- Heavy rain eased drought in parts of the Midwest and central Rockies.
- Extreme drought (D3) expanded across Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah.
- Southeastern Colorado remains locked in extreme drought (D3).
- Nevada and southern California see little improvement despite showers.
- Wyoming and northern Colorado benefit from spring moisture.
Sunday, April 27, 2027 –– As of April 24, 2025, the U.S. Drought Monitor
reports a mixed picture across the country. Torrential rains improved conditions in parts of the Midwest, central Texas, and the central Rockies. However, worsening drought took hold across much of the East Coast, Southeast, and the southern and northern Rockies. In areas of deterioration, a persistent stretch of warmer-than-average weather, with temperatures 3 to 6 degrees Fahrenheit above normal, intensified drought stress.
Drought in the Colorado River Basin States.
Arizona.
Severe drought (D2) and extreme drought (D3) conditions continue to dominate Arizona. Much of the state, especially southern and western regions, has slipped further into extreme drought. Despite isolated precipitation near higher elevations, rainfall has been too sparse to improve the broader drought situation.
California.
Southern California remains in extreme drought (D3) across southeastern areas. Although some moisture reached northern and eastern parts of the state, it was not enough to affect southern drought zones. Conditions remained essentially unchanged in the Colorado River-adjacent regions.
Colorado.
Northern and central parts of Colorado saw some moderate to heavy precipitation, particularly over the higher elevations. This led to modest drought improvements in these areas. However, southeastern Colorado remains entrenched in extreme drought (D3), with no significant relief reported this week.
Nevada.
Southern Nevada continues to suffer from extreme drought (D3) with no notable improvements. Rainfall totals remained low, and conditions remain very dry near the Colorado River corridor.
New Mexico.
New Mexico saw significant deterioration this week, with extreme drought (D3) and exceptional drought (D4) now covering large parts of southern and western areas. Rainfall was insufficient to halt the expansion of drought, and soil moisture deficits continue to deepen.
Utah.
Southern Utah experienced further drought expansion, with many areas now in severe (D2) to extreme drought (D3). Scattered showers over higher elevations were not enough to offset long-term deficits, particularly in areas critical to the Colorado River Basin inflow.
Wyoming.
Wyoming enjoyed some beneficial moisture across central and higher elevation regions. Southeastern Wyoming, however, remains under moderate to severe drought, although no extreme drought (D3) is currently reported. The state’s improving mountain snowpack offers hope for water supply in the coming months.
The Broader Picture.
Heavy precipitation during the week brought improvements to Missouri, Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin, and southeastern Minnesota. Some regions in the Southeast and East Coast, however, saw drought worsening dramatically, especially in parts of Florida, Georgia, and the Carolinas, where severe drought (D2) and extreme drought (D3) expanded. Wildfires, fueled by dry conditions, continue to plague parts of New Jersey and Florida.
In the West, drought intensified along the Four Corners region, where Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, and Colorado converge. Parts of southern California and Nevada remained dry, with minimal changes in drought status.
Looking ahead, forecasts call for moderate to heavy rain across the northern Plains, Midwest, and Northeast over the coming week. However, little relief is expected for the Four Corners states or the southern parts of California and Nevada.
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