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5/20 Drought Monitor; D4 Regions In Panhandles, S. TX Getting Worse; D3/4 From SD To OR, N. Nevada
EDIT
The Plains
Locally heavy rain came to the South early in the Drought Monitor week. Areas of Texas, Louisiana and Arkansas benefitted. Areas of Abnormal Dryness (D0) were removed from southern and eastern Texas, northern Louisiana into southern Arkansas, and northern Arkansas into southern Missouri. Mounting deficits saw degradation of drought conditions in western and central Texas. Areas of Exceptional Drought (D4) expanded in central Texas where lake and stream levels are exceptionally low, water supplies are dwindling, and water restrictions are the norm. With some places going months without appreciable precipitation, degradation was in line in most locations in Oklahoma, with the exception of the extreme southeast part of the state. Areas of Exceptional (D4), Extreme (D3), Severe (D2), and Moderate Drought (D1) and Abnormal Dryness (D0) expanded eastward this week in Oklahoma.
The West
Conditions remain very dry across the West as much of the West moves into its dry season. Areas of Extreme Drought (D3) expanded in western and eastern New Mexico, as did Exceptional Drought (D4) in eastern New Mexico as precipitation deficits mount. The state overall experienced its seventh driest Year-to-Date (January to April) and 12th driest Water Year (October 2013 – April 2014) on record. The rest of the West remained unchanged.
Wildfires remain a problem in parts of the West. According to the US Forest Service, the current large incidents are all in California, Arizona, and New Mexico. The fires around San Diego, CA resulted in at least one death, approximately 125,000 evacuees, and millions of dollars in property damage. So far this year nationwide, there have been 22,863 fires that have burned 471,875 acres which is below the 10-year average (2004 – 2014 average, year to date, is 27,895 fires and 1,053,217 acres according to the National Interagency Fire Center).
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http://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/
