slight increase in central South Carolina. Conversely, isolated pockets of beneficial rain led to minor localized improvements, trimming severe drought to moderate drought and abnormal dryness in small parts of western Virginia and eastern North Carolina.

South

Hot and dry conditions dominated the South this week, driving widespread drought degradation. Temperatures soared 5 to 20 degrees F above normal across the vast majority of the region. This heat was coupled with persistent dryness, as month-to-date rainfall deficits grew to 1 to 3 inches below average (representing only 5% to 50% of normal). Deteriorating short- and long-term indicators justified the introduction and expansion of exceptional drought (D4) in southern Texas and northern Arkansas. Extreme drought (D3) was introduced in the Oklahoma Panhandle and expanded across central Oklahoma, northern Arkansas, southern Texas, and Louisiana. Additionally, severe drought (D2) worsened across parts of Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Tennessee, while moderate drought (D1) and abnormal dryness (D0) expanded in Texas, Mississippi, and southern Louisiana.

Midwest

Unseasonable warmth enveloped most of the Midwest, with temperature departures ranging from 5 to 20 degrees F above normal; the greatest anomalies were centered over western Illinois and southern Missouri. Conversely, parts of Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota observed below-normal temperatures. Precipitation was highly variable: northern and eastern areas (including much of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, northern Michigan, and Minnesota) received 0.5 inches or more, with some locations seeing 150% to 300% of normal weekly rainfall. This above-average moisture and corresponding improvements in streamflow and soil moisture led to the reduction of extreme drought (D3) and severe drought (D2) in Indiana and Ohio, alongside D2 improvements in Illinois. Moderate drought (D1) and abnormal dryness (D0) were also trimmed across Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, and northern Michigan. However, the southern half of the region largely missed out on precipitation, receiving as little as 5% of normal rainfall. Growing deficits and degrading conditions in these southern areas led to the expansion of moderate drought (D1) in parts of Iowa and Missouri, as well as an increase in abnormal dryness (D0) in northeast Ohio.

High Plains

Intense, unseasonable warmth gripped the High Plains, with temperatures soaring up to 25 degrees F above normal, peaking in parts of Wyoming and Colorado. Precipitation was nearly non-existent, particularly across the southern half of the region. This severe, persistent dryness, coupled with rapidly deteriorating drought indicators, forced widespread expansion and intensification of drought categories. Exceptional drought (D4) expanded in northwest Colorado, while extreme drought (D3) grew across Colorado, southern Wyoming, and southern Nebraska. Severe drought (D2) pushed further into central and northern Wyoming, western and southern Colorado, and advanced from Nebraska into South Dakota. Moderate drought (D1) and abnormal dryness (D0) also expanded broadly across Wyoming, Colorado, Nebraska, and Kansas. No drought improvements were made in the High Plains this week.

West

Anomalous warmth dominated the West, with nearly the much region seeing temperatures 15 to 25 degrees F above normal. Precipitation was largely absent, save for beneficial moisture in parts of Washington and Montana. This localized precipitation allowed for the reduction of severe drought (D2) in central Montana and abnormal dryness (D0) in western Washington. Elsewhere, the combination of soaring temperatures, lacking precipitation, and declining soil moisture and streamflow data resulted in broad drought degradation. Extreme drought (D3) expanded in southern Idaho, central and northeastern Utah, and northwest New Mexico. Severe drought (D2) increased in coverage across Oregon, southern Idaho, southern Montana, southern and eastern Utah, southern and eastern Arizona, and New Mexico. Finally, abnormal dryness (D0) expanded in eastern Oregon and central and southern California.

Caribbean

Storms delivered between 0.5 and 3 inches of rainfall across a large portion of Puerto Rico this week. This beneficial moisture led to the complete removal of abnormal dryness (D0) from the southern part of the island.

The U.S. Virgin Islands experienced showery weather during the drought-monitoring period ending the morning of March 24, with the heaviest rain (locally more than 2 inches) falling on St. Thomas. Most locations on St. John and St. Croix received less than an inch of rain. Still, Standardized Precipitation Index values throughout the territory indicate that neither drought nor abnormal dryness is present. In response to heavier rain on St. Thomas, depth to water at the U.S. Geological Survey’s Grade School 3 well improved (decreased) more than 3.3 feet during the 72-hour period ending at 9 am AST on March 25.

Pacific

Temperatures were broadly below normal across Alaska this week, with departures plunging 5 to 25 degrees F below average. Precipitation was below normal for much of the state, though parts of the Panhandle observed wetter-than-normal conditions. Due to a continued decrease in snow water equivalent, abnormal dryness (D0) was expanded across southwest Alaska, specifically south of the Kuskokwim River back toward upper Bristol Bay.

Back-to-back Kona low systems from early to mid-March brought some of the worst flooding in more than 20 years to parts of Hawaii. Maui bore the brunt of the extreme precipitation; Kahului Airport shattered its all-time wettest month on record, amassing an astounding 20.61 inches of rain by March 24. During this same period, airports at Molokai, Lihue, and Hilo reported impressive rainfall totals of 20.35, 13.76, and 12.96 inches, respectively. Consequently, moderate drought (D1) was eradicated from Molokai and Maui, while abnormal dryness (D0) was completely removed from Molokai and Lanai, and further reduced across Maui.

The U.S.-Affiliated Pacific Islands experienced variable weather conditions during the drought-monitoring period ending on March 24, ranging from worsening drought on Utirik in the northern Marshall Islands to flash flooding in Guam. Utirik’s designation was changed from severe to extreme drought (D2-S to D3-S), following another week with less than an inch of rain. Since December 1, 2025, Utirik’s rainfall has totaled less than 5 inches. Elsewhere in the Republic of the Marshall Islands, Wotje received enough rain (1.22 inches) during the week to prevent deterioration and remains in severe drought (D2-S), while Kwajalein received 1.33 inches and does not yet require a designation of abnormal dryness. Meanwhile, the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) have neither dryness nor drought, with missing data for Fananu, Pingelap, and Ulithi. On March 24, a disturbance over the northwestern FSM produced locally heavy showers across Yap and neighboring areas, including portions of the Marianas. Guam International Airport continued to approach its March rainfall record of 16.94 inches, set in 1971; the airport received 13.15 inches through the 24th, with an additional 1.31 inches falling on March 25. Elsewhere, the Republic of Palau remained free of dryness and drought, while American Samoa continued to experience warm weather and abnormally dry conditions (D0-S). During the first 24 days of March, high temperatures at American Samoa’s Pago Pago International Airport reached 90°F or greater ten times, well above average, highlighting a warmer-than-normal regime that has largely been in place for more than 2 weeks.

Looking Ahead

Over the next five days (March 24–28, 2026), the contiguous United States is forecast to experience another week of widespread, record-breaking warmth. A strong upper-level ridge will dominate the western and central U.S., pushing temperatures 20 to 40 degrees above average. This extreme heat, combined with dry conditions and gusty downsloping winds, will elevate fire weather risks across the High Plains on Tuesday and Wednesday. Meanwhile, a deepening low-pressure system will bring even stronger winds to the Northern Rockies. Concurrently, a potent mid-latitude cyclone will track from the Pacific Northwest toward the Canadian Maritimes. This system will initially drop moderate to heavy rain over the Northwest—potentially triggering isolated flooding—alongside high-elevation snow in the Olympics and Cascades. After weakening over the Central U.S., the system is expected to reinvigorate over the East by late next week, delivering a mix of rain to the south and snow to the north across the Great Lakes, Ohio Valley, and Northeast.

Further out, the Climate Prediction Center’s 6–10 day outlook (valid March 29–April 2, 2026) favors above-normal precipitation across much of the contiguous U.S. and Hawaii. Conversely, below-normal precipitation is favored for most of Alaska and along portions of the East Coast, stretching from southern New England to northern Florida. Probabilities for above-normal temperatures are increased across the vast majority of the lower 48 states and Hawaii, while below-normal temperatures are expected to persist across most of Alaska and much of the Northeast.

Idaho And Western United States SNOTEL Water Year (Oct 1) to Date Precipitation % of Normal (3/24)

2026-03-24T06:20:00.000-07:00

Bureau of Reclamation, Pacific Northwest Region - Storage Reservoirs in the Upper Snake River (3/23)

2026-03-23T06:49:00.000-07:00

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

Upper Snake River system is at 69 % of capacity.
(Jackson Lake,Palisades, Grassy Lake,Island Park,Ririe,American Falls,LakeWalcott)

Total space available:	1256512 AF
Total storage capacity:	4045695 AF

This Week's Drought Summary (3/19)

2026-03-19T07:08:00.000-07:00

This week, a powerful storm system crossed from the Great Plains into the Great Lakes, bringing widespread rain and thunderstorms to parts of the Midwest, and a historic blizzard to portions of the Upper Midwest, especially in northern Wisconsin and Michigan near Lake Superior. Total precipitation amounts exceeded 2 inches in a large area of the western Great Lakes, while lighter amounts, mostly 0.5-3 inches of precipitation, fell across parts of the southern and eastern Contiguous U.S. Improvements to ongoing drought and dryness occurred across large portions of the Midwest, parts of the lower Mississippi River Valley, and in the Northeast outside of northern New England. Heavy rain and, in some areas, mountain snow, fell across parts of the Northwest, locally improving drought conditions. However, significant deficits in snow still exist in many parts of the West, including the Pacific Northwest, which limited the longer-term benefits of the precipitation that fell. Much of the Southwest, and the central and southern Great Plains, missed out on precipitation, and instead dealt with a dry, warm and windy week. Precipitation deficits, and lack of snowpack in the mountains, continued to worsen amid high evaporative demand, leading to widespread worsening of abnormal dryness and drought, especially in South Dakota and Nebraska, southwest Kansas, southern Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, and parts of Oregon that missed out on precipitation. A kona low delivered heavy precipitation to all of Hawaii this week, leading to widespread 1- and local 2-category improvements to ongoing drought conditions from Molokai eastward.

Northeast

In the Northeast, 0.5-2 inches of precipitation fell this week, with local amounts in the 2-3 inch range, leading to some improvements to conditions in New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and southern New England. In many areas that saw conditions improve, long-term precipitation deficits had lessened in severity and groundwater levels rose. Two or more inches of precipitation were most common this week downwind of lakes Erie and Ontario, central and northeast Pennsylvania, Connecticut and eastern Maine. Warmer-than-normal temperatures occurred across the entire region; temperatures were mostly 6-12 degrees above normal in New England, and 9-12 degrees above normal elsewhere.

Southeast

In the Southeast, drought conditions worsened in a few areas, improved in a few areas, and remained unchanged for most as drought and abnormal dryness maintained a hold in the region. Heavy rain fell this week in central and northeast Alabama and northwest Georgia, and amounts checked in at or above 2 inches in most locations. Given the very dry conditions beforehand in northwest Georgia, this rain acted more to prevent worsening drought. In central Alabama, the rain improved soil moisture and precipitation deficits enough for improvement in some areas of abnormal dryness or moderate drought. A similar story played out in a few locales in North Carolina, though with lesser rain amounts, improvements were much more isolated. Severe drought expanded or contracted in a couple spots in South Carolina (due to worsening or improving precipitation deficits and soil moisture), though conditions across the Palmetto State remained mostly the same. Exceptional drought developed along the Florida-Georgia state line, where soil moisture and precipitation deficits worsened and several streamflow gauges moved into record-low territory for mid-March. Severe drought expanded in west-central Virginia, as soil moisture remained low and 6-month precipitation deficits highlighted worsening conditions amid temperatures ranging from 9-12 degrees warmer than normal for the week. Very heavy rain fell in parts of Miami-Dade County in Florida, resulting in some improvements to drought conditions, though the benefit of the heavy rain was likely limited given runoff and very low water levels in the Everglades. Airboat operators in the Everglades have recently had to pause or re-route tours given how low water levels have been there.

South

A strong low pressure system traversed the Great Plains into the Midwest with it, bringing widespread strong winds, locally heavy rain and a powerful blizzard to the Upper Great Lakes. Weekly precipitation amounts ranged from 2-3 inches, locally more, from central and northern Illinois to eastern Wisconsin, the central and eastern Michigan Upper Peninsula, and much of the Michigan Lower Peninsula (excluding southeast areas) and northern Indiana. Improvements occurred across much of Illinois, Wisconsin, most parts of Michigan that still were experiencing drought or abnormal dryness, and parts of Missouri, Iowa, western Kentucky, Indiana and northeast Ohio. Longer-term precipitation deficits and paltry streamflow still exist in parts of Illinois, Indiana and Ohio, though recent precipitation has alleviated conditions in some areas, so widespread improvements were made this week. The impact of recent precipitation on soil moisture and streamflow in the Midwest will continue to be monitored in the coming weeks. Recent precipitation and improvements in soil moisture and precipitation deficits led to the aforementioned local improvements in Missouri, Iowa and northwest Kentucky. Weekly temperatures were 3-9 degrees below normal in northwest Minnesota, as cold air wrapped around the powerful storm system, while temperatures in the southern half of the Midwest were 3-12 degrees warmer than normal for mid-March.

Midwest

This week, parts of east Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee benefitted from localized rains of at least 2 inches. Elsewhere, deep south Texas, western Texas, and northern and western Oklahoma were mostly dry this week. Temperatures across the region were warmer than normal, with readings varying widely from a degree or two above normal to 9-12 degrees above normal. Soil moisture levels improved and precipitation shortfalls lessened in parts of east-central Texas, Louisiana and southeast Arkansas, leading to localized improvements to drought conditions in these areas. Despite heavier rains, a small area of extreme drought shifted northeast in southeast Tennessee due to very large precipitation deficits that continued this week. Growing short-term precipitation deficits led to the development of severe drought in a small area of northwest Tennessee. Heavy rain in Dallas improved local conditions. Warm, dry and windy conditions were the rule elsewhere in the southern Great Plains and deep south Texas, leading to localized degradations in central and northern Texas, deep south Texas, south-central and northwest Oklahoma, and the Oklahoma and Texas panhandles.

High Plains

In the southern half of the High Plains region, warmer-than-normal weather continued this week amid mainly dry and frequently windy conditions. Degradation in drought conditions was widespread across Nebraska and southern parts of South Dakota. A deadly wildfire in western Nebraska, the Morrill Fire, has burned a record amount of land for Nebraska wildfires. This fire, and others across Nebraska, occurred amid weather conditions favorable for fire growth and a background of worsening drought conditions. The Great Plains of southwest Kansas and southeast Colorado also saw worsening drought and abnormal dryness this week, as precipitation deficits continued to mount along with warmer-than-normal temperatures this winter and early spring. Large precipitation deficits and above-normal evaporative demand over the last several months led to extreme drought development in parts of the Black Hills in southwest South Dakota. Colder temperatures and some precipitation kept conditions unchanged (and mostly free of drought or abnormal dryness) in North Dakota and northern South Dakota.

West

Current drought conditions in the West continued to be headlined by snow drought this week. The Sangre de Cristo Mountains and portions of the San Juan Mountains in southern Colorado and northern New Mexico saw widespread worsening conditions this week. Overall dry and warm conditions worsened both precipitation deficits and snowpack conditions in these areas. Some snow-water monitoring sites in the region have seen near-full or full melting of snowpack. Degradations to ongoing drought and dryness were also widespread in Arizona this week, where warmer-than-normal temperatures combined with dry weather to worsen short-term precipitation deficits, increase evaporative demand and support low streamflow levels. High-elevation parts of Arizona that usually have snow on the ground in mid-March are also suffering from snow drought. This combination of drier- and warmer-than-normal weather and snow drought may set the state for drought conditions to worsen in the coming weeks if weather conditions remain warm and dry. Warmer-than-normal and dry weather occurred this week in Nevada, worsening conditions in some areas, especially in the north, where impacts are being reported as a result of unusually warm and dry weather over the last several months and meagre mountain snow. Due to locally heavy precipitation or lack thereof, a mix of small-scale improvements and degradations occurred in Oregon. Amid the snow drought, localized degradations occurred in southwest Idaho, while heavier mountain snows improved snowpack in some mountain ranges in parts of western Montana, leading to localized improvements. The effectiveness of this locally renewed snowpack in improving soil moisture will be analyzed further in the weeks ahead.

Caribbean

Generally drier conditions continued this week in southern Puerto Rico in a small area of abnormal dryness. Otherwise, the island remained free of abnormal dryness or drought this week.

In the U.S. Virgin Islands, recent weather conditions have featured occasional showers and gusty trade winds, due to high pressure anchored over the North Atlantic. At Rohlsen Airport on St. Croix, peak easterly wind gusts to 40 mph or higher were clocked on March 8, 10, and 16. On St. Thomas, heavy rain was observed on March 12-13, when 24-hour totals near 2 inches were recorded in several locations. Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) values at all time periods for multiple sites on the three major islands are supportive of neither dryness nor drought. Therefore, the U.S. Virgin Islands have a “clean” drought map for the fourth consecutive week. Other evidence, including the Vegetation Health Index and well data from the U.S. Geological Survey, also supports drought-free conditions. Current depths to water include 20.5 feet at the Adventure 28 well on St. Croix, about 3.7 feet greater than a year ago, and 13.3 feet at the Susannaberg DPW 3 well on St. John, about 4.4 feet greater than a year ago.

Pacific

Primarily drier-than-normal weather occurred this week in Alaska, though this also occurred amid temperatures ranging from 10-25 degrees below normal outside of southeast Alaska and the North Slope. No changes were made to ongoing areas of abnormal dryness, and most of the state remained free of drought or abnormal dryness this week.

Very heavy rain amounts fell across Hawaii this week, associated with the passage of a kona low, leading to one- or 2-category improvements across all islands from Molokai eastward. As of March 17, Kahului, in central Maui, had already received a record amount of rain, 16.36 inches, for both March and any month on record. Many measuring sites from Maui westward received at least 8 inches above their normal rainfall for the week, while some locations in the southern Big Island received 16-20 inches above their normal weekly rain. Agricultural damage from the storm system was also reported in portions of Oahu. Portions of central Maui improved from extreme to moderate drought this week, and further improvements may be necessary in the weeks ahead as the effect of this week’s storm system is analyzed more.

In the U.S.-Affiliated Pacific Islands, the drought-monitoring period began with Tropical Depression Nuri meandering near Yap, across northwestern parts of the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), before dissipating on March 12. All monitored sites in the FSM remained free of drought and abnormal dryness, with missing data noted for Fananu, Pingelap, and Ulithi. Meanwhile, historically wet weather prevailed during the first half of March in the Marianas. At Guam International Airport, month-to-date rainfall through the 17th totaled 12.12 inches (762% of normal). Guam International Airport’s wettest March on record occurred in 1971, with 16.94 inches. There were neither dryness- nor drought-related concerns in the Marianas and the Republic of Palau, which has also experienced a wet March to date. In contrast, weekly rainfall at Pago Pago International Airport in American Samoa was less than 2 inches for the fifth time in the last six drought-monitoring periods. Given American Samoa’s short-term dryness at the international airport and other locations, abnormal dryness (D0-S) was retained on Tutuila for a fourth consecutive week. Elsewhere, northern atolls in the Marshall Islands remained quite dry, with severe drought (D2-S) persisting on Utirik and Wotje for a fourth consecutive week. Since December 1, 2025, less than 4 inches of rain has fallen on Utirik, while approximately 7 inches has fallen on Wotje.

Looking Ahead

Through the evening of Monday, March 23, the National Weather Service Weather Prediction Center’s forecast depicts mostly dry weather across a large swath of the Contiguous U.S. Precipitation totaling 0.5-1 inch may fall from West Virginia into New York, and in spots in New England. Similar precipitation amounts are forecast in parts of northwest Montana and the Idaho Panhandle. Western Washington is forecast to receive widespread precipitation amounts of at least 1 inch, with some favored mountainous areas forecast to receive 2.5-5 inches of precipitation (or locally more). Elsewhere, the forecast calls for precipitation amounts to remain at or below 0.5 inches, with most of the Great Plains, Mississippi and Lower Ohio River Valleys, and the Gulf Coast states likely to remain completely dry.

Looking ahead from March 24-28, the National Weather Service Climate Prediction Center forecast strongly favors warmer-than-normal temperatures in most of the West, especially in the Southwest, and across much of the Great Plains and South. Near- or below-normal temperatures are favored from northern North Dakota eastward through the Great Lakes into much of the Northeast. Above-normal precipitation is favored in Washington, northern Oregon, the Idaho Panhandle and northwest Montana, and from northern Michigan eastward across the northern half of the Northeast. Wetter-than-normal weather is also forecast in central and southern Florida. Elsewhere in the contiguous United States, below-normal precipitation is more likely, especially from the Great Plains to Utah, Nevada, the Desert Southwest and California.

Idaho And Western United States SNOTEL Water Year (Oct 1) to Date Precipitation % of Normal (3/17)

2026-03-17T06:53:00.000-07:00

Bureau of Reclamation, Pacific Northwest Region - Storage Reservoirs in the Upper Snake River (3/16)

2026-03-16T06:48:00.000-07:00

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

Upper Snake River system is at 66 % of capacity.
(Jackson Lake,Palisades, Grassy Lake,Island Park,Ririe,American Falls,LakeWalcott)

Total space available:	1358895 AF
Total storage capacity:	4045695 AF

This Week's Drought Summary (3/12)

2026-03-12T06:58:00.000-07:00

Following a drier-than-normal winter, a pattern change at the beginning of March resulted in widespread heavy precipitation (1 to 3 inches, locally more) and a 1-category improvement to parts of the Ohio and Middle to Lower Mississippi Valley. This drought improvement extended east to the Central Appalachians and the Northeast. However, a long-term drought continues for much of the Northeast. Despite the much-needed rainfall for portions of the Southeast and Southern Great Plains, severe (D2) to extreme (D3) drought persists for many areas. A low snowpack and early onset of snowmelt are a major drought concern for the West. As of March 10, drought of varying intensity was designated for parts of Hawaii. Alaska and Puerto Rico remain drought-free. 

Northeast

Widespread precipitation of 1 to 2 inches led to a 1-category improvement to parts of southeastern New York, northern New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. Despite the recent beneficial precipitation since late February, a long-term drought of varying intensity persists for much of the Northeast. This long-term drought depiction is supported by the meteorological and hydrological drought metrics. For example, 28-day average streamflows remain low (below the 10th percentile) from the Northern Mid-Atlantic into New England. Note that the drought impact was changed to long-term only for much of the Northeast where short-term drought has mostly ended. 

Southeast

Small improvements in the Southeast region were made near Mobile (around 5" rainfall from March 3-9) and across northern Alabama. Extreme (D3) drought was expanded in northeastern Georgia as 90 to 120-day precipitation deficits continue to increase and low streamflows persist in the upper headwaters of the Chattahoochee River. Increasing short-term precipitation deficits resulted in a 1-category degradation across southwestern Virginia. Consistent with a La Nina winter, drought has worsened the past few months across Florida with more than two-thirds of the Sunshine State designated with extreme (D3) drought.  According to the National Interagency Fire Center, a wildfire at Florida’s Big Cypress National Preserve has grown to over 35,000 acres burned. 

South

Despite the locally heavy rainfall across the Lower Mississippi Valley along with eastern Oklahoma and Texas, only modest improvements were warranted as a favorable response among the various indicators was not enough to justify more widespread 1-week changes. However, targeted 1-category improvements were made to parts of northwestern Arkansas, eastern Oklahoma, eastern Texas, and the Lower Mississippi Valley where weekly precipitation amounts exceeded 2 inches. In areas that missed out on the beneficial rainfall, drought intensified for parts of west-central Oklahoma and the Oklahoma Panhandle. A majority of the South Region has received less than half their normal precipitation with a temperature departure of more than 6 degrees F above normal during the past 90 days. These 3-month precipitation and temperature observations are consistent with a La Nina wintertime pattern. 

Midwest

Major drought improvement occurred across the Midwest Region as a couple of low pressure systems and associated fronts tracked through the central U.S. during early March. A 1-category improvement was generally made to areas that received 1.5 inches or more of precipitation from March 3 to 9. This included central to southern Indiana, Illinois, and Ohio along with east-central and southern Missouri. Given the time of year, this recent precipitation was very beneficial in recharging soil moisture. There was a sharp cutoff to the heavier precipitation (near the I-70 corridor) with severe (D2) to extreme (D3) drought continuing farther to the north across Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio. 

High Plains

Widespread drought of varying intensity continues across much of the Central Great Plains and Central Rockies. Drought expanded this past week to include all of southwestern Colorado and intensified for northwestern parts of the state. The low snowpack throughout the Central Rockies, especially Colorado, remains a major concern heading into the spring. As of March 10, snow water equivalent for the river basins of Colorado is running below 70 percent of the 1991-2020 average. There were a couple exceptions to the worsening conditions. A wet snow (1” or more, liquid equivalent) supported the removal of extreme (D3) drought across parts of the Denver metro area. Heavy rainfall (more than 1.5 inches) prompted small 1-category improvements to eastern Kansas and southeastern Nebraska. 

West

The low snowpack throughout much of the West is a major concern heading into the spring. As of March 10, snow water equivalent (SWE) is less than 40 percent of normal from the Cascades of the Pacific Northwest southward through the Great Basin and Four Corners region. 14-day temperatures, valid from February 25 to March 10, have averaged 5 to degrees F above normal. This warmer-than-normal end to February and start to March has led to an early onset of snowmelt for parts of the West. Although California remains drought-free, SWE is 53 percent of normal statewide according to the California Department of Water Resources. Overall, only minor changes were made this past week to the West Region. Based on increasing 60-day precipitation deficits and to reflect the low snowpack, abnormal dryness (D0) was added to parts of northern California. Drought expanded into southeastern Utah while intensifying to severe (D2) and extreme (D3) drought across northeastern and western portions of the state. Moderate (D1) drought was expanded across north-central to northeastern Washington along with central Oregon due to 30 to 90-day precipitation deficits and low snowpack. 

Caribbean

Only a small area of abnormal dryness remains designated for southern Puerto Rico with most areas receiving above-normal precipitation during the past 30 to 120 days. 

Precipitation was low for the U.S. Virgin Islands over the past week but was above normal in February, typically a dry time of year. St. Thomas and St. John both received 0.26 inches, according to citizen weather observers. St. Croix got 0.19 to 0.28 inches.

The Standardized Precipitation Index showed slightly dry conditions at the one-month time scale for St. John’s East End, with wetter conditions at longer time scales. Conditions were fairly normal for all time scales for St. Croix’s East Hill.

The Vegetation Health Index indicates some mild stress for St. Croix. Water levels in wells on all three islands are dropping as this is a dry time of year. All islands continue to be drought-free.

Pacific

Abnormal dryness continues for portions of Alaska and generally reflects below-normal snowfall. No changes were made this past week. 

No changes were made this past week and as of March 10th, there are varying levels of drought intensity across the Big Island, Maui, and Molokai. 

The Republic of Palau received 2.28 and 3.68 inches of precipitation at Palau IAP and Koror, respectively. Water supplies should be sufficient as these locations need 2 inches of rainfall per week to meet minimum water needs.

The Mariana Islands received more than 2 inches for the week. Guam reported 3.46 inches, Rota got 3.51 inches, and Saipan International Airport collected 2.05 inches. One inch is the weekly amount these islands need to meet minimum water needs.

The Federated States of Micronesia mostly received more than 2 inches for the week. Lukunor was put back in normal condition from D0 after receiving 2.28 inches of precipitation. Woleai and Yap were also returned to normal conditions after receiving 6.13 and 2.11 inches of rain, respectively. All other locations in the FSM received more than 2 inches, apart from Kapingamarangi and Nukuoro, which got less than an inch, but both locations had adequate precipitation in prior weeks.

Precipitation over the Marshall Islands was mixed. Utirik and Wotje remain in D2 and reported just 0.12 and 0.1 inches, respectively. Kwajalein collected 2.32 inches and was moved from D0 back to normal condition. Ailinglaplap, Jaluit, and Mili received more than 2 inches of rain, while Majuro got 1.48 inches.

American Samoa received enough rainfall to leave D0 and return to normal conditions. Pago Pago received 2.68 inches of rain, while Siufaga Ridge and Toa Ridge got 2.5 inches and 2.19 inches, respectively. These islands require 2 inches of rain per week to meet minimum water needs.

Looking Ahead

In the wake of a cold front, sharply colder temperatures are forecast to overspread the eastern U.S. on March 12. A second and even stronger cold front is expected to progress east from the Great Plains to the East Coast by March 16. Following this strong March cold front, subfreezing temperatures are forecast to extend as far south as Oklahoma and the Texas Panhandle. According to the Weather Prediction Center, 5-day precipitation amounts from March 12-16 are forecast to exceed 1 inch, liquid equivalent, across the Great Lakes and New England. Much needed rainfall is also anticipated for drought-stricken Florida. Elsewhere, drier weather is forecast for the Ohio Valley, Middle to Lower Mississippi Valley, and Great Plains. During mid-March, dry weather will be accompanied by an increasing chance of record heat across California, the Great Basin, and Southwest. A powerful Kona low will bring heavy to excessive rainfall to Hawaii through at least March 14. 

The NWS 6-10 day outlook (valid March 17-21) leans toward below-normal temperatures for the East, while above-normal temperatures are likely from the West Coast to the Great Plains. Above-normal temperature probabilities exceed 90 percent across most of California, the Great Basin, and Southwest. In contrast to the warmer–than-normal temperatures over the West, Alaska is likely to be colder-than-normal. A majority of the lower 48 states are favored to have below-normal precipitation from March 17-21 with the largest below-normal precipitation probabilities (greater than 50 percent) forecast across the Central to Southern Great Plains, Southwest, and much of California. The wet pattern is forecast to persist for Hawaii with enhanced above-normal precipitation probabilities.

Idaho And Western United States SNOTEL Water Year (Oct 1) to Date Precipitation % of Normal (3/10)

2026-03-10T07:51:00.000-07:00