Source: droughtmonitor.unl.edu

Map released Oct. 8, 2020 | Data valid Oct. 6, 2020

This week’s drought summary: Temperatures for the week were below normal over much of the Plains, Midwest, South, Southeast and Mid-Atlantic, with departures of 5-10 degrees below normal for many locations. The West continued to be warm with temperatures near normal to slightly above through the Rocky Mountains and 5-10 degrees above normal over the West Coast. 

Temperatures in New England were also slightly above normal, with the greatest departures in Maine. Below-normal precipitation dominated almost the entire country.

This week’s drought summary: Temperatures for the week were below normal over much of the Plains, Midwest, South, Southeast and Mid-Atlantic, with departures of 5-10 degrees below normal for many locations. The West continued to be warm with temperatures near normal to slightly above through the Rocky Mountains and five to ten degrees above normal over the West Coast.

Precipitation amounts were greatest over the Eastern Seaboard, with the Northeast recording the most rain. Almost no precipitation was recorded in the western two-thirds of the country. In the next several days, eyes will be on Hurricane Delta and where it will make landfall along the Gulf Coast. Current projections are taking the storm ashore in Louisiana.

South: Although most of the region received no precipitation during the week, cooler temperatures helped to reduce the amount of drought expansion this week as temperatures were generally three to six degrees below normal. Abnormally dry conditions and moderate drought were expanded over Northern Oklahoma this week while extreme drought expanded over the southwest portions of the state. Abnormally dry conditions expanded over portions of southern Louisiana and eastern Mississippi while moderate drought and abnormally dry conditions expanded over northwest Arkansas. Texas continued to see conditions deteriorate over the Panhandle and areas of the south Texas Plains and into the Hill Country.

Looking ahead: Over the next 5-7 days, it is anticipated that precipitation chances will be greatest in the East and Southeast, with the greatest precipitation associated with Hurricane Delta. A more active pattern over the Pacific Northwest will likely bring precipitation into that area and into the northern Rocky Mountains. Areas of the northern Plains are also anticipating less than an inch of precipitation. Temperatures will be above normal for almost the entire country, with portions of the Plains having departures of up to 12 degrees above normal.

The 6-10 day outlooks show the greatest probabilities to record above-normal temperatures are along both the West and East coasts as well as the Northeast, with below-normal chances of above-normal temperatures in Alaska. The precipitation outlook has above-normal chances of below-normal precipitation over the western half of the United States and above-normal chances of above-normal precipitation over much of the South, Midwest, and Mid-Atlantic and into the Northeast.